Day 5 - Part 2 - This is where the colloboration with Eric started. Okay?

Looking from the refrigerator and then back at the pack of blood, Ned shook his head in denial. This was forever! A female body for good. He grappled to get his mind around the concept.

Looking at Chris in dismay, Ned tried to gauge his friends expression. There was the slightest twinkle of amusement in the mans eyes that gave Ned reason to pause. The woman scowled with a sudden intuition.

"You bastard, what have you done with my blood? I know you! You're just messing with my mind," Ned said.

"It's gone. I'm very sorry, just wasn't thinking buddy. I mean baby..." Chris said with lofty irony. Chris couldn't keep a straight face. His amusement spread to his mouth in the form of a slight smile.

"You had better keep that blood safe pal, or else..." Ned said ominously. There was now more than a hint of feminine nastiness to his tone.

"So how do you like it? Being a woman I mean," Chris asked

Ned snorted in derision and rolled his eyes.

"Too bad you don't like it. From where I'm standing it looks pretty good," Chris noted. "You should try and see the up side of it. Being female isn't that bad. Trust me on this one."

Ned thought about his new form. Being a woman wasn't what he had expected. He felt normal, comfortable, acclimatised. Except that he was now a she.

Picking up a towel to wipe off the scum stuck to her skin, Ned continued to take a full measure of the change she had just been through. She was truly beautiful. She had known that this woman's body was incredibly attractive but seeing it instead of her own familiar male body was more than a tad strange.

She glanced up at Chris then covered her body. Now that she wasn't quite so worried about the blood she began to feel a little self conscious about being unclothed in the presence of another person. Being female with a male friend made matters a little more... different.

"I don't have the blood. Honest," Chris said, a grin now openly on his face.

"Uh-huh," Ned said disbelievingly. There was still a gnawing concern in her mind. Chris now had some pretty major leverage over her. She thought about the week ahead of her, being at Chris' beck and call.

'How bad could it be?' she thought. Looking at the rubber suit Ned had to wonder.

The suit brought her full circle back to her original dilemma with Chris. Now the shoe was literally on the other foot. "I'm not wearing that!" she said steadfastly, decidedly unhappy with the choice of clothing.

Chris shrugged then looked her in the eye. "I don't think you have a choice. Not when you think about it," he held the offending garment aloft, waving it in front Ned's pretty blue eyes.

"If we're going to go back to your place I have to be dressed normally. Waltzing around in public in a rubber fetish suite isn't going to work! Let me at least try to cope with my new body before you start forcing me into demented situations!" Ned pleaded. "You did get clothes other than that rubber monstrosity, didn't you?"

"Well there are the clothes that you bought for me. You remember them, the long stilettos, the g-string and transparent bra, the top that was too small and the body hugging dress?" Chris said. "Well I changed the g-string and dress for a pair of hot pants..." He pulled out the hot pants and the other skimpy clothes that Ned had forced upon him when he had been a woman.

Ned kicked herself for ever buying the garments. Given that they were the only clothes available she pulled them from Chris's grip and started to dress.

Chris watched her dress with an attentiveness that left Ned a little rattled. She didn't like being the center of a man's attention, especially as she was now a woman.

Ned straightened her skin top tight, repositioning her newly acquired breasts. It felt most unusual having two soft weighty lumps on her chest.

"Those mumble pants are pretty good. I can see your lips moving but not understand a word," Chris said about the pants. Feeling uncomfortable, Ned pulled her hot pants down a little. They had been riding up. She examined herself. Her rump was clearly outlined in the firmly clinging material and once again she found her new anatomy unsettling. This time it was her long curvaceous legs rather than her old male ones that struck a discordant note in her mind.

"Well, shall we go?" Chris asked, extending his hand courteously once she had finished adjusting her clothes.

Ned rolled her eyes again and accepted Chris's hand. She blinked as she saw their appendages in comparison. Her new hand looked so small and dainty in his large male one! She looked at him, expecting to meet his gaze only to find her eyes level with his chin.

Chris led her to the exit, a lewd smile on his face. Ned knew exactly what Chris was going to make her do. He was going to make her parade down the street. Ned felt a strange sense of deja vu. Ned recalled making Chris to do the same thing when he had been in this same luscious female body. * * *

Greg stood behind the counter, polishing a glass. He had just started his waiters shift and was not looking forward to being polite to people for the entire night. In fact he was in a very foul mood at the moment. Janice had just broken up with him and as far as he was concerned she was the one in the wrong, not him.

Putting down the wine glass, he reached into his back pocket and pulled out a hip flask. Taking more than a nip, he pushed it back into his pocket. The alcohol didn't make him feel better, no matter how much he wished it would, but it took the edge off things.

Running over the last few days in his mind, Greg wondered how he could have been so fucking stupid. Janice didn't have a twin sister. She was just a god damn tramp. She had slept around on him. The bitch had deliberately flaunted other men in his face by walking around dressed like a whore out the front of his work. He still couldn't figure out how she had done the phone call thing, but that didn't matter.

When he'd confronted her about her indiscretions she'd broken down crying, claiming she was innocent. This from a girl that had crushed his manhood in her grip. If her brothers hadn't been there to stop him he would have taught her a thing or too. When he'd tried to take Janice away, those damn brothers had thrown him out on his rear! Bastards. It was none of their business.

Just at that moment he looked up and saw Janice walking out of a building across the street. She was with a different man this time but was still dressed like a tramp. Parading her beautiful body in front of his work with some man just to spite him!

Throwing his cloth down, he reached under the counter and pulled out a baseball bat. Heedless of the traffic he stormed out onto the street. * * *

"So how do you like being a woman Ned?" Chris asked, grinning down on his friend.

"What do you think -" Ned didn't get a chance to answer. Suddenly a man stepped in front of them armed with a baseball bat. He swung it at Chris, connecting with the mans ribcage, sending the man sprawling to the grounds.

Chris never saw what hit him. He felt a searing pain in his chest and was knocked backwards, landing in a heap on the ground. Without even pausing Greg reached out and grabbed Ned by the arm and pulled her roughly down the street.

"Let me go!" she screamed as she fought his grip, but no one moved to help. It was crazy. She had seen this happen before, but hadn't expected it to happen to her. After all she was a man damn it!

Greg pushed her roughly into his car on the drivers side and climbed in after her then started up the engine. This time there was no one there to give chase.

* * *

"Shit, what happened?" Chris asked, picking himself up off the ground, a man dressed in black slacks and a white shirt helping. He felt like he had been hit by a locomotive.

"Greg Drake, a guy who works for me hammered you. I thought he was an all right guy but it looks like I was wrong. That was his ex-girlfriend you were with. It looks like he took exception with you being with her," the man explained.

"Whoa! Do you know where he lives?"

"Let me check. I'll need to call the police as well."

"Police?" Chris asked, his face showing major concern. If he and Ned got involved with the police over this, their lives could become very messy.

"Yep."

Chris followed the man across the street into the shop. "Christ, do you know where he would go? Where does he live?" Chris asked.

"Where does he live? That's a good question. I know I've got his address around here somewhere."

Chris waited impatiently for the man to find Greg's home address. Home would be the last place that an intelligent person would go if they had just kidnapped someone in broad daylight, especially when there was a street full of witnesses. But based on Greg's actions so far Chris figured the man for the stupid type.

Finding the address, Chris scribbled it down and hurried out of the shop. He ran to his car, fumbling with his keys. "God Damn!" he swore as he climbed in.

Chris drove to the man's house, recalling how Greg had acted towards him when he had worn the female body which now graced Ned. It gave him serious cause for worry. * * *

"Babe, why'd you leave me? I was good to you." Greg asked morosely.

Ned looked at the stranger. 'Great, I've wandered into the middle of this clowns domestic again!' she thought to herself. Greg seemed to be very upset.

"You know I can't live with outcha. I think of you all the time! Come back. I promise it'll work," he pleaded. Greg leaned across and kissed her slovenly on the lips.

Ned flinched away. She didn't know what to say, she just stared in wide eyed amazement at the drunk beside her.

Taking her reaction badly, Greg's face twisted in front of her. "What were you thinking? Trying to rub my nose in it! You stupid cow!" Greg said, savagely squeezing her arm then giving her a backhanded hit to the face. Ned let out a small yelp of pain, fighting back her emotions.

Ned could smell the sweetly stale reek of alcohol on Greg's sweat, smell the spirits on his fetid breath. She looked down at the baseball bat in terror, fearful of whatever cruel things this drunken oaf had in mind for her. She started to go over the terrible things that could happen to a woman in the clutches of a large and irrational man. Thoughts and situations she'd never contemplated crowded her mind.

She started breathing in small gasps, hyperventilating. She felt giddy and light headed, dark splotches dancing in front of her eyes. Clamping down with her will she forced herself to breath normally. If she lost her head now then Greg would have his way with her.

Clasping her hands until they were white with fear, Ned noticed the long nails she now had. They were a potential weapon, but she would only get one chance to use them now that she was so much smaller.

Pulling up at the lights Greg let go of her arm, raising himself from the seat and reaching under himself to get the hip flask from his back pocket. Ned looked away from him, focusing upon avenues for escape. The passenger door was unlocked. If she could distract him she might be able to get away. Now seemed like a good a time as any. She took a deep a deep breath and made a small prayer.

Turning back Ned reached forward quickly and raked Greg's face with her long nails, twisting her grip and tearing as much as she could. She went for the eyes, but Greg's hand fended her off. Fortunately the inebriated man dropped down in shock, pinning his other hand between his backside and the seat.

Turning the door handle, Ned pushed the door open and tried to clamber out.

Greg grabbed her by the top, his grip hard and merciless. She twisted from his evil clutches and leaped from the car, running across the street just as the lights changed. The traffic started up. Ned didn't look back, she just ran with the speed and grace of a startled gazelle.

Greg sputtered angrily in his car, blood coursing from a deep gash above his eye. Horns blared behind him as he searched to find where 'Janice' had gone. In his disorientated state he couldn't see her. Deciding that she would probably head home, Greg resolved to go there and wait for her. Then they could finish their little 'discussion'.

The fuckin' bitch would pay for what she did to him. He wiped the blood out of his eyes and grimly smashed down the pedal. * * *

Driving like a madman Chris made his way to Greg's house. When he arrived there he could only sit and wait. After twenty minutes a police car turned up. Deciding he would look suspicious if he just sat there, Chris climbed from the car and approached them. He smiled, putting on all of his famous charm.

"Hi guys, my name's Chris," he said. The officers stared, waiting for more information. "I was the guy that was hit by the baseball bat. I came here to see if the bloke who belted me was going to turn up."

"Are you all right?" one of the officers asked.

"I'll live. I'm far more worried about the poor girl I was with."

"We'll need to get an official report from you since you've been the victim of an assault and witnessed the kidnapping. Could tell us the full story?"

Chris nodded. He kept the story brief, explaining that he had only met the girl, who he decided to call Janice. He prayed that it would all work out. * * *

Cursing Chris with every insult that came to mind and then some, Ned stepped out from her hiding place. She had no money, was in the middle of nowhere and had no way to tell Chris where to pick her up.

Ned walked along the road, high heels figuring into her curses as well. She held her arms around herself to keep warm, the skimpy clothes that Chris had provided being for show only. Feeling her nipples harden from the cold through the thin cloth, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her clothes showed much more than she liked and left too little to the imagination. The hot pants were riding up again as well!

As she walked down the street, she irritably repositioned her clothes then recovered her breasts with her arms. She grumbled quietly to herself, slowly becoming aware of a strange pattern to the traffic. Every now and then a car would pull up in front of her as though to park. As she walked past the car would pull out and drive off . She noticed that the same cars seemed to be doing circular blocks. Looking around she realised where she was.

'Just great!' Ned thought. 'I'm in the red light district and the men in the cars think I'm a prostitute! Dressed like this it's understandable,' Ned thought irritably.

Smiling ruefully, Ned shook her head. She was inches away from a wad of money which would get her home, if only she was willing to sell her body. A car pulled up beside her and the driver leant across and wound down the window.

"Need a lift honey?" the driver inquired. Ned nearly gave the man the finger but paused. She recognised the voice!

She turned around and faced the man. It was one of her colleagues from work, Jacob Greisner a fellow biotech lecturer. She was glad to see him but surprised as well. The guy was pretty quiet and was probably the last person she'd expect to see around these parts.

"I don't work here. But I'd love a lift Jacob," she replied

"Uh, do I know you?"

"Sortof. More a friend of a friend. You know Ned at Monash? Well I know him. Intimately." Ned said. Somehow it was a bit of an ego boost to suggest that she slept with a babe like... herself...? "Wow, too weird," Ned muttered under her breath. She returned her attention to her potential ride. "If you give me a lift, this can be our little secret."

"Our little secret?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked over her clothes.

"Hey, I don't work here remember?" Ned replied, half distracted by her current problems.

"Sure, climb in," Jacob said.

Ned climbed in, surprised at the new revelation about her workmate. She had never pegged the man as the type to go in for prostitutes. Obviously she was wrong. Case in point was the man's hand resting on her leg and tracing up towards her dress.

Ned looked down at the hand then across at her work mate. "Stop that!" she said slapping his hand away.

"Sorry!" Jacob said shamefacedly. "So where do you want to go?" He seemed eager to please. Obviously he didn't want people to know about his clandestine activities.

The closest place to here was Chris' flat. He had a key hidden under a potted plant. Maybe when she got there she would be able to call Chris. He might even be there. But she didn't want to turn up to Chris' with another man, especially if Chris' flatmate was there. It could be embarrassing when she returned to her former body. She decided on an address a few blocks from Chris'.

* * *

Greg sat in his car, smoking a cigarette, his hands resting on the wheel. A cruel smile came over his gashed features as he saw Janice's familiar car pull up in her driveway. He stepped from his car, baseball bat in hand and opened the back door of his car. He stole up behind her as she opened her boot to pull some bags out.

Greg wrapped the bat around her neck "Hi honey," he whispered in her ear as he began dragging her backwards towards his car. After a moments stunned terror, Janice let out a long scream and tried to fight his grip to no avail. Pulling her to the car, Greg pushed her into the back seat and closed the door. He'd thought ahead and put the child locks on in the back so she wouldn't be able to open the door. He climbed into his car, turning to see one of Janice's brothers come running from the house.

Janice's brother saw his sister struggling to sit up and ran towards Greg's car, kicking the side panel futilely as it tore off down the street.

* * *

One of the officers climbed from the car and turned to his partner and Chris. "We've got a call. That guy, Greg, has turned up again. We have to go now. You go to the police station and make a statement. No heroics O.K.? Don't try and take the law into your own hands," the officer warned with official sternness, quickly getting into his vehicle. They turned on their lights, fired up their sirens and drove off at break neck speed.

Chris nodded, going back to his car. He still had a suspicion that Greg would turn up here. He rummaged around in the back of his car until he found his jack crank handle. If someone was going to attack him with a baseball bat he wanted to be prepared. He hefted the metal club experimentally. Not a match for a baseball bat but it would have to do.

There were a set of headlights coming down the street. Chris moved to behind his car to hide, waiting. Sure enough it was Greg. Greg pulled up and jumped out of his vehicle without the bat. He opened up the back door and fended of some desperate kicks from the woman there, grabbing her by the legs and pulling her towards him. Greg was yelling at her, gripping her by the shoulders and shaking her.

Chris started to sneak up behind the man. There was the sound of slaps, muffled cries of fear, the tearing of material and a girl pleading, all barely audible over Greg's diatribe. There was a loud slap then silence from the girl.

Gritting his teeth in anger, Chris quickened his pace, stealth forgotten. He strode up behind Greg and pounded him on the back with his makeshift weapon. Greg crumpled onto the woman.

Pulling the man of the woman and onto the ground, Chris looked into the car, horrified at the unconscious woman he saw. Janice's face was a mess. She was bleeding and bruised. Turning around Chris gave Greg a good kick in the stomach in frustrated anger. There was a satisfying grunt.

Chris turned back to the woman he had mistaken for his friend. "Shit pal, what am I gonna do with you?" Chris asked aloud, worry eating into his stomach. Then he knew. If he transformed the injured woman back into Ned's uninjured body then everything would be all right. He just needed to get the blood from his house then take the woman back to the lab. Problem solved. Chris congratulated himself on his brilliance as he lifted Janice from the back of Greg's car, unaware that his best friend was elsewhere.

* * *

"Chris Nancy called, she wants you to call her back," Chris' flat mate Bill said as Chris stormed in.

"I don't have time at the moment. I'll be back soon!" Chris said, rushing to the fridge and grabbing the blood. Chris ran back to his car.

"She's coming over. She seemed a little angry!" Bill called. Chris never heard him.

* * *

"God, why don't they make women's shoes for walking in?" Ned bitched. She sat on a low brick fence at the end of Chris' street, her shoes in her hand as she massaged her blistered feet. She hadn't walked that far but it felt like miles! Thank god she'd got a ride.

A car came towards her with it's high beams on. Ned shielded her eyes and watched it pass. It was only then that she realised that it was Chris' car and he was driving away from his house! Ned swore to herself as she stood and waved frantically but it was too late. She'd missed Chris. She started to cry at the futility of her situation.

"What else can go wrong?" Ned gripped, hobbling down the street to Chris' flat.

"Don't worry pal. Two days and you'll be on top of the world," Chris said to the unconscious woman he had mistaken for his best friend. He then set about turning the woman before him back into Ned. First he cleansed her body of her original DNA, then he added Ned's blood and started up the current.

After he was done he sat down, and examined the bruise on his chest. It was a beauty. He reached down and picked up the dress that the woman had been wearing. Chris frowned as he examined it. It wasn't the same one that he had given Ned earlier that day. She had been wearing hot pants...

Then the phone rang.

* * *

"Please be there. Oh please," prayed Ned wrapping the cord nervously around her slim finger, wiping her swollen red eyes. She still sniffled a little from her bout of crying.

"Hello," answered Chris.

"Thank god it's you," Ned said. She was whispering, aware that Chris' room mate Bill was listening in.

"Sorry who's this?" Chris asked.

"It's me, Ned," Ned answered.

Chris looked at the dissolved mass before him in worry. "Ned? But, but, but... oh shit!" Chris swore as he realised who was in the tank.

"What?" Ned asked. "I'm fine. I got away from Greg but I had to walk back to your place," Ned said deciding not to mention the ride she had bummed off Jacob.

"Oh man, this is not good. This is really bad. I found Greg with a woman. He'd knocked her up really bad. I thought that the woman was you but it must have been Janice. You have to understand she was unconscious and I thought she was you. I thought I'd turn you back to heal you - I mean her back. Jesus Ned she's becoming you! What are we gonna do?"

There was a long pause.

"Oh." Ned answered. There was another silence.

"You still there Ned?" Chris asked in concern.

"Yeah," Ned felt near tears again.

"Greg must have gone back to Janice's place afterwards and kidnapped her! Since there is no Janice, you've got to stay hidden. The police are looking for you."

"Yeah. I can't be Janice. I don't know anything about her!"

There was a knock on the door and Chris' room mate got up to answer the door. Ned didn't even notice until the door was open. She turned to see who was arriving. There were two officers standing in the doorway. They eyed her off, noting her bruised face and torn clothes.

"I think we're in trouble," Ned whispered, "the police are here and I think they've recognised me!"

"What! Oh Christ. Tell them I knocked out Greg then brought you there. Tell them I was going to the police station to make a report. I'll see you at the station. Otherwise just cry and blubber. The less you say the better. Keep it simple and stupid. Don't elaborate or anything!"

"O.K." Ned said, putting down the phone and turning to the officers who had entered the room.

"Are you Janice Rogers?"

"Ah, yes I am," Ned said, working successfully at getting tears in her eyes.

"I know you've been through a lot but we need you to come down to the station."

"Fine," she sobbed. The officers seemed to soften at the sudden display of water works.

* * *

"Miss Rogers we have a ton of witnesses to your kidnapping as well as to Greg’s assault on Chris. However we still need you to fill out all these forms and press charges for the assault against yourself," the officer said. Ned nodded as she looked at the wad of papers.

"We'll be able to get Greg on a blood alcohol content of 0.1, reckless driving, endangerment and a whole slew of other misdemeanours but we really need to nail him on the two assault charges and kidnapping," the officer was talking mainly to Chris. When he did happen to look at Ned it wasn't in the eye. Ned found the officers attention a little uncomfortable as it reminded her constantly of her change in gender and there was really nothing she could do to hide the size of her breasts.

"I'd highly recommend taking a restraining order against him. It's a fairly safe bet that he'll lose his job and drivers license. From my experience he doesn't seem like the type to take all that without blaming someone. Usually this sort of person blames everyone but themselves," the officer confided to them. He was looking at Ned's lap. Ned glanced down realising that she was wearing skin tight hot pants and nothing else. She crossed her long legs.

"Where is he at the moment?" Chris asked, smiling at Ned's discomfort.

"Greg's in remand at the moment so that gives him a few days to cool down and sober up, but he'll probably make bail. His appearance in the magistrates court will be in a few days," the officer said.

The officer turned to Ned. "If you want I can get you in touch with a good support group. This stuff can really mess with your head. I'd recommend it. The other thing I'd recommend is wearing more clothes in public. That leaves nothing to the imagination. And I mean nothing."

Ned nodded looking down at her alien body. The clothes she was wearing were particularly scant and she could understand where the officer was coming from. Although she was extremely attractive she did look like a complete tramp with her too small crop top with the white lacy bra sticking out the top, hot pants and high heals. She couldn't really offer any explanations as to her attire.

With Ned still crying, Chris filled out the forms. Fortunately Chris had possessed the presence of mind to grab Janice's purse before he left the lab. It contained all of the relevant information to enable him to accurately fill out the restraining order forms and affidavits.

Seeing Ned constantly in tears, the officer was somewhat understanding, providing the contact details of a number of help groups for Ned to get in touch with.

* * *

Ned and Chris walked from the station to Chris' car. "Thank god that's over. I'm so glad. Thanks for being there," Ned said giving Chris a hug. He seemed to be so much bigger in comparison to her now, positively dwarfing her diminutive frame. Her head barely rested on Chris' shoulder

Ned realised that she was feeling very comfortable and secure in his embrace. The hug was a mutually supportive show of emotion. It felt very natural being this close to her best friend. Chris's hands started to slowly massage her back. Ned let out a small contented breath in his ear and kissed him.

In Ned's mind what she was doing seemed like a natural progression. Their existing friendship and her understanding of the way Chris thought made her more receptive to his advances. The events of the night and her tumultuous emotional state made her even more sure she needed someone's support. Her need and the availability of Chris made him seem like an idyllic partner. She finished kissing Chris on the neck, then pulled back and looked him in the eye, trying to read his expression.

Chris was amazed that his buddy Ned had become such a clinging vine all of a sudden but he hid his amusement well. Never look a gift horse in the mouth he'd always said. Chris well remembered how hot Janice's body was and how much he had needed love and affection when he had been trapped in it.

Chris bent down and kissed her willing lips. Ned responded hungrily. She felt her heart quicken pace, anxiety and newfound desire warring within her. Her nipples stiffened imperceptibly as they pressed through the thin fabric of her top and against his chest. There was also a new and unusual ribbon of pleasure down below. It was more inside her, although it was partially external.

"You want to come back to my place?" Chris asked huskily, feeling his manhood rising, changing his stance to hide it.

Ned nodded her head eagerly. Newly acquired instincts told her to cement her hold on her friend. The scientist had vanished for the moment, replaced by a frightened and dependant young woman.

* * *

The car trip gave Ned time to think. She didn't know what she was doing. She didn't know where this was going, but so far it was all new and exciting and she didn't really care. She'd worry about that later.

Climbing from the car, Ned tried not to smile too much but couldn't help herself. There was a bounce to her step as she walked before him to the door. Turning to Chris, Ned grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him towards her, kissing him ravenously on the landing.

Sensing that better things were to come, Chris struggled to find his keys. He held the shapely woman in one arm as he pulled his keys out with his free hand. With Ned's svelte body pressed against his, Chris found it hard to isolate the correct key but necessity made him concentrate. Finding the right one, he slid it home and turned.

As the door opened Chris' room mate Bill stood from the couch and approached to greet them, obviously brimming with questions. Chris nodded and winked at him, guiding Ned hurriedly past the surprised man and into his bedroom.

Bill stood open mouthed as the door shut in his face. He looked from the bathroom to Chris' bedroom, indecision on his face. Then he laughed quietly to himself and sat down on the sofa, turning off the television. He made himself comfortable and waited for events to unfold.

Meanwhile, Chris and Ned were already on the bed. Ned giggled and slid her lithe leg up and down Chris's body. The man grinned. This was too easy. She was too easy. Chris pulled her top off and then lowered his mouth to her breasts biting her bra playfully. She sighed as he kissed the soft skin between her magnificently rounded breasts, unstrapping the bra from behind then engulfing her pointed nipples in his mouth.

"Remember when I did that to you?" Ned asked, smiling as she pulled him from her breasts and brought his face level with hers. She found herself kissing Chris again hungrily, moving her hands down to undo his pants. Without any conscious thought her body was seeking out the comfort and support she would find in his arms.

God she needed him bad. She could feel her pants being pulled down. She wriggled from her hot pants not bothering to remove her panties. She felt a finger brush her inner thigh. She moaned in pleasure. Ned's whole body seemed filled with a burning desire.

The door flew suddenly open and a screaming fury descended upon them.

"I thought I could trust you! And here I find you in bed with some tramp!" Nancy yelled at the end of the bed. She stood there, a towel around her head and another around her waist, glowering like a hell hound.

The would be lovers pulled apart, turning to face the woman that had just burst into the room. Chris flushed guiltily, stammering out something, trying to hide his nakedness.

Ned lay on the bed, laughing hysterically. It was the weirdest situation she had ever been in. Her ex girlfriend was abusing them both at the top of her lungs wearing only a towel.

Thinking that Ned was laughing at her Nancy lost herself. She went with claws out stretched toward Ned. Ned fended her off, struggling with a foe that was an equal match for her size and strength. Chris successfully separated the two cat fighting females but some how in all the confusion Nancy's towel came free.

Ned laughed uncontrollably at the irony of it all. It was too bizarre. 'First Janice's ex-boyfriend kidnaps me, then the girl that I thought I loved tries to kill me. Now we're all in the buff!' Ned thought.

"Get the tramp out of here!" Nancy hissed at Chris. "Who is she anyway? What is she doing here. Where did you meet her. Is she a prostitute?"

Slowly Ned's laughter turned into tears. These weren't crocodile tears like at the police station though. "I want to go home!" she said to Chris. She started gathering up her clothes.

Chris could think quickly on his feet, especially when it involved women. He realised that a week long fling with Ned was not worth losing Nancy over. "OK, Janice. I'll call you a cab. You need to go home. Your father and brothers must be worried sick!"

"What?" Ned asked between sobs, surprised at the sudden change in Chris. She needed a friend now, not a bunch of strangers. She needed the familiar surroundings of her own home.

"Yeah, Janice your family is probably worried about you. I'm sorry," Chris said smoothly, turning to Nancy. "I just rescued Janice here from her crazy boyfriend. He tried to kidnap her. Things got really out of hand," Chris explained, damage control in full force.

"Thinking with your dick again, Chris. Wait a minute I heard about this on the radio. Are you that Janice?"

Helplessly Ned had to answer. "Yes," she said and sniffled, reminded that the real Janice was being changed into her male form. This thought brought her out of her bout of crying.

"Well, it's still no excuse for jumping my boyfriends bones! I better not ever catch you two together again, or both of you might end up sharing a shallow grave. I'm not going to put up with you running around on me, Chris." There was steel in her icy voice.

Chris swallowed and looked suitably contrite. He dressed quickly then called a cab, the silence so thick you could cut it with a knife.

Nancy cast a disapproving look over Ned's clothes. "Do you want my opinion honey?"

"No," said Ned.

Nancy was unperturbed by Ned's response. She was going to give her opinion anyway. "With the way you dress and act it's no wonder trouble follows you round like a bad smell. My butcher always said that if you dress up like a lamb chops, you'll get dogs chasing after you."

"Thanks, that helps."

"My pleasure honey," Nancy said patting Ned on the hand, all sweet smiles.

It was at this moment that Ned was glad she wasn't going out with Nancy. Any girl as heartless and vindictive as Nancy wasn't a girl for her. She should be angry at her cheating boyfriend, not at her! Nancy seemed to have already forgiven Chris.

The cab arrived and Chris ushered her from his flat into it, slipping her some money for the fair. "You have to go to Janice's place. I'll call you tomorrow," he said, returning to his house.

Ned sat in the back of the cab as it went 'home'. She had misjudged Chris. She should have known better. She did know Chris. With guys he was a great bloke, but put him with women and the guy became completely unscrupulous. At the moment she was a woman and she should have dealt with Chris accordingly.

* * *

It was an eerie feeling to use Janice's keys on the door of the house where she was supposed to live. There was movement from within as she entered. Before she knew what was happening she was being hugged by a crying woman. Judging by how much she looked like herself, Ned assumed it was Janice's mother. Then a man who was probably her 'father' joined the hug. Two older men she took to be here 'brothers' waited their turn, concern on their faces.

When her new parents were done her brothers hugged her fiercely. It was a warm and affectionate scene. The only problem was that Ned didn't even know their names. Caught up in the emotion of the moment, Ned started crying. Stuck for words, Ned started to tell them what had happened. "It was so awful!" she said. "I thought Greg was going to kill me."

Janice's father held her at arms length, examining her bruised face and the state of her clothes, an expression so dark on his face that for a moment she thought it was directed at her.

"I swear if I ever see that animal again, I'll kill him. Nobody treats my children like that. If he some much as breathes..." Janice's father started in a murderous rage, but his wife put a restraining hand on his arm. He nodded realising that his child needed his support at the moment.

"I warned you about him," said her eldest brother said in a quiet voice.

"Be quiet, Ernie," said the younger one, "it's not her fault."

'Bingo,' thought Ned. 'One name. Oldest brother. Ernie.'

"Fred, who are you telling to keep quiet!"

'Another name. The others I can call Mum and dad, that's what the brothers call them,' Ned thought. "I feel so shaky. Could somebody just help me to my room. I feel so strange. I don't know up from down," Ned said. Tears came naturally to her at the moment. This new body seemed have an inexhaustible supply. Crying had worked at the police station and it worked a charm here too.

Janice's father led Ned to her room. She turned and hugged the man, then quietly said, "I really need some time. I'll be okay."

"We're here for you if you need us," her father said.

"I know," Ned said, amazed that she was able to say it so convincingly. She could tell that the man was sincere. She gave him a hug which the man returned. "Thanks dad." As she said this she felt a little guilty. This mans daughter was the one who'd been through the worst of the ordeal and she wasn't here where she should be.

She turned into her room feeling every inch the imposter. It was fastidiously organised and very feminine. If Ned had to act stunned and disoriented, she didn't have to act much. She was really feeling terrible about the idea of sinking into this girls life for the next week.

Ned sat down on the bed and looked around the room. It was neat as a pin and very feminine and frilly. She rested there for ten minutes, absorbing every detail of the room, wondering how she was going to make it through this charade.

There was a knock on the door and her mother entered with a cup of hot chocolate. "Drink this," she ordered in the tone of voice that parents use on their children. Ned obeyed without question. Her new mum sat down next to her and patted her hand.

"It's over now. You're safe with your family now," the strange woman said.

Ned nodded, sipping the drink. 'If you only knew...,' Ned thought.

Once she was done her 'mother' helped her undress and got her into a night gown. Ned felt like protesting but realised that this was more for Janice’s mother than herself. She felt like a child as the woman put her into bed, kissing her tenderly on the forehead. Surprisingly it felt very nice to Ned.

"Talk to me mum. Tell me what's going on. I need something to take my mind off things. Tell me what everyone has been doing for the last month. Even if I know it tell me anyway."

Her new mum chatted with her, the babble moving from family member to family member. Ned soaked up the knowledge like a sponge.

Finally her mum talked herself out and left. Ned got out of bed to explore her room. The first thing she looked at was Janice’s wardrobe. It seemed Janice dressed for men. Most of the clothes were of the sexy variety. The clothes were of the bargain type, showing that while she dressed sexily, she couldn't afford big name brands.

'I don't think Janice makes a lot of money and buys most of her clothes on sale,' Ned thought to herself. Janice made up for her lack of funds by having a discerning eye.

The shoes were better, leather and well made. There were some flats and boots mixed in with the heels.

That was something of a relief. Ned remembered the walk in heels to Chris's place. Next Ned checked on the drawers of her night stand. Bingo! There was a diary. Ned climbed back into bed, turned on the light and started skimming through the book.

Janice worked as a secretary at a large insurance company. She liked her boss, a father type called Mark Sekham. There was lot written about boys. Janice often speculated about finding someone she liked. Her dream man would have a good job, be tall and handsome and would ask her to marry him in a romantic setting. Ned had to laugh at the girls innocence. She was nineteen. Ned already knew this from her license but hadn't realised how young she was until now.

Reading the description of the proposal, Ned could fully imagine what Janice wanted. A faraway look came into her eyes as she thought about Janice's dream. It was such a romantic idea. Ned shook herself out of her reverie, wondering where the strange notion of marriage being romantic had come from.

Ned went back to the diary and made a startling discovery. It had only been a month ago when Janice had met Greg. They had only gone out for three weeks! This amazed Ned. She had expected Greg and Janice to have been going out for much longer. First Janice had really liked Greg, but then he had started being too controlling and had started to frighten her.

It got to the point where he went a little nuts, saying she was tricking him by being two people at once. Her brothers, Fred and Ernie, had been forced to threaten Greg to make him go away.

Janice only had one close female friend. Mary. They seemed to talk incessantly. There were daily mentions of Mary throughout the diary with intimate details provided as well! Mary would be hard to fool. Ned decided to try and avoid her.

The girls life seemed ordinary until recently. Ned felt a stab of guilt. 'Look at all the grief I've brought upon this poor unsuspecting girl. Stealing her DNA. Turning Chris into her and enraging her boy friend. Then getting her boyfriend so crazy that he kidnapped her and beat her badly. And now she's being turned into a man. I hope the girl doesn't go crazy when she wakes up male,' Ned thought to herself.

Ned resolved to be there for Janice when she came out the transformation. Ned owed her big time! Not to mention that here she was in Janice's room pretending to be her, talking her place in her family and reading her most personal details. Ned felt really guilty.

Shaking her head, Ned dispelled her worries. She'd deal with Janice when she had too. Right now she had to adjust to Janice's life. If she just got through this week... Ned put down the diary and climbed from her new bed, walking to the mirror.

Examining her reflection, Ned smiled. Boy this body was really gorgeous. It might be a little fun to wear it for just a few days. Looking at her smeared and grimy face, she realised that she needed a bath.

Opening her door a little she peeked out. The coast was clear. She quickly checked out the various rooms for a bathroom. First try was a linen closet. Then she got the right one.

Stepping into the room she locked the door and started to run the bath water. Normally Ned took a shower, but now she somehow felt like a long soaking bath, especially with her blistered feet. Without thinking she added a bubble bath and smiled whimsically as she watched it suds. She felt like a little kid again. Maybe it was her reduced size or perhaps because she was a teenager again, but somehow she felt a little simpler even though she had innumerable complications in this new life.

Ned disrobed and looked down. Her legs needed shaving and so did her under arms. I can't believe Chris let me leave the lab looking like this! Ned thought indignity, then snorted in mirth. Rummaging around she found a razor and set about shaving her legs and her offending under arms as the bath filled. She felt remarkably better for it.

She stepped gingerly into the hot water, then lowered herself into the bath. The long soak relaxed her, a blissful period where she just turned her mind off. She stretched back luxuriously a contented smile on her face. With growing confidence she decided that everything would work out okay.

All she had to do was keep her mouth shut and pretend to be suffering from trauma and shock. It wasn't too far from the truth. Besides it would only be a few days until Janice could be restored to her own body.

Ned frowned, trying to think when that might be. It was a little harder to do the exact calculations than it should have been, but Ned put the difficulty down to being tired. Two days for Janice's transformation from female to male. To be on the safe side she should allow twenty four hours for the DNA to stabilise in Janice. After that they would take new blood samples from her body and his. Then another two days for Janice to be returned to her old body.

She looked down, her nipples and the soft curve of her breast protruding through the bubbles. She placed a hand under one of her breast and gently tweaked a nipple. It felt nice. The warmth of the water, the softness of the bubbles clinging to her breasts, the tingle as her nipple grew with the contact.

She ran a hand over her body, feeling a familiar erotic thrill pass over her new shapely body. She loved woman’s bodies, loved to run her hands over their smooth skin for hours. Now she had the added benefit of feeling it. She massaged one of her breasts, her other hand gently playing with her new sex then fondling her firm buttocks. Her new body seemed so much more sensitive and her exploring hand kept finding new and different shapes, providing her with unfamiliar sensations. She started to breath heavily in excitement, remembering sleeping with this body as a man. When Chris had been the woman.

Then she remembered her abortive attempt with Chris. Her small fingers sought out her sex and started to play with the bud of her clit as she imagined sleeping with Chris. She imagined him inside her as she slipped a finger into herself. She imagined him moving in and out of her as she quickened the pace with her finger. She bucked her hips as she thought of his body on hers, pinning her down in a sweaty embrace, his hands roaming her body, exploring it softly.

Feeling herself coming to a climax, Ned let out a soft moan as she slipped deep into the embrace of the bubbles. She lay there, breathing deeply as the feeling of bliss subsided.

Suddenly Ned was very tired. She got out and drained he tub, smiling a little as she picked up some powder near the tub. On an impulse she put some on. It smelled lovely and made her skin seem softer. Without thinking she rinsed the tub of the remaining bubbles. Ned frowned. Usually she wasn't so neat. She walked quietly back to her room, turned out the light and climbed into her snug bed. She fell immediately to sleep.

Day 6

Ned was running from something huge and menacing. Ned turned just as a large hand grabbed him. Suddenly all his clothes disappeared and he started to shrink. Large breasts sprouted on his chest. He was a woman and the man chasing him was Greg!

A woman's screams brought Ned to startled wakefulness. Ned spent a delirious moment where he thought the dream was real, a horrid moment where reality and dark fantasy seamed to be one and the same. He did have breasts, long hair and -

Then Ned realised where she was. The woman's shrieks had been hers and she really was a woman! Janice's mother came rushing into the room. She held Ned as the young woman shook in terror, lower lip quivering, tears running down her feminine face.

The other family members came running as well, milling around the entrance and watching morosely, obviously worried about the young girl.

"It's OK sweetheart. Its OK," Janice's mum soothed. "You're safe at home with us. Greg can't get at you."

Ned found her sobs declining and she apologised, Janice's mum brushing aside the tears. "That's all right. Come on, get up, I'll make breakfast," her new mum said.

Ned nodded wiping her swollen eyes.

"I can't wait to meet Greg again, preferably down a dark alley," Ernie said ominously. Janice's other brother nodded.

Ned put on a robe and Janice's slippers and joined the family in the dining room. She felt hungry but only ate a little as her stomach was so much smaller than her old one. Fortunately it was Saturday and she would not be expected to go to Janice's job.

Ned kept quiet as she ate and made no apparent mistakes with Janice's family. Obviously they were not suspicious. But then why would they be suspicious? She looked exactly like their daughter and had been through a traumatic experience so any little quirks in mannerisms would be ignored or attributed to the ordeal.

Near the end of breakfast the phone rang. Ernie answered it then held his hand over the mouth piece.

"It's a guy called Chris, do you want me to take a message?" her brother asked.

Ned shook her head as she went to answer the phone. Not knowing where a private line was she was forced to use the one in the dining room. She was very conscious of her new family overhearing whatever she said.

"Hi Chris, how are you," Ned asked conversationally, her resentment at Chris from the night before kept well in check. She had decided that Chris was just a jerk. The less she had to do with him the better off she would be.

"Sorry I didn't come over, but I think it's better if we have minimal contact," Chris said. "I've managed to soothe Nancy down but from here on we'll have to be careful since she's watching me like a hawk. I'll meet you back in the lab to get Janice out of the soup at five in the afternoon on Sunday. Gotta go," Chris said quickly then hung the phone up.

Ned stared at the phone in bewilderment as though the inanimate object were to blame for Chris' terseness. She hung up the phone, her feelings more than a little hurt. Her best friend was more concerned about Nancy than her. She was going through a really hard time, the least Chris could do was offer some support as a friend.

As she returned to the table, Janice's father turned to her. "If you don't mind talking about it, could you tell us what happened," the elderly man asked.

Ned nodded. Drawing in a deep breath she looked down to collect her thoughts. Nice breasts, she thought proudly. She carefully gave them the version that Chris and she had worked out. When she came to the part where Greg hit her, Janice's mother put her arms around her 'daughter' in support, making Ned feel better and at the same time guilty.

* * *

Ned was surprised how much she enjoyed just spending time with her adoptive family. She welcomed talking with her foster mother and found that she gained a fresh perspective on things from the understanding woman, especially now that she was seeing things from a female view point. Being the little sister when previously she had been the oldest of two boys was a novelty as well. The newness of her situation, the challenge to adapt and overcome. These were things that she gained satisfaction and took pleasure from.

She received a couple of phone calls from reporters but fortunately her brothers dealt with those.

Then there was Janice's friends from work. Ned dreaded the thought of calls from fellow work mates but actually found herself handling them well. All she had to do was tell them what had happened and then sit back and take notes as they chattered away. Generally the women on the other end were glad to carry the conversation thinking that human contact would be the best cure for 'Janice's' malady. Within a few phone calls she figured out more than she ever wanted to know about the insurance company where Janice worked.

After the phone calls Ned returned to her new room. Although she had been putting it off for a while her curiosity finally got the better of her. Ned couldn't help herself.. She was so damn pretty she just had to see how she looked in Janice's clothes. She ended up spending all of Saturday afternoon trying on outfits. Her favourite was a bathing suit that showed off her great figure to perfection. She briefly wondered how Chris could prefer Nancy's company over hers. This brought Ned up short giggling. She was a man after all although at times it was hard to keep in perspective that she was really a man, especially since she was trying so hard to immerse herself into Janice's family and life. Day 7

Ned stepped from the machine and cleaned herself off. What was she doing back here? Chris stood across from her with the rubber suit.

"Look if we're going to go back to your place, then I have to be dressed normally. Waltzing around in public in a rubber fetish suite isn't going to work!" Ned pleaded in a persuasive voice.

"Why the rush to go outside? I'm a man... you're a woman... I have this great rubber suit... and I might just remember where that blood is if you can stimulate my memory."

Ned felt a heavy disquiet in the pit of her stomach mixed with a strange excitement. "I'm not wearing that suit. It's too degrading! I'm a man for Christ's sake."

"Not anymore. You're a beautiful woman now. Although I'm sure I can be persuaded to lose the suit," Chris said as he approached his friend, entering her private space, the suit still dangling in his hand.

"And how is that?" Ned could feel her throat drying on her. Her friend towered above her and she only had a flimsy towel covering her. Ned was suddenly aware of what it felt like to be small and female. She was not sure she liked it. Chris seemed to hold all the cards.

"You used to be pretty imaginative. I'm sure that hasn't changed," Chris said as he ran a hand down Ned's arm. He seemed to be putting all the moves on at once.

Ned's eyes widened a little and her nostrils flared in fright but she refused to let her fear get to her. She was not going to give in to Chris. No matter what he tried. Chris may hold all the cards, but Ned was in control of this female body.

Chris however had other ideas.

Ned coughed nervously and stepped back, only to discover that there was a wall behind her. Trapped, she could do nothing as Chris moved in for the kill. His lips moved down to meet hers, his hands pulling the towel slowly from her body. Somehow she lost the strength to stop him.

Hands slowly touched her nipples, cupped her firm breasts. Ned inhaled a shocked gasp. Her fear and anxiety heightened her senses, the soft caress on her skin was all the more intense as a result. The shear uncertainty of the situation made it profoundly exciting for her.

Ned knew that if she had wanted to she could stop Chris, but she didn't want too. As his hands slowly roamed the curves of her body Ned could feel the tenuous grip she had over herself slipping. The soft, deft touches on her body felt wonderful, her silky skin reacting to the stroking in a most exhilarating way. She could feel his hands explore the smooth expanse of her stomach, the gentle curve of her hip, the small of her back and she found the entire experience very pleasurable.

Ned found herself reacting in kind, reaching behind Chris' back and pulling his shirt free. She ran her hands under his loosened top, gripping his bare back. It was all so backward. The reverse of everything she had ever done as a man. She was being taken. She was submissive. Female.

Whilst Chris' hands were engaged with Ned's body, his mouth moved down to her neck then up to her ear. He breathed into her ear, "so what do you think?"

"Hmmm?" Ned replied, mind among the clouds, totally lost in the sea of new sensations her female body was providing.

Chris smiled a lopsided grin as he inched his hand down between Ned's legs and gently played with new sex he found there. This seemed to attract Ned's attention.

"Good..." Ned replied in a husky voice with a catch of barely suppressed excitement. Whatever Chris was doing with his hand was making Ned feel weak at the knees. Ned was a little afraid but for the life of her she could think of no other place she would rather be than here.

There was a zipping sound but it barely made it through Ned's haze of pleasure. Then there was suddenly something resting between her legs and it wasn't a hand.

"Um, ouh, is that, mmm, what I think it is?" Ned asked between gasps.

"Oh yeah," Chris replied.

"You’re not, urh, going to...?"

"Oh yeah," Chris said again thrusting up with his hips.

Ned sat up in the bed, breathing heavily. "What the hell?" Momentarily confused, it took Ned a few seconds to remember where he was, and that he was still a woman. He was in Janice's bedroom, in her bed. "Oh man, what a nightmare!" Ned said in a high voice.

Lying back down the young woman clutched her pillow, going over the strange dream in her mind, realising that she was more than a little excited. It had to have been a nightmare or was it a wet dream?

She ran a hand over her new curves experimentally and found her touch slightly erotic. The lingering remains of her vivid dream made it difficult to nod off again. Remembering how excited she had felt both scared and surprised her.

Conscious masturbation was one thing. This vivid dreams where she was submitting to her friend though... * * *

On Sunday Ned's mother tried to talk her into going to church to give thanks for her deliverance. At the last minute she got out of it by crying and saying she wasn't up to the stares of all the curious church goers. She stayed home while her parents went, her brothers heading out to play golf.

All alone at home, Ned had a brain wave. She would go shopping for Janice and upgrade her wardrobe. Girls loved that sort of stuff. It would definitely make Janice happy. Ned could afford to splash out using the money from her research grant. All she needed to do was get her bank cards from her real home. She could withdraw a ton of money from a hole in the wall then buy some really great clothes.

The only problem Ned had was that she didn't know what Janice's taste in clothes was like. Maybe Janice's best friend Mary could help? It was dangerous to contact her but it was worth a shot. She did owe Janice after all. How could Mary figure out she wasn't Janice? * * *

Ned waited nervously out the front of the shopping center where she'd arranged to meet Mary. Their conversation had been brief and Ned had been evasive with Mary's questions. The woman had only said she wanted shopping company. Ned had picked up 'Ned’s' bank cards after calling Mary

Driving had been a little difficult in Janice's smaller body at first. Janice's car was a little temperamental and had been a pain in the butt. Even though Ned had taken the precaution of dressing in comfortable stirrup pants and low heeled boots she had found the pedal work to be difficult. Paradoxically when Ned didn't concentrate on driving she discovered she handled the car much better. She still hadn't gotten the full handle on her new body but it appeared as though it 'remembered' doing certain tasks.

Looking at a shop window Ned couldn't help but admire herself. Her blouse was just suggestive enough to turn heads and made her look quite attractive. Ned decided this outfit was very becoming, especially the pants which set off her long legs to their full advantage

"What are you waiting for, didn't you see me?" a stranger asked. She was an attractive blonde with school girl looks. Ned recognised her voice.

"Sorry Mary, I'm not quite myself at the moment," Ned said.

"I'll say. I thought you were broke. Where are you gonna get the money to go shopping."

"I have a new benefactor," Ned said, regretting it the moment it came out of her mouth.

"Do tell. Give me the gossip," Mary prodded.

Ned remembered that Mary and Janice shared everything about their social lives. Janice had written in copious detail about what Mary had been up too. Those school girl looks were all show...

"Don't worry, you'll hear all about him - later. Right now I want to shop and I need your help." * * *

"I'm telling you Nancy, it was crazy. I chased after the guy that hammered me all night. I rescued her while he was beating her up, nearly raping her even. Held her hand through the police interrogation. They went hard on her the police did, drilling her like she was the one that had committed the crime. It just got out of control. There was no attraction, just the events that led up to it. She needed support and it got out of hand. I got out of hand. I'm so sorry Nancy. I promise I've never once been unfaithful to you," Chris said, lying through his teeth.

Nancy held up her hand, convinced. "Okay, but you can't see her anymore. Promise me."

"I promise."

"Good, now come to bed."

Chris smiled inwardly at how easy the fairer sex was to manipulate. He was a master after all. Don Juan had nothing on him! * * *

"So what do you think?" Ned asked modeling the lingerie.

"I don't know. It's a little outgoing, even for you, isn't it?" Mary said looking at the thin piece of clothing Ned was wearing.

"What do you mean?" Ned prompted. The negligee looked fine to her.

"Well, at the moment you're wearing panties and a bra under that thing. But when you aren't, well... you can see everything."

"Oh," Ned said.

"Don't get me wrong, but maybe you should try something else. Actually I don't think you should even be shopping. Your mind doesn't seem to be on it. Everything you've liked has been really bad."

"Yeah I guess so." What it boiled down too was that Ned didn't have the foggiest idea about women's clothes. She liked dressing up in Janice's because Janice had good taste and had spent a lifetime learning about these things.

Maybe she could get Janice to choose the clothes she would wear, or at least tell her what to look for and what not to look for. She couldn't ask Mary something like that, it would surely make her suspicious.

Ned briefly wondered why she was so determined to learn how to shop for women's clothes but dismissed the issue.

"Oh my god is that the time? I have to go!" said Mary, "I'm late for a date with Jeff. You take care. I'll call later. We need to talk more." She gave Ned a kiss on the cheek then left.

"Talk more? We must have talked for two hours over coffee..." Ned said. She had spent a wonderful afternoon with Mary and had decided that Janice had a great best friend. She had found it strangely enticing listening to all the gossip which Mary had told her. The time had flown by so quick....

The time! It was four o'clock. Ned looked down at the lingerie she was wearing. Well maybe Mary didn't like it, but she did and she was the one who would wear it. * * *

"Hey, sorry I'm late. Lost time shopping and gossiping," Ned said.

"My you do look lovely," Chris said, smiling at Ned. He moved close towards her and smiled suggestively.

Ned was a blank wall. She turned and walked away from him.

"Hey why the cold shoulder?" Chris asked.

Ned turned around. "We're best friends aren't we? At the moment I don't want to push that. You had your chance and made your choice. I'll be your friend but nothing more," she said this with such finality that Chris just stood their nodding.

"Friends? I can handle that," Chris said.

Ned had serious doubts. Chris couldn't be 'just friends' with any girl. * * *

Ned and Chris waited patiently, watching the male form before them emerge. The man spasmed and coughed, struggling to sit up, finally succeeding.

"What happened, where am I," Janice asked, clearing his eyes. He paused at the sound of his deep masculine voice then looked down. "Oh my god, I'm a man! What's happened to me?" He looked up at Ned and Chris, eyes widening in shock.

Ned decided she should be the one to talk to Janice. "Take it easy I can explain-"

"Explain! What the hell am I doing in a mans body? What are you doing in my body? How is this even possible?" Janice bellowed.

"Settle down. This is only for a day. It's all a big misunderstanding," Ned said.

Janice looked down at his masculine body and realised that he was naked. "Get me out of here. I want some clothes," he ordered.

Ned quickly opened the chamber door and passed a towel to Janice. He grabbed it and climbed from the transformation chamber, starting to clean the gelatinous scum from his body. Ned passed him some clothes that she had collected from her flat.

Janice looked them over and having no choice started putting them on. Chris watched all of this quietly.

"So tell me what happened. The last thing I remember was Greg beating me senseless," Janice asked, feeling his face. He was glad to find that it was all better.

"Um, maybe I should start at the beginning," Ned said.

"That would be the logical place," Janice said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Chris smiled at this and decided to introduce himself. "Hi my names Chris and this is Ned."

"Ned? She was a guy? That's fantastic." Janice said pointing at Ned.

"Yeah, you're wearing her body at the moment," Chris said.

"I need to sit down," Janice muttered, "start from the beginning." He put his head in his hands.

Ned decided to start. "Okay, I made this machine which can change people's forms. I got drunk one night and stole some blood-"

"That thief was you?" Janice asked, her eyes widening in disbelief.

Ned nodded avoiding eye contact. "Yeah. I know it was stupid. Anyway I abducted Chris here and using your blood I turned him into you. When he was in your body Chris had a run in with Greg. It just so happens that Greg works in the bar across the street. Chris managed to convince Greg that you had a twin sister that he didn't know about, but obviously Greg didn't believe Chris."

"So Greg wasn't completely nuts? There really was another girl that looked like me?" Janice could understand why Greg had been so angry. "So it's your fault that he went off the deep end!"

Ned paused. He realised that Janice would probably not like the idea that Chris and her had slept with one another and decided to omit this detail.

"I returned Chris to his body soon after that. Chris was angry so he kinda made me take your female form as punishment. I ran into Greg again and the bastard kinda kidnapped me and knocked me round," Ned explained pointing at her face.

"I think you deserved it somehow!" Janice said.

"Anyway I escaped and couldn't get hold of Chris. Chris found you with Greg and rescued you. He mistook you for me and since you were in a bad way he brought you back here and changed you back to me."

"I've had to press charges at the police station and be you for the last two days."

"You what! You've been impersonating me? Who have you seen?" Janice asked.

"Well I've been at your home so I've met your family. I also spent this afternoon shopping with Mary and spoke to some of your work mates."

Janice was struck speechless. "How could you do that? You've invaded my life! Misappropriated my body! Commandeered my friends! What kind of animal are you?"

"Uhm, I've just been trying to help," Ned said quietly. "Did you want your family and friends to think you had been killed or something?"

Seeing that things were taking a turn for the worse, Chris stepped in. "Listen you need to spend twenty four hours in Ned's body for your DNA to stabilise, then you can return to your body. After that we'll both be out of your life."

"An entire day?"

Chris nodded. Janice looked from Chris to Ned weighing what they had told her.

"Fine. Get me out of here," Janice said to Chris.

Chris nodded and they all started for the door. Ned was feeling really weird looking upwards at her former body. She felt so tiny and vulnerable at the moment. Nothing seemed to be going her way. She was being turned into the bay guy - girl here.

"Wait! I don't want Ned to come along. I don't want to even see his face. It's my face anyway! I don't want to talk to him. How could he do this to his best friend and a complete stranger!" Janice said to Chris then stared at his lost body. "And you're wearing one of my finest outfits, too!"

Ned could feel herself on the verge of tears, but held them back. She felt torn as she passed Janice the keys to her flat, a tear escaping her eye and rolling down her cheek. She had hoped that this would turn out better.

Janice looked over the woman before him. She appeared to be deeply remorseful for her actions. He almost felt sorry for her.

Chris and Janice left, Janice looking over his shoulder as he stepped out the door. Ned stood in the middle of the room, her shoulders slumped, a downtrodden expression on her face.

The door closed. Ned sniffed and wiped her nose. She looked around the Lab. It was a real mess. She decided to clean it up before she went home, anything to keep her busy and her mind off her problems. * * *

Chris looked over at the image of his best friend. The new man looked very ill at ease.

"You look like you could use a drink," Chris noted.

"Could I ever! It's not every day I wake to find my body exchanged by a mad scientist!"

Chris grinned. "I wouldn't exactly call Ned mad."

"Well then what would you call him?" Janice asked as they piled into Chris' car and made their way to his favourite Pub. "Here's a man who raids a blood bank, steals my blood then turns you into me. Then he transforms himself into me. And now I'm in his body. He has no real grasp of the effect all this has on other peoples lives. Are you going to call Ned a shinning example of sanity?"

Chris laughed. "I guess not! But he's not a bad bloke, he just went off the deep end."

Janice looked unconvinced but decided to drop it. After all the pub was waiting. A drink would take his mind of his problems. * * *

At first Janice wanted white wine, but Chris talked him into beer. Chris ordered two Stella Artios, a good imported beer that went down smoothly and tended to give only mild hangovers when drunk to excess. Janice took a sip and a pleased smile broke out on his new lips.

"This is good! I never liked beer before! This is a damn fine beer," Janice said, holding the beer up and reading the label.

"It's no different from most other beers. Don't forget you have a new body," Chris reminded him.

"Oh so my tastes will change just like that?"

"No, but you may have acquired Ned's tastes..."

Janice finished the beer quickly and started on another, taking his time with it, savouring the new taste sensations he was experiencing. Then he got up.

"This new body has to take a leek," Janice decided.

Chris saw the door Janice was heading for. "And don't forget to use the right room, 'Ned'."

"Oh, right!" Janice's face turned a little red as he turned and headed into the room marked Gents. 'It's true,' he thought, 'I do have to urinate, but the main reason... is that I can't wait any longer to check out my new equipment.'

Janice stepped into a cubicle and unzipped. Already Janice felt himself becoming excited in a very alien manner - he was getting a hard on. Hesitantly he touched the dick he had so mysteriously acquired. He sure felt funny to touch one of these things with his large broad hand and feel his new organ respond. A lot different to how it felt with his old hands.

Janice caught himself up short. 'Get a hold of yourself,' he told himself sternly. 'You can't masturbate in a public restroom, what are you? Some kind of a tramp? Maybe I'm a dirty old man. Or perhaps a dirty young man!' * * *

Chris grinned as he watched Janice head for the restroom. 'I bet I know what you're up to, ' he thought idly, pealing the label off his beer. He looked at his offending hand. Label peeling was a terrible habit. I have a lot of those, he thought smugly.

Taking a sip of his beer, Chris did some thinking about the changes he'd noticed in Ned.

'It's strange,' he mused, 'now that I think about Ned in Janice's body I can notice some differences. Ned's vocabulary isn't like his old one - he's less articulated, much less incisive. Hell, he seems less educated.'

'Janice on the other hand has just generally seems more intelligent. Fuck! I bet they have each other's IQ's. Hell, it only stands to reason! Intelligence is based mainly on the limits of ones brain and they're using each other's brains.'

Chris grinned at the thought of his brilliant friend reduced to the mentality of an average boy crazy girl. Chris knew what Ned would be going through. When he was in Janice's body he'd been hot for Ned. And now Janice was using Ned's mental equipment.

'I wonder if either one has noticed the difference?' * * *

As he left the bathroom Janice had another thought. He strode purposefully over to Chris. "How long will the transformation back to my female form take?" he asked.

"It should take about two days," Chris answered.

"Damn! I figured as much! Well Ned's just going to have to do it, like it or not." Janice drowned her second beer, slapped Chris a friendly whack on the shoulder. "Got any change? I need to make a phone call!"

Bemused, Chris complied. He looked at his beer then turned to Janice. "Do what?" * * *

Ned had just walked through the door, glad to be back home. At least she wouldn't be hated and ignored here. The thought offered her some solace. "I'm home," she called out in her lilting voice.

Hearing her enter, her mum called out.

"Phone call for you, dear. Its not a reporter. The man says you know him, he says his name is Ned."

Ned's heart started beating wildly! It was very important to her that Janice forgave her and that she make amends. She still felt tremendously guilty over what she had put Janice through. Her voice trembled when she answered. Her old male voice came back, stern and clear.

"Listen! I've just figured out that it will be three days before I get my body back."

"Well, yeah -"

"Listen. I can't afford to be off work! Not only am I dead broke, but I'm up for a promotion that I've worked bloody hard for. I'm not going to let you ruin my chances!"

"I can't do the change any faster!" cried Ned almost in tears. What else could go wrong? She was about to find out.

"I know that. Do you think I'm stupid? I need you to keep being me. You're going to go to work as me!"

"What! Me be a secretary! Never! I don't know how to do your job.?"

"Look, it's all right for you to take Monday off. Nobody will expect you to come in after the kidnapping, but Tuesday while I'm in the tank you have to be doing my job."

'Shit, I will have to do it!' she thought, 'it's the least I can do for Janice.' Ned bit her full lips as she thought about what it implied. "I don't know the first thing about secretarial work. My typing is slow, I don't know shorthand, hell I don't even understand insurance companies. What will I wear? Will I have to put on make-up and stuff?"

"Look! You're going to have to be at my 'new' place first thing tomorrow, I'm sure you know where it is. I'll go over things with you then."

"OK, but I have to go to the lab sometime during the day and get things in order. Chris left a dreadful mess. I've cleaned up what I could tonight but the place is still a mess. I don't know how I tolerated the pigsty my lab is in."

"How long will it take?" asked Janice impatiently. Suddenly something dawned on him. Ned, in her purloined female body, was talking like a girl. She was worried about things he now considered inconsequential. What was a little mess after all?

"Well I'll have to reset things and tune the equipment," Ned thought for a moment, "it should take about an hour. I'll be at your place before eight in the morning to go over what we need. I promise I'll to do my best, too!"

Janice thought for a moment. "All right, we start early at my place. You can leave for the lab an hour before me at the end of the day. That will give me the time to put things you don't know onto paper while you fix up the lab. You can study them while I'm changing back. Lets make the transformation at nine. It will give me extra time to drill you."

"OK," Ned answered in a small voice. "I'm really sorry you know!"

"I'm sure you are now!" he hung up on her. * * *

Janice also realised that he was talking and thinking like a man. Telling Ned what to do, ordering her around. Normally he was much more diplomatic, but he felt that Ned deserved to be ordered around.

Not only that, he was also only dealing with the general details, expecting everything else to fall into place, much unlike his former neat and well planned self. He looked around the slightly seedy pub and felt totally at ease in his new surroundings. Incredible. Pubs had always intimidated him until now. This was fascinating!

Chris had a fresh brew waiting for Janice when he returned.

"Listen, you should know this. My girlfriend Nancy kinda got the wrong impression when she found me and the female Ned together. Nancy thought I was with Ned," Chris said.

Janice blinked, slightly surprised. "You and Ned together? But he's a guy, and your best friend."

"Yeah, well Nancy took it bad and tried to scratch Ned's eyes out."

Janice laughed out loud, his sides aching from his mirth. " Serves, Ned right!" Janice said as they started on their fifth beer.

Chris cleared his throat and pointed towards the entry. "Speak of the devil, that's Nancy now! Just a little piece of wisdom. Never tell your girlfriend where your drinking hole is."

Janice looked up at the attractive young woman coming to their table. For a moment Nancy looked angry, then her face broke into a smile.

"Ned, how are you?"

"I'm fine Nancy, how are you? Chris treating you well?" Janice replied good naturedly, unaware of the history between Ned and Nancy..

"I'm glad to see your spirits improved, Ned," Nancy said, then she turned to Chris, "and I'm glad you're with Ned! For a moment I thought you were with that tramp Janice!"

Janice, didn't much like this description of his former self, even if it was Ned she was talking about.

Nancy slipped her arm around Janice and kissed him on the cheek. The closeness of the woman had an intoxicating effect upon him, but there was something that made Janice a little wary of the girl.

"Ned, I'm so happy to see that you're not a sore loser. You're a big person to see that I love Chris and he loves me. I hope we can still be good friends. After all we didn't really have much anyway and it had lost all it's steam at the end." Janice could tell that Nancy was trying to provoke her. Obviously Ned and her had some history...

Nancy turned to Chris and then back again to 'Ned'. "I am glad to see you've both made up." She looked at her watch. "I'll give you another hour, Chris. Then I expect you back at my place. And don't drink too much! You know your performance suffers when you do." She gave a startled Janice a quick peck on the lips and then sat in Chris' laps and kissed him thoroughly.

'What a bitch!' thought Janice. 'I can't imagine what Chris sees in her, or even Ned for that matter. Sure she's cute, but she is a damn manipulative ball buster. I better warn Chris against her.'

After Nancy left, Janice did start to talk about her. "She's after you big time pal. No two way's about it, she's a bunny boiler," Janice said.

"Bunny boiler?"

"Yeah, didn't you ever see Fatal Attraction. The crazy woman who boiled the kids bunny. Nancy's like her."

Chris just laughed. "Don't worry about me."

"I'm just warning you Chris. She wants you all the way man. To the alter. It's in her eyes. I've seen it in girl's eyes before..."

"Marriage. To Nancy? I'm too wily a fox to lose his tail! Especially to a woman like her. One word for you about marriage to Nancy. Starts in N, ends in R, and has V in the middle."

"What, November?" Janice said.

"No! Never," Chris laughed drunkenly.

They ended up betting money on Chris marrying Nancy. After that they went and played a round of pool with another two guys at their table. Janice found himself relaxing in a pub the way he never had before. Also, he found he played a decent game of pool.

The guys treated him with respect and everybody talked to his face instead of his breasts. Being Ned had its good points. Also, it was fantastic being more intelligent. One liners rolled off his tongue effortlessly. He was just so much sharper then he had been as a woman. This gave him cause to think about the change.

Objectively Janice realised that the female Janice wasn't a bimbo or stupid. Janice decided that he had previously possessed a slightly above average intelligence. He estimated his female body had a workable IQ of maybe 112 or so. This body however was a creative genius. He wouldn't have even been able to guess his IQ before, but now...

'For a smart guy, I still can't figure out how Ned ever let himself get involved with Nancy,' Janice thought to himself as he sucked down another beer. 'Well, I guess like a lot of men, Ned's a sucker for smiles, kisses and flattery from a pretty women. Ned probably didn't even realise he was being led around by his dick until it was too late.'

Chris left shortly after the pool game while Janice hung around a few more hours. He had a good time. He found that he was good at darts and won most of the rounds. This came as a welcome surprise as previously Janice couldn't have hit the broad side of a barn. Feeling a little drunk he took a taxi to his new apartment.

He stepped in and struggled to find the light switch. When he did, he was singularly unimpressed. 'What a mess,' he thought, 'I better clean -'

A grin spread across Janice's handsome face. 'No, I'll get Ned to clean it tomorrow! That will be fun!' he thought. Janice checked the apartment out. If he ignored the mess it was a pretty cool pad. Living at home with his parents was OK but he was so tired of being treated like a little girl. 'Not much chance of that at the moment,' he mused.

'It will be nice when I get married and have a place of my own. Even if Ned does fuck up my chances at work the new promotion wouldn't be enough to move out,' Janice snorted derisively, 'even if Mum and Dad didn't hit the roof!'

His head swam. Janice was tired. It had been a long day. It wasn't everyday he woke up in the body of a mad scientist after all! He staggered into the bathroom and took a quick shower and collapsed on Ned's rumpled bed and went to sleep. * * *

Day 8 * * *

"Need a lift honey?" the driver inquired. Ned nearly gave the man the finger but paused. She recognised the voice!

She turned around and faced the man. It was one of her colleagues from work. Jacob Greisner was a fellow biotech lecturer and she was glad to see him. The guy was pretty quiet and was probably the last person she would expect to see around these parts.

"I don't work here. But I'd love a lift Jacob," she replied

"Uh, do I know you?"

"Sortof. More a friend of a friend. You know Ned at Monash? Well I know him. Intimately." Ned said. Somehow it was a bit of an ego boost to suggest that she slept with a babe like... herself...? "Wow, too weird," Ned muttered under her breath. She returned her attention to her ride. "If you give me a lift, this can be our little secret."

"Our little secret?" Jacob asked with a raised eyebrow as he looked over her clothes.

"Hey, I don't work here remember?" Ned replied. She had never pegged the man as the type. Obviously she was wrong. Case in point was the man's hand resting on her leg and tracing up towards her dress.

Ned looked down at the hand then across at her work mate. She wanted to make the man stop. Unfortunately she was falling prey to the same urges that had made it impossible to fight off Chris. As Jacob's hand slid under her dress Ned wriggled and squirmed with pleasure.

It was becoming impossible to stave off the advances of this man. So far her luck had been terrible and it didn't appear to be getting any better.

She widened her legs for Jacob as he drove down a side street and parked the car in a dark stretch of the street. Turning off the engine Jacob's other hand then reached under her tight top and pealed it off. Her large fleshy breasts swung free, firm and ripe, the nipples erect. * * *

"Damn it. There isn't much room in the front of the car!"

Ned could only nod in agreement as Jacob's hand tweaked the sensitive nipples in his grip. Jacob moved his hand from the moist vagina he was massaging and moved his seat all the way back, then lowered it backwards, undoing his seat belt at the same time.

The pause in action gave Ned time to think. 'This is all wrong! I'm a man. Aren't I?' the woman wondered. Ned's male ego was making a surge for control. However the body the man occupied was all woman, no matter what was upstairs.

Not only that, but judging by the bodies actions so far he was one hell of a randy, sex starved woman. It made matters all the more difficult for Ned to cope with. He was enjoying sex as a woman so much that concerns over gender were becoming trivial.

"Dammit, how are we going to do this?" Jacob wondered.

Seeing the dilemma they were in, Ned reached across and undid Jacob's pants. The drivers manhood sprung free and Ned climbed awkwardly across to his seat. With little time wasted, she lowered herself onto him.

"Oh, God, Oh god!" Ned groaned, her new sex moulding snugly around him. As she sunk down she could feel her insides stretching to accommodate him, an incredibly satisfying fullness.

"Oh yeah!" Jacob said as she started to rock up and down, her insides slick and warm and tight. Her breasts bounced invitingly in front of his face, large sweat glistening breasts. He smiled as he looked up at her. She was immaculate whilst at the same time she was the perfect slut.

Ned grinned as well, taking her time, exploring the sensations she was receiving at her own pace. She could feel herself rising to a peak, hard stabbing thrusts deep inside her. She let out a moan of pleasure as...

Ned sat up in bed shaking off the dream. These damn dreams were becoming worrisome for the young lady. * * *

Monday morning Ned woke early, about six o'clock. Work started at eight thirty but she had a lot to do before she called in sick She showered, at ease in her surroundings, starting to find Janice's house more familiar.

Climbing from the shower she looked at the time. Six twenty five! She began to hurriedly dry her long hair. It seemed to take so long and she only had less than an hour to get ready!

Ned wanted to look well turned out for Janice. She didn't want to make Janice think that she was neglecting her appearance. The last thing Ned wanted was for Janice to find fault in her efforts at keeping up the illusion that she was her. If she was going to pull off a charade as Janice Rogers she had to get every detail she could down pat.

Ned was tempted to wear heels as she assumed that Janice wore them often. They did make her legs look great after all. After thinking about it and wasting more time modeling a few pairs Ned decided reluctantly against it as the lab would be no place for heels.

Deciding to wear similar clothes to those she had worn yesterday Ned started to dress. She again wore stirrup pants only this time they were red. She wore a rather eye catching tunic and the same boots as the day before.

The make-up was harder, but finally Ned was satisfied and looked in the mirror, turning this way and that. She smiled happily. She was beautiful if she did say so herself! Janice wasn't going to be able to find fault in her appearance.

Her mother was very suspicious about the lengths she was going too, but Ned just explained that she was going to a support group meeting that the police had recommended. Strangely she felt guilty about lying to this woman who had provided unquestioning support to her over the last few days. Ned promised to be back for dinner.

At seven she called in sick to Janice's work, leaving an answer on the machine. Ned was relieved she didn't have to talk to anyone, just saying that the stress from the kidnapping was still too much. That was a minor hurdle down.

All she had to do now was cope with Janice, something she was quite worried about. Janice seemed to think she was crazy, a bona fide mad scientist. Ned wanted Janice to like her. She needed Janice to understand that she hadn't planned on Janice getting hurt or on their swapping lives. It had all been outside of her control.

Ned did a quick check on her appearance, running a comb through her hair fastidiously. How had it gotten messed up? Nervously she redid her lipstick. She could never remember being this nervous before. With her lovely slim hands she smoothed out a tunic that didn't need smoothing. It was a quick car trip to what had been her apartment. * * *

Janice awoke with a slight hangover, regretting having drunk so much the night before. He pointedly reminded himself that it was nothing compared to the head ache he would have had in his old body.

He stepped from bed and pulled on his pants, noticing his newly acquired wallet in the back pocket. Being curious he went through its contents and found a health club membership.

A workout would help get rid of his hangover. He held the card up, thinking about the possibilities, imagining the benefits of using the men's change room... This might be fun!

Staggering into the bathroom, he began to hurriedly brush his teeth, imagining his trip to the gym. Half way through he paused and held up the tooth brush. He was using someone else's tooth brush! Gross!

Janice had to laugh at himself. He was using someone's body and identity and here he was worrying about a tooth brush!

Staring at Ned's naked muscular body in the mirror it was only with great effort that he resisted the temptation to explore his new body. Janice reminded himself that Ned would be here later. He didn't want her to think that he was abusing Ned's body.

Throwing on some smelly sweats he got into his, or rather Ned's car. It was much better than his own crap heap! Janice drove the short distance to the club, enjoying the benefits of power steering and an automatic transmission.

He did a quick warm up jog then jumped onto the weights. Incredible! He was so strong now. Janice did the circle using Ned's chart of repetitions and weights. The weights were more than four times what Janice would be able to manage in his former body!

One thing that bothered Janice a little was that she didn't find the men interesting. The woman in their tight gym suits however were something else entirely. Janice began to thank who ever had thought of putting mirrors in Gyms. She couldn't decide if the Noble Prize should go to that bright spark or to the inventor of Lycra! It was a close call, but after watching a number of sweaty women going through the paces, Janice had to go with the inventor of lycra.

Janice tried to take his mind off the woman, concentrating on his workout. It felt great being so strong, it made Janice feel secure. "I'd like to see Greg or anybody else try and push me around now!" Janice thought, revelling in his newfound strength, laughing out loud. "I wonder how Ned feels in my body, being so weak and helpless?" The thought of Ned in her body somehow was very arousing.

"I need a cold shower," Janice thought ruefully.

After he had finished up, Janice drove back home. In the end he decided to take a shower at his apartment. Somehow he didn't feel up to a communal shower with a bunch of strange guys.

Janice caught himself thinking that he wouldn't mind a few more days in Ned's body. It was certainly interesting being a man.

'Oh, well. Better make use of the only day I'm going to have!' he thought to himself. Suddenly the image of his sexy female body came rushing into his thoughts again. 'My god! I have a crush on myself. I'd better shave before Ned gets here.' * * *

The doorbell rang. Janice opened it to behold Ned standing before him looking very beautiful and a little nervous. They stared at each other for a moment. It was still a shock for each of them to come face to face with an exact duplicate of their former bodies.

"Hello," Ned said in a subdued voice as she looked up at the large man Janice had become. Ned could still clearly remember that he had been very angry with her the other day.

Janice looked over his former body and was impressed. He had to grudgingly accede that Ned looked beautiful, maybe even sexy. Janice decided that this was due to the clothes Ned had chosen. Her top and pants set off her curvaceous figure and long legs to perfection. Her delectable breasts were enhanced by the graceful folds of her tunic.

People had always said Janice had looked good in boots, but she had never believed them until now. He had always preferred high heeled pumps, but boots looked great on her.

Janice clamped down on his confused and wandering thoughts with an efficient gruffness. "About time! Are you ready to work?" he said, trying to keep in mind that this helpless looking girl was really the mad scientist who had stolen his body.

"Yes," Ned said. "I want to make it up to you any way I can. You must believe me I didn't want you to get hurt.

'What an opening,' Janice thought. He had to fight down the crazy notion to tell Ned to take off her clothes and come to bed. 'I wonder what she would say if I asked her. No, that's a crazy idea.' He chuckled quietly at his typically male thoughts.

Ned also discovering that her perception of her male body had changed. 'I didn't know I was so good looking and so well built.' Ned blushed, trying not to think the thoughts that flooded her mind. They made her fearful and a little excited at the same time.

To distract his mind, Janice decided to get Ned to clean up. "Well to start with this place is a mess. I want you to straighten and clean up this pig style while I go through what you will need to know. You better not mess up my one chance for promotion! "

"I'll do my best!" Ned said, more than eager to please. "But did you say you want to clean the apartment? You'll be gone at the end of today."

Janice nodded. "I know that but it's your mess, not mine. I don't want to live like this, not when you get my immaculate room, washing and meals. It might only be for today, but you owe me that much and then some."

Ned looked around and flushed with embarrassment. She never knew she was such a slob when she had been a man. "I'm sorry" she said contritely. "I didn't realise I left it in such a mess!" Ned set to with a will.

As she went about her house cleaning she listened intently to what Janice told her about work. It was dull, but she would do her best. Than Janice warned her about some the bitchy women at work and now nasty they were to her just because she was young and pretty.

"I can't believe you have to put up with all that nastiness! Its a real shame. Can't they see past their noses and realise that you're a good person?"

Janice nodded with a touch of gratification, her ego swelling a little at the compliment. 'It's nice to have a man listen to me and not deride or make light of my problems,' Janice thought. Without thinking she hugged Ned. The feel of her soft body up against his felt ingenuous. They looked up each other uncertainly, Ned instinctively tilting her face so she could be kissed. A long moment passed before Janice acted.

Confused by the powerful and new feelings coursing through his body Janice released her. "Well," he said a little disconcerted, trying to cover the sudden awkwardness he felt. He cleared his throat, "right then. Lets test your typing. I noticed you have a terrific computer system - 233 MHz, 64 RAM and a 2.1 Gig hard drive. I sure wish I had a nice PC, but I could never afford one."

Uncertain if she was relieved or disappointed, Ned turned to face the computer. "Oh, yeah it's okay. Use it all you want," she said as Ned self-consciously sat in front of the screen and started on the typing exercises Janice had prepared.

Ned was astounded that after a few nervous glitches she found herself pounding away faster than she had ever typed before. A delighted smile made her lovely face positively shine with excitement. "I will be able to do your job!"

"I thought that motor skills would stay in the body!" Janice said, watching the rapt expression on the girl's face. He found it very satisfying seeing Ned happy, it made him feel contented. 'It would be great if Ned and I...,' Janice didn't finish his thought, the ringing of the phone interrupting his train of thought.

Ned and Janice both started for it. Janice grabbed Ned's hand and turned to her. "I better get it. "

Ned colored and nodded.

"Hello?" Janice said cautiously.

"Yo buddy, it's me," Chris said.

"Oh hi Chris," Janice replied.

"How you getting on with Ned?" Chris inquired casually, expecting the worst.

"We're getting along fine. I just made Ned clean up his place."

Chris's laughter was even audible to Ned two feet away.

"So I'll see you both at the lab at five?" Chris asked

"Nope. I need more time with Ned to prime him for my work. We've decided to put off me going into the tank until 9:00 PM."

"How does Ned, feel about that?" Chris asked.

"She's being very agreeable."

"That's good! Let me know if I can help, otherwise I've got my hands full with Nancy."

"I told you!" Janice said smugly.

"Hey, mate. It's nothing I can't handle."

"Famous last words. I'm still betting that you'll be a sorry hen pecked husband before the year is out pal," Janice said.

Chris laughed. "Whatever you think. See you at nine, friend!"

Janice hung up the phone.

"Are you hungry?" asked Ned. It was about noon.

"Yeah, I sure am!" said Janice, his devious mind putting a lascivious twist on his reply.

"I'll make us some lunch!" she said trotting happily into the kitchen unaware that Janice's eyes followed her hungrily.

Janice frowned as Ned left the room. Was he really interested in Ned? She seemed to be willing to take things a step further. No that was just too weird.

'I'm a girl, no matter if I'm in a man's body. I'm not going to do something now that I'll regret later,' Janice thought. There was the persistent thought however that she was giving up a once in a life time opportunity.

Meanwhile Ned was kicking herself. She had tried to kiss Janice! She had wanted to get on his good side and now... what had she done?

She remembered her brief interlude with Chris. It would be a shame to waste a potential opportunity, but it was clear that Janice wasn't interested. Ned tried to think of all the guys she liked, that she could try out her body with before she lost it, but her mind kept coming back to Janice. Why did she always fall for fruit cakes or the unattainable? * * *

Greg listened to the magistrate make his decision, fuming all the while.

"Given that this is your first criminal offence, bail will be granted. I must make it clear that a restraining order has been taken against yourself by Janice Rogers. You may not approach within a hundred meters of her, her workplace or her home. If you violate this restraining order further legal action shall be taken against you. Criminal prosecutions. Am I making myself clear?" the magistrate inquired sternly.

Greg nodded, "Crystal!"

"Very well then Court adjourned, you may leave, " the magistrate said dismissively.

'About fuckin time!' Greg thought as his solicitor shook his hand politely. 'I'm probably going to prison, I've been fired and I've lost my license. It's all that bloody bitches fault! Well she won't get away with it. When I get through with her she'll wish she had never fucked me around! This limp dick of a judge thinks a restraining order will stop me! It's just a bloody scrap of toilet paper as far as I'm concerned. Yes, sir. No more Mr. Nice Guy,' Greg thought savagely as he strode out the doors to freedom. * * *

"I have to get going. I promised your folks I'd have dinner at there place," Ned said.

"Okay. I'll make some more notes for you. I'll catch you at the Lab at nine," Janice said as Ned left. Janice felt a little let down that nothing had happened. He felt like he'd missed an opportunity.

Returning to Janice's house, Ned was treated to a nice cosy dinner with her new Mum and Dad. After she finished Ned sighed, it was weird but she was really going to miss them. Her own family was long gone and it had been good to have the unwavering support of a family during this chaotic episode of her life.

After dinner, Ernie and Janice's other brother took her aside. "We got you something. It's a surprise," he said, passing her a present. She unwrapped it to discover that she now had her own Cell phone. Ned smiled gratefully. It was a good gift considering there was a man out there after Janice's blood.

"Listen, Sis, if you ever get into any trouble first call the police and then call us." Ernie told her.

Ned smiled with pleasure, a blush creeping into her cheeks from their concern. She kissed them both. “These things aren't cheap!"

"We can't afford to lose our baby sister! " said Ernie stoutly visibly emotional. This had been a very hard time for Janice's whole family and Ned felt a little out of sorts being her. Janice's mum and dad then put a strong can of pepper spray on her key ring.

"Thanks guys, you're the best," Ned said sincerely. "I have to go." Ned walked gracefully out to Janice's car and started it up and drove to the lab.

She didn't notice a set of lights turn on down the street and Greg's car pull out and follow hers at a distance.

Greg took a nip from his flask and grinned. The stupid bitch didn't know that vengeance was on her trail. He was puzzled though. She didn't seem to be as injured as he remembered her being. He could have sworn he'd bashed her good. Then again he'd been drunk. * * *

Ned parked her car and went to the labs entrance door, unaware she was being followed. She entered the password and opened the door, making her way up to the Lab. She started to clean up the remainder of the mess making certain that the tank was in operating order then double checking all of her equipment.

It took longer than she had expected. She had done this a thousand times automatically, but now it seemed she had to think about everything she did. It would be good when she finally returned to her old body.

Hearing a rush of steps from behind, Ned looked behind her and to her horror saw Greg, his face distorted with anger as he bore down on her with a crow bar. Ned screamed as she jumped aside, narrowly missed by the blunt instrument. Staggering drunkenly, Greg turned around to see her standing a safe distance away, keys in hand. He lurched towards her again, only to be sprayed in the face with pepper spray.

"You fuckin Bitch!" Greg screamed, swinging blindly at her.

Janice fled further into the lab locking the door behind her. 'Shit,' she thought, 'I left the cell phone in the car!' Ned ran for the regular phones but lifting the handset she found the phones dead. Greg must have ripped the wires off outside. What the hell was she going to do?

The emergency exit! That was it. She heard the crash of a door splintering behind her. She dodged and hid in her office cubicle.

"COME OUT, COME OUT WHERE EVER YOU ARE! Girls who fuck with boyfriends need a spanking! " Greg viciously swung the crow bar and smashed the change tank. "Are you in there, Janice?"

Ned's eyes widened in dismay as she realised that the madman was destroying her way back to manhood. Greg started smashing doors and Ned's complicated equipment, each shattering impact causing Ned to flinch at the broader implications of Greg's destructive rampage.

"Come on out! I promise I just want to talk!" in his drunken state Greg mistakenly thought he was being crafty. He reasoned that woman were stupid. Woman always wanted to talk things over. "That's what's wrong with the world. Woman talking too much!" Greg said taking another swig of his flask.

He grinned, smashing up some chemicals, noxious fumes filling the room as the chemicals intermixed. Greg gagged on the smell.. Suddenly he was frightened. He didn't know what the vile looking fluid creeping towards him would do. He backed away into the cubicle almost tripping over Ned.

Greg turned to look down and Ned desperately sprayed the man's eyes once more. Jumping to her feet she ran for the emergency exit. Ned got to the door just as she heard staggering footsteps behind her.

Ned was out the gaping wreck of the door as Greg slammed blindly into the frame. Running to the exit without looking back, Ned made it to her car. She jumped in. Forgetting all about her phone she turned the key and pumped the gas.

Start damn it! What was she doing wrong? She screamed. The dark figure of Greg loomed in front of her side window, appearing out of nowhere. Greg yelled at the top of his lungs as he smashed her wind shield with his iron bar. Ned's engine started and she backed the car away, bunny hopping and nearly stalling.

Greg started towards his car to chase her but she was too quick for him and his car was to far away. She pushed the pedal to the ground and flew off backwards down the street. Greg watched the car disappear. He'd lost her! Well at least he could make her pay. He headed back to the lab, hefting his crow bar. * * *

"What are you doing back here? I thought you were going to prep the lab."

"Greg. Greg was there," Ned said, still in shock.

"At the lab? We have to go back! Come on," Janice said, grabbing Ned by the hand and dragging her along towards his car.

They started towards the lab. "Shit, I should have called Chris!" Janice swore.

"I've got a mobile," Ned offered.

"A mobile? Where'd you get that from?"

Ned smiled. "Your brothers gave it to me. I mean you."

"Oh. OK, call Chris and hurry up about it," Janice said. * * *

When they got there Greg was long gone and the lab was thoroughly trashed.

"So what are we going to do now?" Ned asked tearfully, looking at the mess before her. It had taken over a year of hard work to set all this equipment up and it had cost her a fortune. "This is perfect!" Ned said, confused and uncertain.

"How long will it take to repair all of this damage?" Janice asked looking at the smashed tank, broken and gutted machinery and the mess of torn research notes on the floor.

"A month, maybe. I think I can do it. Well I hope I can. No offence but I find it hard to think in abstract mechanical terms with your brain," Ned said. She was a little in shock. Where was she going to find the time to even start on repairs? She couldn't impersonate Janice and repair this equipment as well.

"None taken. I think I can help, Ned, now that I've got your brain, I'm picking up all kinds of stuff fairly rapidly. With your knowledge and guidance I'm fairly confident I can figure this out."

Ned nodded relieved. "Shouldn't we contact the police?" Ned asked.

"No. They'll turn this place into a crime scene. It will just slow us down. Besides, I think I can handle Greg," Janice said confidently.

"Humph," Ned said, unhappy with the situation and resolving to take action herself. Then other concerns crowded her mind. "I'm going to have to impersonate you for a little longer," Ned said, "which means you're going to have to impersonate me. Oh boy. You're going to have to run my tutorials and some of my lectures."

"Sorry?" Janice asked.

"I'm not a mad scientist all the time. I need to pay for my hobby so I lecture twice a week and run three tutorials. They're not hard but I'll have to take you through them. Besides the pay is good and we need the money to afford the repairs."

"Fair enough," Janice said, then paused. He labored over his thoughts for a moment. "I've just been... I don't know. I guess you're having it as hard as I am."

Ned smiled at his attempt at an apology. Even though it was almost non-existent, she felt as though she had just turned a major corner with Janice. This was all going to work out in the end, Ned just knew it. "It's all right. I'm sorry for getting you involved in this in the first place."

"Well truth be told, this is something I would never even have thought of doing, but being a man has been a real eye opening experience!"

"I can relate to that!"

"Hello!" a voice called out from the labs entrance.

Chris stood in the door with a piece of timber in one hand and Nancy in the other. He stepped into the room tentatively, looking around at the mess.

"Oh shit. The bitch!" Ned said, nodding towards Nancy and moving closer to Janice to speak quietly.

"Tell me about it. I hate that cow," Janice agreed, tilting his head towards Ned's to whisper as well.

"What was the big ruckus about?" Nancy asked as she approached them both, a superior expression on her face. "Still dressing like a tramp I see. Didn't I warn you about that."

Ned became even more irritated and without thinking about it moved close to Janice, placing a hand casually, but possessively around Janice's waist. Realising that it would bother Nancy further, Janice strung his hand affectionately over Ned's now slim shoulder.

Nancy grimaced, obviously perturbed that Ned had found a woman. This was a situation which pleased both Ned and Janice who both smiled inwardly at their mutual understanding. They both intensely disliked the woman.

"Someone broke into my l- boyfriends lab," Ned recovered, "they destroyed everything, but you probably noticed that," Ned commented waving her hand at the smashed lab.

Janice smiled at Ned's small slip, pulling Ned close to him. "Yep. Nancy, I understand you've met my sweet, beautiful girlfriend."

"Girlfriend. Huh. How long have you been seeing each other for?" Nancy asked.

"Two months at least," replied Ned, an innocent expression on her sweet face. That would place 'Ned' as seeing 'Janice' at the same time that 'Ned' had been seeing Nancy. * * *

Nancy scoffed at the notion of the couple before her going out for two months. "You're lying. I've been seeing Ned up until a fortnight ago," Nancy said caustically.

"Thanks for covering for me Chris old pal," Janice said, roping Chris into the lie. Chris stood for a moment in stunned silence having not been following the conversation. He realised that with the destruction of the lab that these two were trapped in the wrong bodies. He'd lost his best friend!

"Remember that week when Ned and Chris went away water skiing?" Ned said. "Well there's no point in lying about now is there boys? Ned was spending time with me." Actually Chris had been spending time with his other female friend, Beck. The beauty of the lie was that Chris couldn't contradict Ned here or else his indiscretions would come spilling out.

Ned smiled, warming to being bitchy to the woman who had cheated on her. "Ned doesn't even like you! Never did. You were just a fling on the side. I indulged his whim, knowing that you were nothing but a fly by night dalliance," Ned said, "you gave us some good laughs but you were boring so Ned passed you on to Chris. That argument outside the restaurant was just a charade to soothe your ego." God Ned was enjoying this. It was so unlike her former self and it was all untrue, but it felt good to get her own back at the bitch.

"What about when you were sleeping with Chris you slut!"

"Chris already told me about that. You were just being irrational like always," Janice piped in.

"Fuck it! That's it. I'm leaving!" Nancy said, stalking away from them, her heels ringing like pistol shots.

"Looks like I lost that bet, huh Chris. No November Marriage for you!" Janice said, a wry smile on his face.

Chris smiled, not even the slightest bit put out. He watched Nancy walk off, her cute bum wiggling enticingly. Maybe she was worth a bit of an effort. "Look, I'm going to see what I can salvage. She's too good in bed to let go now..." Chris hurried after Nancy.

"So what are we going to do?" Janice asked. Now that the thrill of the argument was gone, Ned and Janice were looking at their options. It was only now that they realised that they were both still holding each other. Janice looked down at Ned. Ned suddenly felt a little uncertain about being so close to Janice and pulled away, a guilty expression on her face.

Janice flushed as well. That was his former body after all.

"Look we need to work together on this," Ned said.

"Well, maybe you should move to my place until we finish the repairs. That way we can talk more freely and educate one another."

"Your mum's going to hate that! Me moving out so suddenly. She'll freak! I can't move out with a guy I just met" Ned said, a little fearfully. She wasn't overly concerned about Janice's folks. She was worried about what would happen between Janice and herself. Being a man in a woman’s body wasn't easy after all.

"Ned, it's not like we're going out. Remember the spare bedroom? Painful as it's going to be to live with you, we'll only be flat mates. My folks aren't going to like it, but they'll deal with it. "

"Hmf! I'm the one who'll have to deal with your folks, remember," Ned said, still having reservations. "Okay, when should I move?"

"As soon as possible. Tomorrow, after work? "

"All right. I have to get home for dinner. I'll see you tomorrow. Oh damn. My cars front window is smashed. I'll have to get a lift back home. You may as well introduce yourself to 'my' folks."

"Oh," Janice said. How was he going to face his parents as a man? He was no longer even technically their daughter, let alone their son.

"Look since this is going to be longer than anticipated, we're going to have to make some changes! I think from now on we're going to have to switch names. You're going to have to start thinking of yourself as me. Ned Boynton. I'm going to have to think of myself as you, Janice Rogers. Otherwise we're bound to make a mistake," Ned said.

Janice considered this. "It's not going to be easy. It's confusing as hell even with our right names." * * *

"Mum, Dad?" Ned called out.

"Yes, dear," her mum answered.

"I'd like to introduce you to a friend of mine. His name is Ned. Ned Boynton."

"Hello Ned, how are you?" Janice's mother inquired.

"Fine thanks. Pleased to meet you Mrs. Rogers. I've heard so much about you, I feel like I already know you."

"Oh please call me Gladis. How do you know Janice?"

"Well it's a complicated story. I'm friends with Chris, the man who helped out Janice the other day."

"Oh Chris, fine young man. I can't wait to meet him."

Janice's father entered. Janice extended his hand to shake. "Mr. Rogers, my name's Ned."

His father nodded and shook hands. "Call me Tom." This was all very strange.

"Mum is it all right if Ned stays for a while?"

"Oh, I couldn't possibly impose-" Ned started, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.

"Nonsense, any friend of Chris' is a friend of ours," Gladis said. "I knew she was dressing too well!" whispered to her husband, none too quietly.

There was a moment of silence.

"Ahem, would you like a beer?" Tom asked eyebrow raised at his wife as he walked over to the fridge.

"I'd love one!" Janice said quick to change the subject. Janice smiled. His father had always frowned on him drinking and now he was offering him a beer!

After chatting with the bogus 'Ned' for a while, Tom and Gladis seemed quite impressed. Though they could not put their finger on it, there was something definitely familiar about this young man. He almost seemed like one of the family...

"So what do you do for a crust?" Tom asked pointedly. Like most fathers he was always trying to find the right man for his daughter or more importantly get rid of the wrong man.

Janice was slow to answer, the irony of his situation quite unique. "Well, I lecture at Monash University. I specialise in Microbiotic's and I'm doing my Doctorate."

"Well, you seem pretty young for someone doing a doctorate!" Tom said, visibly impressed. 'Ned' seemed to be several rungs higher on the evolutionary scale than most of Janice's male companions. Intelligent, educated and a professional. His little girl was doing all right for herself, he had to give her that.

"Mum, Dad, the reason I asked Ned over tonight is because he has a room in his flat that he wants to rent out. I'm moving out."

Tom was completely taken back. "But, you won't be able to manage..., how are you going to be able to afford this?"

"I got the raise. I was going to tell you on Friday, but everything just went crazy," Ned lied, once again feeling guilty.

"But why? You don't pay board here, you get food, washing... everything," Tom said.

"I have to stand on my own two feet. Greg taught me that. I love you guys, but I have to do this," Ned said. "Besides, it might be safer. My car window was smashed tonight and I'm certain I know who did it. Once I've moved, Greg won't know where I live so I won't have little problems like this."

Gladis nodded in understanding.

Janice was again subjected to a much more gruelling interrogation by his parents now that he was going to be living with their 'daughter'. They had coffee, then Janice informed his family he had to leave.

At his new car, Janice said his farewells to Ned. "I'll see you tomorrow. Good luck at work. You'll be fine. If you can fool my folks, work should be a breeze."

"Well, it isn't so hard to deal with your parents. I get the feeling I'm not really fooling them anyway, more like I'm slotting into your life where you left off. It's really odd."

"Just remember, it isn't your life. It's mine and I'm going to get it back. Don't get too comfortable," Janice warned.

Ned nodded and smiled. "Don't worry about that. I want my life back as well."

Janice bent forward and kissed Ned on the cheek. "For luck," he explained, getting into his car and driving off.

Ned placed a hand on her cheek, thoughts slowly tumbling through her mind. Exactly what was going to happen when she moved in with Janice?

Day 9

The next day was Ned's first at work. Clothes were a consideration, but she had talked to Janice about this in depth and was prepared. She went with a white brassiere, white top that was almost transparent, a tight knee length dress and matching jacket and a pair of low heels.

All in all she looked pretty dashing, her new body displayed nicely.

Thinking about her body, Ned tried to nail down if it bothered her at all. She no longer expected to see the reflection of a man but there was more too it than that. Whilst she was actually growing accustomed to the image and the form the constant reminders of her new body coming at the most unexpected times bothered her.

When she was running or moving quickly her breasts would move or bounce awkwardly. She couldn't reach things in the pantry that she'd expected too because she was so much shorter than before. She would misjudge her strength and not be able to lift something. She would go to the toilet, unzip her pants and then realise she had to sit down to pee. Simple day to day things that she took for granted took on a whole new dimension because of her new body.

She was grateful that she didn't have to shave her face anymore. Shaving her long legs or under her arms wasn't a chore. Yet. She conceded that it probably would become one though. Periods hadn't raised their head yet. Ned wondered if her menstrual cycle would give her PMT. She certainly hoped not. Hopefully she'd be out of this body before they did.

Shaking her head she dismissed such thoughts. She was wasting time after all. She went through and picked some of Janice's jewellery out and realised that her ears weren't pierced, the holes having grown over in the tank.

Ned found a pair of clip on ear rings and reminded herself to get her ears pierced. She grabbed her hand bag then made her way downstairs for breakfast.

As she was eating, there came a knock on the door. It was Janice.

"What are you doing here?" Ned asked.

"Your car is still at my place. You need a lift to work," Janice reminded her.

"Oh, thanks."

"Just looking out for myself," Janice said.

* * *

Work was hard. Ned didn't know where half of Janice's things were. In trays, out trays, strange people, new names. It was all a blur. Fortunately she was able to explain away a lot of her small slip ups and Janice had briefed her extensively so things weren't that bad.

Ned had been fearful that she wouldn't be able to type properly with the stress of work, but Janice's typing skills were there right when she needed them. She discovered that she could do shorthand as well. If she concentrated too much on doing it, her grasp of the skill alluded her but when she didn't think about it, it came naturally.

She met the manager of their department, a nervous man named Mark Sekham. He was a dedicated, ambitious man. He spent most of his time pawing over claims, trying to figure out what was going on. The insurance agency hired independent investigators quite often to determine if claims were fraudulent or not, but Mark liked to do everything himself.

Generally the claims were outside of Ned's experience, but she only had to do dictation and type out reports, not carry out the investigation. Filing and the various other menial tasks were not too hard to pick up.

With her experience in computers she rapidly figured out where all the standard forms lived. She found that the program they were using to maintain their records was a touch antiquated, inappropriate for a firm of this size, especially with the computers they operated.

Kylie, the secretary next to her was a bit of a bitch, just as Janice had warned her. Very unhelpful and inconsiderate. She did nothing to make Ned's life easier.

As she was typing out a claim, Ned paused. She held up the hand written report and frowned, something not making sense. Then it hit her.

She made her way to Mark's office and knocked.

"Janice, come in," the harried man said. "What can I do for you?"

"Look, it's about this industrial accident we have to cover."

"Not much we can do about it. It was an out and out case of negligence. The sulfuric acid ate through the Aluminium pipes, spilling all over their workers. They should have trained they're staff better. We have to pay it all out. The company will go under as well... pity really."

"You investigated the claim?"

"Yep, fully checked it out. Acid ate through those pipes and it should never have been there. They used the acid to clean out their vats but it was routed through the wrong pipes."

"This may be important. I remember... um." Ned tried to think of a plausible way to say this. She still understood the basics of oxidisation and reduction, but Janice wouldn't. Then it hit her! "A film I saw with my boyfriend. You remember that stinker of a movie, Dante's peak?"

Mark looked at Ned, patience and irritation warring on his face. He was a busy man but had to remain polite!

"Well when they're going across that sulfuric acid lake in the boat, the boat starts melting. My boyfriend thought it was a hoot. He's a scientist. Apparently only hydrochloric acid can dissolve aluminium, not sulfuric acid. I'd say acid ate the hole, but it was hydrochloric acid."

Marks expression changed from mild irritation to curiosity. He picked up his phone and dialled. "Jack, did you check out the type of acid in the Sestron Industrial accident?"

There was a pause as Jack answered.

"No! What the hell am I paying you for? What would it mean if it was hydrochloric acid pal?"

Another pause.

"What do you mean it would mean sabotage! I want to know by the end of today if it was sulfuric or hydrochloric acid!"

Mark hung up the phone, then turned to Janice. "You might have just saved the company about twenty million dollars. If it was industrial sabotage then Sestron is going to survive as well. It's going to be able to point the finger at its main competitor..."

Ned nodded, happy with the way she had handled the situation. Janice was going to be happy as well. This was turning out to be a challenge!

"Glad I could help," Ned said, taking her leave.

Ned returned to her desk and started to sort through her piles. She looked over each claim with a little more interest now.

"What was that all about?" the other secretary hissed.

"Nothing," Ned said as she scanned the next report she had to write up.

"Listen, I've been here longer than you. If you think your pretty face, sweet tush and batting eyes are going to get you promotion ahead of me, you've got another thing coming sweetie. I'm better, quicker, smarter and more experienced than you'll ever be. You're just window dressing to make the office look nice."

"I can see we're not going to be friends. May the best man win," Ned said, a sweet smile on her face. She now had added motivation to get the promotion ahead of this dullard. She was a nasty, ignorant bitch and these seemed to be her strong points!

* * *

In her lunch break Ned took a side trip down to the police station and made a formal charge against Greg for attacking her. Ned was careful not to say anything about the lab but the broken windshield and the hand print that Ned had so obligingly left on the hood were proof enough. The forensic man would find those and as a result Greg would be that much deeper in the shit. When he was finally picked up it would be that much harder for him to get bail.

Overall it wasn't as bad a day as Ned had expected it would be. She or rather Janice had a lot of friends and they came by to find out how she was. They all bought her presents and chattered way, bolstering her up with their support.

Mid afternoon Mary called for a quick chat. Mary wanted to come over and spend some time with her that night, but Ned reluctantly had to say no.

"I'm moving tonight."

Mary went to full alert, invisible antenna's sliding out from her head.

"Where. And with who?"

Ned colored slightly. "I'm moving in with a guy. His name is Ned Boynton -"

"You're moving in with a man! Wow! Give, give, give. When did you guys do the dirty deed? What do your folks think? I know they're stone age. Give, girl friend!"

Strangely Ned bristled a little. Janice's folks might be old fashion she reasoned, but they were certainly loving and protective. "Lay of the folks-"

"Never mind them. What about the guy?"

"Get your mind out of the gutter Mary, he's just a friend. Like a brother even. I thought it might be safer to move somewhere that Greg can't find me."

Mary paused calculatingly. "You have your eye on the bloke anyway, I can tell. That negligee the other day... I wondered what was up. Smart work getting into his place. Men are real suckers for the damsel in distress bit. Tell me what's he like? Is he a hunk? What does he do? Is he husband material?"

Ned grinned, thinking how to paint herself. It was perversely humorous. "He's tall and handsome. He's working on a Ph.D. and gives lectures and Tutorials at M.U. He's a real smart guy and has a great personality."

"He sounds promising! How old is he and is he married?" Mary questioned eagerly.

"He's twenty five and unmarried. Yep a good catch if I do say so..."

"Well since you're not interested, I am. You wouldn't mind introducing him to me and getting us together would you?"

For some reason Ned felt a rush of concern. "Yes, I would!"

Mary giggled. "I knew it, I just knew it! You do have your eye on him," she said smugly.

"I just don't want any problems. If you go out with him and it goes sour then it messes my life up."

Mary laughed knowingly. "Of course. So when do I get to meet your future husband?"

Ned bit her lip as she thought about this. "Tomorrow night. We'll come over to your place for dinner."

"Hey! Don't I get a say in this?"

"Do you want to meet him or not?"

"OK. OK. I guess I deserve it for coming on so strong. You sly little minx, you haven't said a word about him before," Mary chided.

"Look I have to go. I'll speak to you later," Ned said.

"Okay, bye." * * *

Ned and Janice made short work of the move with the help of Janice's brothers and father. Janice was a tremendous help getting Ned organised, remaining level headed and solid throughout.

When the last box was finally loaded into the car, Ned found herself quite emotional as she hugged each member of her adoptive family good-bye, promising to call regularly. It was very strange. Ned really felt like she was leaving home.

Janice found the whole scene very maudlin and couldn't quite understand Ned's overly emotional nature. It wasn't his family after all and even if it was, they were only a quarter of an hour drive away. This situation was getting weirder by the hour. Throughout the uncomfortable exchange Janice wondered if he had been this bad as a girl.

As they returned to their new home, Ned filled Janice in on the days events. Janice seemed very pleased when Ned told him about her day. It was only as they were walking to into the flat that Ned remembered to tell Janice about catching the claim error.

"You're brilliant! Mark will be really impressed!" Janice exclaimed, hugging Ned enthusiastically.

Ned felt very strange being in the mans arms. Strange but very excited. Janice must have felt odd about it as well because he let her go in a hurry.

As they both had a lot to do before the next day they tried not to dwell on the embrace and their reactions to it. Janice began helping Ned pick the clothes he was to wear the next day but stopped when she realised that it wasn't as hard as picking her clothes. Everything was so much simpler in her old wardrobe. Colours bland. Styles all the same. Ned wondered how she'd ever put up with such a monotonous wardrobe.

With clothes taken care of, they both sat down and went over the lecture Janice had to give the next day at M.U. Janice was pleasantly surprised at how quickly he caught on. Janice knew that he was smarter, but he was quite impressed with his new intelligence. Ned's notes and roughed out written lecture was all that he needed.

Janice took the time to fill Ned in on his activities. "I cleaned up most of the lab today. I'll finish the rest tomorrow. That's the good news. The bad news is that the damage was more extensive then we first thought. It might take longer to repair."

"I think I can manage," Ned said. Strangely she found herself not too upset about spending more time in Janice's body. She wasn't sure why. Ned just found herself enjoying being with Janice and living in her body.

Ned decided that life as Janice was like being on Holiday. Doing different things, dealing with different people. Walking around wearing Janice's body was all so new. Breathing and living in the woman's sweet young flesh was a rush, the ultimate amusement park ride.

The phone rang, breaking Ned from her musings. "I'll get it," Ned said, lifting the handset.

"Ned, keep it short. It's time for bed we've both got lots to do in the morning," Janice impatiently told her.

Ned placed her hand over the receiver, "call me Janice. It's your mum! She might have heard."

"Sorry," Janice mumbled. He was tired and wasn't thinking.

"Yep, I got in fine. Yes, I remembered. No, I know where it is. Yes, I won't forget. No, I won't do that. I know. Okay then. Aha. Yep. No, of course. Yes, I will brush my teethe. No, but I will tomorrow. Look I gotta go mum, Ned's has to use the phone. He's waiting for an important call. Yeah love you mum. Bye," Ned said, hanging up the phone and turning to Janice. "God, I hate being mothered. You should be dealing with those calls!"

"Hey you get my beautiful body, you gotta deal with my mum. Take the good with the bad honey," Janice joked.

"Whatever. Seriously we need to remember to call each other by our bodies names. If we don't, people are going to think we've both flipped."

Janice nodded. "OK Janice."

"Thanks Ned," they both smiled at the absurdity of it all.

Then Janice laughed, "I think we should see shrinks after this. We're both going to have an identity crises."

* * *

"You're brilliant! Everyone will be so impressed with me! Thank you!" Janice exclaimed, hugging Ned enthusiastically.

Ned felt very strange being in his former bodies arms. Strange but very erotic. Janice seemed to feel the same way as he hugged her. Ned looked up at Janice's masculine face. Her old face. Though the face was familiar, Ned could not console it with her memory of her male self.

The face loomed before her, growing bigger as Janice moved to kiss the small woman in his arms. Ned didn't even struggle but welcomed the kiss.

It was tentative for an instant, then became intensely passionate. Ned felt an urge to drown herself in his arms...

* * *

Ned woke up, a pleasant warmth between her legs. She crept from bed and padded from her room and down the hall. She placed a hand on the door handle and started to turn it then paused.

'What am I doing?' Ned wondered. She looked down at her body. 'I nearly threw myself at Janice!' Ned tip toed back to her room and went back to bed. She tried to sleep, thoughts of Janice keeping her awake much linger than she liked.

Day11

With a smile on her lovely face, Ned wok. Yesterday she had been very nervous but today she was excited. She sprang out of bed whistling a pop song.

Ned made her way to the bathroom and stripped, examining herself as she stepped into the shower. She could still not get over the fact that the beautiful female form she saw was hers. The rounded and perfectly sized breasts were still something she was not completely familiar with.

She ran her hand over her small pointed nipples and then down her smooth and slightly curved stomach. It felt so much more different than her old body. Where previously she had been large, now she was small. Everywhere. Her legs, arms, neck, waist, feet, hands... everything was small and delicately feminine.

Ned turned the water on. It was exciting and a little titillating to take a shower in this voluptuously body. She imagined what it would be like to be with a man, not for the first time. After all she had been having those strange dreams. She experienced the bubbling of anxiety in her stomach and at the same time an emptiness. Did she want a man? Was she scared or excited. It was particularly confusing.

Ned wondered why she didn't become a shameless philanderer in this body, as Chris had. She thought it over and came to the only possible solution.

Chris was a slut, no matter what his sex. He slept around with a pathological bent. Chris' requirements for his sleeping partners had been breasts and a heart beat. Ned on the other hand had always been picky.

Sleeping with someone had generally meant something more to Ned. Sure she'd had her one night stands, but basically Ned saw sex as something more than just a physical act.

She gazed with satisfaction at herself in the mirror. What a figure! Exiting the bathroom she bumped into Janice who grumbled at her a little. Ned smiled brightly.

"You'll feel better after a hearty breakfast. I always did."

Janice went happily into the kitchen and sat about making a nice breakfast for the two of them. Scrambled eggs bacon and toast.

"Smells good," said Janice, coming alive with the coffee. Ned poured him another cup.

"Thanks Janice," Janice said. God did that ever seem strange, calling Ned by the name of her body.

Ned grinned impishly at Janice. "You're welcome, Ned. Now eat your eggs. A big guy likes you needs a good breakfast." Ned knew by now that her appetite was greatly reduced in this body and so she fixed her own plate accordingly.

It was remarkably comfortable to sit there with Janice, the two of them eating breakfast together. Somehow it seemed normal, like they had been doing it for years.

Ned smiled. "I hope we can be friends after we get our real bodies back. I'm not really a mad scientist!" Ned said.

"You're not so bad at the moment. Hardly the mad scientist type," Janice commented.

Ned remembered when she had been ten years old and had to stifle a giggle 'That's exactly what I wanted to be. A mad scientist conquering the world. How silly! Instead of conquering the world, I have to worry about runs in panty hose and broken nails. A hell of a come down for a world conqueror.'

After eating Janice helped Ned select the right dress and accessories and assisted with her make-up. Staring at the beautiful blond woman in the mirror as her face was gradually made-up and enhanced, Ned was impressed.

"You look gorgeous! I knew I was good looking, but being in a male body makes me appreciate your beauty even more. You're really beautiful. And sexy too!"

Ned flushed at the compliment, it pleased her. She felt special.

"Thank you, Ned" she said, feeling like she was on a giddy high.

"You're welcome, Janice" he replied and without thinking instinctively leaned forward and kissed her smooth cheek. "OOPS sorry!'

"Not a worry!" Ned felt pleased, and patted Janice's large hand. "Now lets go over today's lecture one more time."

Janice snorted with impatience. "Don't be such a worrier! Its OK. I'll drive you to the shop. The windshield of your car should be fixed."

"Oh, I almost forgot. We're due at Mary's place for dinner tonight. I couldn't get out of it!"

Janice crowed with laughter. "That will really be interesting! I wonder what she will make of your new boyfriend, the one you're living with you naughty girl!"

"Yeah well you just be careful. I described you to Mary and she seemed to be rather interested," Ned said jokingly.

Janice was mortified. "Mary? Interested in me?" the thought of this truly horrified Janice. They'd been best friends for years. As Janice thought about it a smile formed on his face. "She is kinda cute though."

Ned slapped Janice on the arm, not liking the grin on the mans face.

"What was that for?" Janice asked.

"Don't go getting my body involved with a girl! The last thing I need are more complications in my life," Ned said, thinking on her feet. "If you're interested in that sort of thing-" Ned stopped before she finished her sentence. 'What did I almost say there? I almost offered to have sex with Janice!' She looked at Janice and knew that she'd painted herself into a corner.

Janice waited, his grin broadening as Ned struggled to think of a suitable way of finishing her comment. "If I'm interested in what sort of thing?" Janice prompted.

"Look we better go. It's getting late."

"Oh no you don't, you can't change the topic of conversation on me like that!"

"I was going to say you could always..." Ned started, still trying to think.

Janice waited.

'God I feel like I'm going to be sick. I hate this pussyfooting around. I'm just going to say it,' the young woman thought. "... ask me." Ned smiled and batted his eye lids.

* * *

Greg stood in hiding across from his house as the police car pulled away. 'Because of that damn woman the cops are after me again! The slut only got what she deserved. I'll get even with her!'

Considering his options, Greg realised that he was in a bad situation. He was broke. He was unemployed. He was wanted by the police. And now he was homeless.

Greg hated Janice with a psychotic antipathy. He was going to even with her if it was the last thing he did. Not now though. He had to lie low for a while. A nice trip interstate up to Queensland to visit his friends was what he needed. He could wait up there for a month or so for it to cool down in Melbourne. That's what he needed. He'd have to skip his Court appearance, but that was not a problem.

* * *

"Oh my god. How could I have done something so stupid," Ned wondered, his heads held in his hands. "I've made a complete fool of myself. Janice will never speak to me again!" He was at work at the moment, sitting at the phone talking to his new best friend.

"Let me get this straight. A beautiful woman tells you that she is willing to sleep with you and you laugh in her face," Chris asked incredulously from the other end.

* * *

"Yeah. I couldn't help it. You know when something is just so ludicrous you laugh? You know you shouldn't but you do anyway."

"Janice-"

"Call me Ned now," the man who was previously known as Janice said. Ned scratched his brow in irritation.

"OK Ned. You need your head examined. First rule of being a guy. When a beautiful woman puts out, you don't laugh. This makes her retract her offer. This is not good. Did she retract her offer?"

"No, but she was hurt. It probably wasn't easy for her to say. She started to cry, then ran to my car, I mean her car and left," Ned said.

"Tears? Running away? Not good. I recommend flowers and chocolates. ASAP. What are you guys doing tonight? Take her out somewhere alone is the next phase of damage control. Some place romantic."

"We're going around to Mary's tonight. Will that do it?"

"Mary?" Chris prompted.

"My - Janice's best friend."

"Not good," Chris said again.

"Why?"

"Janice will have spoken to Mary. You'll be getting the cold shoulder on both fronts," Chris explained.

"But Janice used to be a guy. She won't go running to Mary," Ned argued.

"Ned, wake up and smell the coffee. You are now an insensitive male. Janice is now a weepy and sensitive woman. You have to fool her into thinking that you are a caring and understanding man. It only takes one slip and you're cactus."

"I do care!" Ned said exasperated.

"Hmmm, needs to be worked on. More outrage and sincerity. How are you at grovelling? You need to be really good at kissing ass to win back a girl after doing what you just did."

* * *

"So let me get this straight. He laughed at you."

"Uhuh," Janice said, a tremble in her voice.

"That bastard. I'll get him," Mary said.

"I really laid it on the line. I told him what I really felt and he laughed at me like I was some school girl with a crush!"

"I know honey. All men are bastards. So you're still coming around tonight?"

"I am. I guess he will too," Janice said. Then a thought occurred to her. It was irrational and vindictive, but she liked it. "Goats cheese. He's allergic to goats cheese. Get some lasagne and cover it with parmesan. He'll be crook all night!"

"I like the way you think! Look I gotta go Jan. I'll catch you tonight."

Janice put down the phone, a woman spurned. Feeling reckless and angry she decided to see what other mischief she could get up too. She looked at the computer she was working on. It was a top of the line pentium, but because the IT guy who ran the system was a hack it ran at about thirty percent of its potential.

She'd held her tongue before, mainly because she didn't want to blow her cover, but her ire made her feel rash. So what if she got fired. It wasn't her job anyway! She got up and strode over to Mark Sekham's office.

"Mark. Do you have a moment?"

"For you? Sure. Your piece of movie trivia just saved us a bundle. I think I can spare a minute or two," Mark said.

"Look I have a problem with the system. The IT guy you're employing to run it is clueless."

"Sorry?" Mark was a little surprised at the change he was seeing in Janice. The insurance claim was one thing, but computers?

"Bear me out here. At the moment you're running the wrong software on them for claims management. It's antiquated and you have top of the line Pentiums. The computers aren't even configured to run at their best." Whilst not an expert on software, Janice now new enough to know that there was better stuff out there. The system she used for her research was basically a complex database, not to dissimilar from this one.

"Right..." Mark generally was too busy keeping tabs on all the big cases to worry about the system. Even though it was his responsibility he didn't care about or understand the computers and had become lax in this area.

"Let me put it simply. I can make this place more efficient. I can cut down on fifteen to twenty five percent of your time. Time which you waste by using this crap software. I can have it done in a fortnight and it won't interfere with my other duties."

Mark considered. If she could make good on her claims it would be terrific.

"All right. So what's in it for you?"

"Goodwill," Janice said and strode from the office. She was on a high. If she messed this up, she'd be out of a job for sure. 'Let's see Ned laugh at this one,' she thought to herself.

* * *

Ned stood nervously in front of the class as they walked in, a dispirited bunch of students. He knew what he had to say and could remember all of it, but it seemed so complicated and dry.

"All right then class, what we see here is a facsimile of a Deoxyribonucleic Acid. the characteristic double helix that you are no doubt most familiar with. DNA is found in mitochondria, chloroplasts, microorganisms and viruses. It is composed of nucleotides, phosphate esters of nitrogen-containing glyocides called nucleosides," Ned said and paused as he saw the blank expressions on his students faces as they turned off or tuned out. They were being overwhelmed by his tirade. Ned knew what to say, but there had to be an easier way to get the message across without all the techno-babble.

Ned had an idea. He stopped using all the technical terminology he could and instead concentrated on the key concepts. Where possible he steered clear of words like adenine, guanine, cytosine and thymine and tried to explain everything using the clear and simple words he was most familiar with. He did have to use the occasional technical term, but generally he could find a simpler alternative.

Ned found it slightly more difficult to dumb it down for the class. The technical terms kept popping into his mind and he'd have to pause to think of a way of explaining them simply, in a way he could understand them.

All in all it was a success. By the end of the class everyone seemed to be following what he was saying, even the foreign students. "You'll need to read over my notes and memorise the key terms that I've brushed over, but I hope I have given you at least the foundations of DNA and genetic engineering."

The students nodded happily, apparently quite enthusiastic, wondering about the sudden change in their lecturer. He'd always been so damn technical.

* * *

Janice was so busy she hardly even noticed the flowers arrive. There was suddenly a dozen roses on her desk and a man asking her to sign a delivery slip. Janice signed it and then looked at the bouquet. The flowers were beautiful, a deep red colour. She inhaled their scent and smiled. There was a card which she pulled off the wrapping.

"Janice. Can you ever forgive me? Apologetically, Ned." As she looked at the flowers, all of her anger dissipated. She felt like rushing across town and hugging him. It was such a sweet gesture. The flowers were wonderful an conveyed the exact sentiment she needed.

"You must have polished his bed head pretty good to get those," her rival Kylie said sharply.

Janice smiled. At the moment nothing that woman could say could bother her. She found a vase in the kitchen and put the flowers in a prominent position above her desk. Then she went back to work, enthusiastic and happy.

* * *

Ned had finished cleaning what was now his lab. It was still quite a mess but at least it was semi functional. He started to sort out exactly what his alter ego had been working on. As he looked at the equipment he momentarily felt like he was being thrown too far into the deep end. He'd need Janice to at least point him in the right direction to start repairing the damage.

"Good thing I pick up technical terminology quickly," Ned muttered. He started reading over the notes his ersatz self had left and began to get the gist of what he had done. The terms seemed familiar to him, just as they had in the lecture. Maybe he wouldn't need Janice as much as he thought.

First job would be to check over all of the equipment and sort out what could be repaired and what needed to be replaced. He'd have to test all of the equipment and recalibrate it to make sure it was running within specifications. Hopefully he could do that.

"Christ what a head ache!" Glumly Ned started to check the machinery.

After an hour, Ned was surprised to find that he was enjoying himself immensely. He had expected the work to be monotonous and boring but actually found himself taking great pleasure from tinkering around and checking things. "Christ! I used to balk at programming the VCR." * * *

Janice was practically pulling her lovely hair out. She'd loved mucking around with computers, but at the moment the new Janice was finding the machine frustrating. Previously she'd had an uncanny knack for sensing what a program did. As a man she could gloss over basic code and understand it without really wasting too much time.

Now however she had to think hard about every small detail. She had to go back and double check things. She was no longer quite so cocky about her skills, even though she still retained her knowledge base from her former life.

Looking up, Janice realised the time. "Shit, I'm going to be late for Mary's!" She was working overtime at the moment. She ran out of the building and to Ned's car. Janice didn't pay any attention how well she ran in heels. She drove back to the flat she shared with Ned and met him there.

"You're late!" Ned said, ready to go and glancing at his watch.

"I know, I'm so sorry! I got held up at the office, how was your day, thanks for the flowers by the way, what am I going to wear, help me pick something," Janice said hurriedly and giving a peck on the cheek.

"Slow down! I put some clothes on your bed."

"Thanks, you're a life saver," Janice said, disappearing into her room. She neglected to close the door she was in such a hurry. Ned wasn't sure if he should look or not... but his hormones got the better of him. Besides, it used to be his body!

He watched as Janice rapidly stripped off her clothes until she was down to her underwear, then she started to dress.

"Are you happy there?" Janice asked realising she had an audience. The thought was not unpleasant. She filed away the tidbit that Ned enjoyed watching and admiring her. It was good to know.

Ned blushed and moved away, shaking his head. He really was a guy now. He went to the fridge to get a beer.

"The lecture went well." Ned said. He didn't mention that he thought he'd done a better job than Janice ever had.

"Good! That's a relief. How are the repairs going?" Janice asked in her musical voice.

"Not good. I priced all the damage. It's going to cost thousands!"

"I've - No now you've got the money," Janice said, "I'm ready." She came into the room.

Ned smiled. She looked better and better each time he saw her. Moving towards her, Ned arranged her collar. "You look great! You’re getting the hang of beautifying that body."

Janice smiled. "We'd better hurry."

* * *

"Mary, I'd like you to meet Ned," Janice said.

"Hello," Ned said, aware that he knew Mary much better than she would ever suspect.

"Pleased to finally meet you. Look dinner's ready so I'll go dish up. Help yourself to something to drink," Mary said.

Ned made his way to the familiar cabinet. "Where are your folks?" Ned asked as he made up three drinks.

"Out at a film. They should be back late," Mary replied busily preparing the lasagne.

"I spoke to Mark today. I'm going to upgrade the system at work," Janice whispered.

"You what?" Ned asked.

"I decided that I might as well do something useful while my skills were available. Don't worry. It's nothing I can't handle," Janice said.

"What about me? I have to pick up the ball once you get back to that body."

"Sorry. I was a little angry at you this morning." Janice said.

"Dinners ready!" Mary called out.

Janice followed Ned into the dining room, distracted by her new problem. She had done something out of character for Janice. Ned was right. She sat down and inhaled. Dinner smelt wonderful. Lasagne, she brought a fork full to her mouth and blew then bit into it... and tasted the parmesan cheese!

Janice looked across at Ned as he chewed. He was eating with a gusto.

"Um, Ned," Janice began, looking at the smile on Mary's face.

"Yeah," Ned answered.

"What about your allergies?" Janice asked.

"My allergies?" Ned asked, a little worried.

"Yeah, parmesan cheese. You're allergic to it. Remember you were telling me it makes you convulsively sick?"

"It does? Oh shit it does!" Ned spat out his mouthful of food.

Mary hid her smile as she chewed.

Ned went a strange green pallor, "Excuse me, I think I need to go to the toilet," he said, rushing to the bathroom.

Janice pushed her plate away. "I think I just lost my appetite."

"Serves him right for laughing at you."

"He sent me a dozen roses today and then a box of chocolates," Janice explained.

"Oh..." Mary said contritely. "Well he is cute and he seems nice. Good manners too. Notice the way he asked if he could leave the table. Very polite," Mary said.

Mary and Janice grinned in spite of the noises emanating from the lavatory.

"God we're evil!" laughed Janice.

"Aren't we!" giggled Mary.

A wan looking Ned came out of the lavatory smiling weakly. He looked at the grinning female faces and knew he had to say something to redeem himself. "It was delicious, we'll have to this again soon."

There was a peal of laughter and Janice ran up and gave him a hug. "I'm sorry! I um... forgot to tell Mary about your allergies."

Moving away from the table, the three of them talked a while, dinner forgotten.

Finally Mary leaned over towards Ned. "It's funny, but I almost feel I know you. Are you sure we've never meet?"

Ned grinned. 'How shocked would Mary be if I told her that I used to be her best friend?' he wondered. "Not in this life time."

Janice hid her smile at Ned's double entendre.

The evening wound down with some port and light music, Janice and Ned comfortably ensconced on the couch.

"We'll have to go or else we'll fall asleep here," Ned said finally.

"Alright you two. I'll see you out then," Mary said.

They said their good nights. As Janice hugged her new friend good-bye, Mary whispered in her ear, "go get him tiger."

Janice grinned at the idea, then turned to join Ned.

* * *

They arrived home and Janice groaned a little whilst taking off her shoes an sitting down in the lounge. "Man, my feet hurt. These heels are a killer. How did you deal with it."

"Same way as you. I groaned and said 'these heels are a killer!' Hey let me message your poor feet."

Far from unwilling Janice shuck out a very pretty pair of feet. Ned started to work on them.

"Oh God, that feels so good!" The tensions of the day seemed to melt away. Janice felt completely relaxed.

"Did you really mean it?" asked Ned.

"Mean what?" asked Janice, lost in the bliss of a foot rub.

Ned cleared his throat nervously, "you know. About sex?"

Suddenly alert Janice pulled her feet away and stared at Ned. "You're not going to laugh at me any more are you?"

"No, no, I am really sorry about that! It just seemed so crazy to be flirting with my old self."

Janice nodded. "It does take some getting use to. I keep forgetting that I have two more days in a different body than you do. In fact I sometimes forget who I really am... do you?"

Ned thought, "I guess I do. Especially when I lose myself working on the equipment."

Janice suddenly wanted to show him that she could be as exciting as his old equipment!

She leaned her sexy young body forward and kissed him soundly on the mouth. Instinctively Ned responded. His mind told him this was crazy but his body said 'shut up and kiss the girl!'

He swept her up in his strong arms and she smiled seductively at him with half opened eyes as she tightened her grip on his strong body. Ned carried her into his bedroom, not bothering to shut the door.

Janice smiled as she saw how eager Ned was becoming. She wanted to get him really excited and so languidly undressed, teasing him the whole time. Ned couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful and alluring woman and her tantalising flesh. He almost tore off his own clothes.

Janice felt a hurricane of different emotions, desire, tenderness, wanting to make sure Ned liked her and would protect her, found him desirable and others she could not put a name to.

Janice knew what turned Ned's body on and she touched his hairy chest with her fingers and then began kissing the nape of his neck. She saw Ned become aroused. Good! He really did want and need her then. Ahhh! That was good. His lips couldn't get enough of her breasts. And she moaned in pleasure. Finally they came together and it was like they had been together always. The pleasure mounted in Janice. She found herself falling in love. She screamed with rapture. God it was so much better than being a man. The pleasure filled up every atom, every proton and electron was sent on a dizzying spin. Her partner was the most desirable, most wonderful man in the world and she would do anything for him.

On his part Ned thought he had never felt so strong and protective. So powerful, so in control the sex was like an exposition of an atomic bomb. It was so much better than being a woman. He felt his partner was the most beautiful girl in the world.

Day 12

The next morning they woke in each other's arms. Janice smiled at her lover and kissed him.

"I love you!" she said. The words startled them both.

There was a sudden tightening in Ned's chest as a strange panic welled within him. He was filled with a desire to run for his life from this woman. But he couldn't just leave Janice in the lurch. Ned tried to understand his uneasiness.

Janice was rushing things. They were in each other's bodies and had only known each other for a few days. It was too weird.

Unaware of his weak stomach towards commitment Janice hummed a little song. She stretched with deliberate provocation in front of her lover. "What would you like for breakfast, sweetheart!" and asked

'Sweetheart?' he thought with alarm. 'She's really moving in on me fast. First she gets into my apartment, then my kitchen, then my bed. Next she'll be dragging me down the isle while the Minister smiles at us and the out of tune organ is playing 'OH, Promise Me'.'

"Bacon and eggs over easy."

Janice smile and kissed her love, "that used to be one of my favourites. I think I'll just have grapefruit. I want to keep my figure for my sweet lover," she kissed him again. "I love you so much I'd do anything for you." She slipped on a robe and danced happily into the kitchen. Janice was on an emotional high, totally alien to anything she'd ever experienced.

Ned got up and took a leak. Everything was so much easier being a man. People treated him with respect, especially those in his class. During conversations people looked him in the eye instead of constantly stealing glances at his boobs. He didn't have to worry about painful female clothes like heels, he no longer had to deal with the bitches at work.

'Even my parents treat me with respect and deference, rather than their little baby girl!' He shook his head. 'What's happening to me?' Ned wondered. 'I do want to go back, don't I?'

He headed into the kitchen. A beautiful girl with love shining from her eyes looked up happily at him. He could tell that he was the center of her Universe right now. It was an eerie feeling. Intellectually he knew that he was supposed to be that beautiful girl, but it seemed further and further removed from his self. Suddenly the idea of going back to being Janice frightened him.

"Darn, I have to get ready for work, but just you wait until tonight lover. You're in for a real treat!" She giggled happily.

"What about the lab?" asked Ned a little surprised.

She frowned her pretty brow. "The lab? Oh that can wait a few more days. You're doing so well on your own, too."

'It's like she doesn't care about getting back to this body!' thought Ned. He went into his bathroom to shave and dress. He was done in ten minutes. It will take Janice at least anther twenty he knew from sad experience. He was going over his notes when he heard the click of high heels and looked up at the beautiful girl coming towards him. She was expertly made up and looked good enough to eat in a dress that subtly accentuated her enchanting curves.

"You look beautiful!" Ned exclaimed.

Janice flushed with pleasure at the compliment. "You're so sweet to say so!" she said kissing him lightly. "I do so want to give you a better kiss, but I'm afraid to spoil my make up. I can't wait until tonight, Lover!"

'This is unreal!' thought Ned. 'I need to talk to somebody.' The only person he could talk to was Chris. He called his buddy and they arranged to met for lunch.

* * *

"Janice, do you have a minute?" Mr Sekham asked. "Come into my office."

"Sure," Janice said.

"I brought up your proposal at a meeting yesterday with the head of the computer section. He exploded. He said he'd quit if, and these are his exact words, 'some silly chit of a secretary could do programming better than me.'" The man smiled to himself.

"Which brings me to the matter at hand. I contacted some of the people from those software companies you mentioned in your memo. I ran your ideas past them and they were quite impressed. They thought maybe you're an Idiot Savant."

"So in light of their comments and that little bit of money you saved us the other day, I'm willing to gamble on an unknown. Effective immediately, I'm taking you off the secretarial desk. You have a month to do what you promised. The computer staff are at your disposal."

Janice was quite surprised but also pleased. "Thankyou." She said.

"It was nothing. I hope you can make good on your claims."

Returning to her desk, Janice was relieved. She'd have uninterrupted time and assistance to do the job right. She should be able finish the alterations and installation by the end of the week instead of in a month as she'd first planned. She set about deciding how to deploy her new helpers.

First things first though. She called Mary to tell her the big news.

"You'll never guess what happened!" Janice said

"You slept with him," Mary said

"Yeah... it was good... Mary how do you hook a man." Janice asked as she toyed with the line. 'What's going on here?' Janice wondered. 'I called up to talk about my new job, not a man. Where did that question come from?’

“You’re asking me? You know that one already. Get him under the thumb girl. Make sure you’re the boss. Keep his interest up and make sure he doesn’t wander. Not even his eyes. And don’t forget. Once you’ve got him, hold onto him.”

* * *

Ned once again changed the lecture format making it accessible and easy to follow.

Afterwards the head of the department approached him. “You’re improving tremendously. I know this is sudden but I have an offer for you. We want you to represent the University on a TV show. A science show is being developed that will show on Cable Television! It’s a global show and the coverage will be fantastic. The show is about major break throughs in Science. It will bring you lots of money and prestige... and it will be great for the University.”

“I honestly thought you were always too technical but the producer sat in on your last two lectures and was tremendously impressed. He believes that you have the unusual knack of communicating complex ideas in simple terms to the average person. Given the way you can dumb down difficult issues I think you’ll be perfect to condense the information into palatable one minute blurbs. There’s nothing better to educate the masses than a terse and shallow sound byte. Long live MTV Science and Congratulations Doctor Boynton."

"Doctor?" Ned echoed, stupefied by the news.

"Yes, we thought it would better for both the University and yourself if you were presented as Doctor Boynton. Your adviser has glanced over what you have written on your thesis and says he will take it as is."

"He did?"

"It took a little persuasion of the green variety, but he saw the light." Ned was ecstatic. He couldn't wait to tell Janice tonight. “But I need you to sign up now. The offer is only going to come up once. You have to jump ship now...”

Ned signed.

* * *

Janice went to lunch with Mary. Mary got the gory details with baited breath.

“The idea is not to move too fast. Insinuate yourself into his life. Make yourself indispensable. For the first few weeks do anything he asks you to. Make sure that he knows by casual comments but nothing too blatant. Give him the impression that you’d do anything for him. This will make him feel important but it also obligates him. Whatever you do though, don’t become a door mat. Stand up for yourself if he makes any unreasonable request." She hugged her friend. " I'm so happy for you, Janice, he's a great guy, a real catch for you!"

Janice smiled, she was so happy that her friend liked her lover.

* * *

Ned and Chris sat together over a few beers in Chris’ usual pub. Chris was laughing so hard that tears were streaming down his face.

"Its not funny!"

"Yeah it is! Listen. You're in the best time of a relationship, when a woman wants to win your love and will do anything to get it. Look, did you ever see a Movie called 'Death on the Nile'? It wasn't a very good movie, not enough sex, but it had this fat French Detective with a quote from Moliere that always struck with me. 'The Chief Ambition of Womankind is to inspire Love!'"

Ned thought it over, "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm right! Another beer here!" he called out. "Look what you have to decide if you want to go back and be Janice or stay where you are and be Ned?"

Ned shuddered. "The thought of going back gives me the creeps! I'm happy being a man, being smart, having a great job and people respecting me. But its not fair to Janice to be stuck in my old life and body. I'm certain she can't wait to get back!"

"Are you sure? Why isn't she helping you with the lab?"

Ned sat back in thought.

"She said she'd do anything for you, right?"

Ned nodded.

"Then take advantage of that! Make her happy and chances are she won’t want to lose you. Tell her that it wouldn’t work if you were in each others bodies and there will be enough doubt in her mind to make her want to stay as is.”

"You're kidding!"

Chris snorted with derision! " Hardly! Look at all the women who stay in abusive relationships, afraid they’ll lose the only good thing in their life. The human mind can convince itself of anything. You should know that."

Ned shuddered. He did remember past lovers. ‘I am never going back to that!’ he thought. “Thanks Chris,” Ned said and left, his steps much lighter than when he arrived.

Chris doubled up with laughter after his new friend left. “This is the best. This has gotta be the best joke I ever played. My old buddy Ned will be stuck being a loving wife and secretary while the real Janice becomes the brilliant Scientist!”

* * *

Janice finished the changes about in the afternoon. Mark, her boss had her show it to an independent consultant and some of the staff that used the companies current programs every day. They started studying work she had done. Just before quitting time Mr. Sekham came into the secretarial pool.

"Before you leave I have a couple of announcements. First, Kylie is being promoted to the position of secretary supervisor for this department"

Janice was just crushed. Her neighbour hissed with hateful triumph.

"I told you little Miss cutie puss. I'll have your ass out of her in a week," Kylie hissed between her grin, all smiles.

"Next, because of several things that have happened this week, including saving the company on a hefty claim, I have been promoted to the vacant position of senior VP!"

Congratulations poured in from all quarters.

"And finally there is one other change. Janice is to be the new head of I.T.!"

They're were gasps all around. Janice smiled and winked at Kylie.

"Yes, not only did she help me with a major claim, but she has improved our computer system and looks to have a promising future indeed!" He nodded to Janice and smiled warmly. Kylie stood there, mute, the smile completely gone from her face.

Janice couldn't wait to tell Ned the good news.

* * *

“I don't think I’ll be able to do the job,” Ned said after they had compared notes for the day..

Janice was brought up short. "I was only trying to help!" she started crying.

"Don't be a silly goose! Come here,” Ned said, enfolding her in his arms. “This will all work out. I love you!"

"You love me?" The tears were forgotten on her face. She smiled, then her mind started racing. "I’ll resign from the position. I’ll set it straight."

“You don’t need to do that. You’ve worked hard. You’ve gone somewhere in the company where I could never have gone,” Ned said. “just like I did with the MTV science.

“Well I don’t know how I’d cope with working on television. Reducing that complex information into simple terms is not easy. Besides television is so... cheap. It isn’t that respectable, no matter what they tell you.”

“But it will fund the research and it will be fun. Unlike you I don’t have pretensions of being a scientist. I just got your brain. Besides I signed. It was such a good opportunity at the time,” Ned explained

"Well I guess we’ve both made our choices... but I don't want us to lose this. Us, I mean," Janice said. “I think we work well together.”

"Well that’s decided then. We stay where we are. You’re Janice and I'm Ned forever,” Ned summed up. He watched Janice’s face for her reaction.

She kissed him. "All right! Then I do the computer job at work, you do the lectures and TV show. That will give us a chance to see where this is really headed. If it doesn’t work out we’ll swap back!" She giggled.: "You know you said you love me... Let me prove that I love you!"

Ned once again felt the pleasure of lovely, sexy, loving young woman pressed against his body.

‘It worked,’ Ned thought wonderingly. Not the way Chris had predicted though. There had been nothing underhanded, no manipulation and no falseness. They had both just agreed to stay as they were. “God, I can't believe it! I am going to be Ned forever!” Ned said.

“Shut up and come to bed Ned!”

Epilogue. Greg seethed in drunken fury, dementedly flipping beer caps across the table into the wall. The darkly soiled room was driving him crazy, the incessant hum of the light giving him paroxysms of rage. He looked across at his layabout friend sitting on a torn and mouldy old couch.

"I'm going back to Melbourne. This place is pissing me off!"

His friend's eyes flickered drunkenly in response. Both men were poorly shaven, pale and gaunt from drinking too much and spending most of their waking hours skulking about at night.

"I'm serious man. This place is a pigsty. It reeks in here. We need some fresh air and wholesome experiences. I'm going to go back and sort out my problems with that stupid slag Janice. You wanna come?"

The man again moved his eyes listlessly.

"Suit yourself man. I'm gonna be doing some beaucoup head smashing. Got myself a metal base ball bat. It should be fun."

The man seemed to rouse himself a little from the couch at the mention of violence.

"You can have the dregs once I'm done with her..." Greg promised cruelly.

The yellow skinned mans face split into a serenely evil grin, yellowed uneven teeth glinting in the pure fluorescence of the seedy apartment.

"Shall we alons Fred?"

Fred nodded eagerly.

"A three hour flight down to Melbourne. This chick is finé."

* * *

“This is too easy,” Greg said to Fred. Ned had just walked into the building he used for a lab. “We get this guy, soften him up a bit, none too gently, and he’ll tell us where Janice is at. Then we finish him off and pay a visit to Janice. Give her what’s coming to her then we get the hell out of Dodge. This is gonna be sweet.”

“Sounds good. You wanna play good guy, bad guy?” Fred asked, exuding menace from every pour of his unwashed skin.

“That could be fun. I’ll do all the physical work and you can fuck with his head. Make him think he actually has a chance of getting outa this alive...” Greg was beyond uncontrolled rage. He’d stepped into the area of cold, remorseless, calculating hate. Fuelled by a septic hate that had festered and over run his reason, Greg had was void of compunction. On his downward spiral down he was going take as many people with him as he could.

“Lets go!” Fred said, jumping from their beat up vehicle.

“Sweet.”

* * *

Ned looked up from his work as an alarm went off. He quickly moved to turn it off and went to the bank of small television screens he’d set up recently. They showed two people, Greg and another man, breaking into the building.

Ned shook his head and rolled his eyes as he went to the cabinet and pulled out some chemicals. He grabbed a filter mask from a drawer. It was industrial strength and would stop anything other than oxygen getting through. He mixed up the chemicals in the correct dosages and let them sit on his desk, the invisible gas produced slowly filling the room.

Looking at his handy work, Ned sat back down again and continued on with his work. * * *

“It’s through there,” Greg pointed. He was familiar with this place and led Fred to the lab which Ned used. They silently opened the door and moved into the room. They could hear the sound of typing and see the back of a man sitting at a computer terminal.

“We’re here for you buddy. You can do this the easy way or the hard way. Personally I like the hard way. It’s so much more fun,” Greg said, tapping the baseball bat into his heavy mitt. Ned continued to type away.

“Hey you. Dickhead. I’m gonna carve you a new arsehole. Turn around. Don’t be rude,” Greg said. Again Ned continued to type. Turning to Fred, Greg shrugged. “This guy is funny... this comedian is gonna like our act.”

Fred smiled and shook his head, blinking. His vision was becoming a tad blurry. Fred yawned. “Yeah, real funny. A comedian. Haha. Our act. Hahaha.”

Greg looked across at his friend again to see him collapse. “Hey what?” Greg asked. Ned turned around. He was wearing a gas mask.

“You bastard. I’m going to...” Greg tried to walk towards Ned but collapsed before he could cross half the distance.

“Now what am I going to do to you two?” Ned asked, his voice muffled by the mask. Ned recognised Fred, one of Greg’s friends that he had met once. They guy was quite scary. “The mind just boggles at the possibilities. I’m sure I’ll come up with something though,”

* * *

“I’ve got a present for you honey...” Ned said leading Janice into the lab. “Now cover your eyes.”

Janice did as she was told and was led by Ned into the room.

“You can look now!”

Janice opened her eyes and blinked. Where before there had been only one chamber there was now four. Inside the chambers was the surprise. Four forms.

“What are they?” Janice asked.

“You don’t know the first two. The third is Greg. The last is his friend Fred. Or should I say her friend? They tried to attack me last night but didn’t realise that I’d put in some security measures.” Ned explained, quite happy with himself.

“So what are they becoming?”

“Well I toyed with the idea for a while. At first I thought maybe little girls. Babies perhaps. I could drop them off at some orphanage and let them both grow up into well rounded members of society. Pardon the pun honey but I’m sure I could find some genetic material that would make them buxom babes in twenty or so years. Now Greg here would have deserved that but it somehow didn’t seem right.

“Then I thought endangered species. Turn them both into some kind of endangered animal. I was thinking a nice female elephant for Greg and maybe a female baboon for Fred. They’d be fertile and doing there bit for genetic diversity. I’m sure they deserve that. Greg would probably have a cow or a calf or whatever they call a baby elephant. I’m tempted to still do it...”

“Stop telling me what you thought about doing to them. Tell me what’s happening to them,” Janice asked.

“Okay, okay. Well I was speaking to one of the guys in psychology and he mentioned that he had some people that he couldn’t cure. I got in touch with these people and sounded them out on some what ifs and stuff. Now if you’re prepared to drop the charges against Greg, I’m fairly certain we can work something out that would be really interesting.”

“Why would I want to drop the charges against Greg?” Janice asked. She had some suspicions about where this was going.

“Well the two lovely ladies I spoke to were more than willing to jump at the chance I gave them. They are the two in the other chambers. They are going to swap with Greg and Fred. Bodies and lives, just like us, except Fred and Greg won’t have any say in the matter.”

“Okay so Greg and Fred here are going to become woman, and...”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

“Argh, you can be so damn irritating. You mad scientists are all the same!”

“I know, but I got it from you,” Ned said smugly.

* * *

“What? Huh.” Greg sat up, his large breasts swaying heavily on his chest. He looked down and ran a hand over his new body, confirming with touch what his disbelieving eyes were telling him. “This can’t be real!” he said in a strange new voice. He ran a hand over his body, shivering at the touch. He breathed in. Excited.

“Greg? Is that you?” another girl asked. She too was naked. She was short, curvaceous and rounded with large hips, a tiny waist and large overdeveloped breasts. She had a triangular face and short cropped dark hair. “It’s me Fred.”

“Fred? This is a nightmare. Tell me I’m dreaming.”

“No. You’re awake. You’re a woman. A blonde with a killer body. And I’m a woman too!”

“Don’t they look cute?” a man asked in a deep voice. Greg’s voice.

“I’d say,” another man responded, Fred.

* * *

“So tell me who those girls were,” Janice asked at dinner.

“Well okay. Jane and Marri were trying to sort out a little chemical problem they’ve both had for some time. You see they’re both nymphomaniacs. The condition was pretty bad for both of them. Messing up they’re lives actually. They were both pretty sick of it. So I offered them the trade. They saw it my way as well. Two abusive guys getting what they deserved...