I woke up to the smells of food and chirping birds. Hot food, not cold, the difference was a subtle one, but I knew it was. The coffee was a dead giveaway after all.

"Good morning, young Miss." Jeanette greeted me, as soon as I shifted. She had a book in her hands, (which wasn't the same book she had last night) but she was looking right at me. She hadn't appeared to have moved at all since last night, but surely she had, right?

"Good morning Jeanette. What time is it?" It was always best to ask.

"It is 9:43 AM, young Miss. How do you feel?" Her hand met my forehead again; it was a little cool.

"Pretty good, I... wait, nine?!? What about school?"

Jeanette raised an eyebrow. "It is Saturday, young Miss. You chose to activate me on a Friday, which proved a sound decision. Come, up you go. Please eat some of this delicious looking breakfast."

Other rising and helping me sit up, Jeanette didn't move. Instead she chose to hover over me while I looked over the offering for the day; Eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, cooked mushrooms, a tomato that looking like it had been grilled of all things, and strawberries.

That was... different. Had Jeeves made this? It didn't seem like him.

"Oh, Jeanette, you can go about your other duties now. Sorry for being a little selfish last night."

I felt kind of stupid for apologizing, and Jeanette set about making me feel worse immediately.

"You ARE my duty first and foremost, young Miss. There is no need to say such words to my humble self, as I only exist to serve you."

Oh Jeanette, I built you for so much more than serving me... was what I wanted to say. But I knew how that conversation would go. My new maid continued with a beaming smile:

"However, there are lesser duties I may perform, and I should be about them. Please do call if I am needed, young Miss."

She didn't wait for me to put the coffee down, but left. Why was dealing with new bots so hard? It shouldn't be this hard - I mean, should I have said something more there, or not? Why were my own bots giving me social anxiety?

The breakfast was good, but it was spiced a little differently; there were onions in it. I had a suspicion that Jeeves hadn't been cooking alone today. That was fine, but how had she done it without leaving my side? My orders were explicit. Had she begun to interpret them already - taking things less literally? Jeeves managed to, but he still had some issues with it sometimes.

The less said of Crash in that regard the better.

A knock on the door signalled the return of Jeanette, just as I finished up. Not that I'd eaten everything, there had been way too much for that, but I couldn't eat another bite. Still, I had made a credible attempt at shoveling it all in while lost in thought; hungrier than I thought, I guess.

"Young Miss, I have drawn a bath for you."

"Thank you," a nice hot bath did sound nice. Preferably a long one, until someone kicked me out of it. Which, knowing Ian, wouldn't be that long, but I'd take what I could get.

I was in last night's clothes, which was a trend that could not continue, if for no other reason than Mom would notice I wasn't dirtying them. Then she'd say we needed to talk, and things would go downhill from there.

The bath was indeed drawn... and absolutely filled with bubbles and who knew what else. The water wasn't even clear, it was pink! Pink! There were things floating in it! It had a smell!

"Jeanette, what did you put in this?"

My new maid (it helped to remember she was new) scuffed one heel of her hard shoe against the other. "I used bubble bath, of course. Rose petals, and a few products designed to promote skin health."

"Think you might have used too much?" I asked her. Where had she even got all this crap? She'd only been awake seventeen hours! I mean we had bubble bath before, but none of the rest of this.

Jeanette shook her head. "I used the amount recommended on the labels. Please undress, young Miss."

"That's not what I meant, exactly. are all these supposed to be used together?"

Her answer came without a second of hesitation. "All that I have used may be safely combined with no risk of harm. Now please, strip. Your mother will be cross with us if bath water is wasted."

Well, she had me there. But again, awake seventeen hours, and she already knew what would tick Mom off. Jeanette had been busy somehow.

Jeanette was making no move to leave. Right, this was what I had made her for, kind of. I did as asked and stepped in; it was just a hair under too hot, and a little greasy to the feel.

I closed my eyes and laid back. It felt nice.

Then I felt hands on me, and shot upright. Jeanette leaped back almost faster than I could follow and managed to avoid getting drenched; then she moved back in. "Is something amiss, young Miss? Is the bath not to your liking?"

"No, it's fine... I just didn't expect you, um, doing that. Whatever you were doing."

"I was made to help you in places such as these, young Miss. I was attempting to help you wash. Specifically your hair."

Why my hair? "Ah. You should have warned me, I had my eyes closed. I can wash myself though, your only duty here is to make sure I don't end up drowning if I pass out. Anyway, I want to soak first."

"Alright. However, when the time comes, I can at least help with your back."

That was a fair point; no one ever could wash their own back well, and I didn't want it to break out or anything.

I don't know when she snuck up on me again, but the water was still a shade off hot so it couldn't have been long. Then again, I was getting dizzy, and I didn't think it was from my normal health problems.

"Young Miss, you should start soon if you intend to clean yourself."

I wanted to, but my everything was jello, so very relaxed....

"I'm afraid I must insist, young Miss."

"Fine." I got busy.

It wasn't at all creepy to have my own maid watching me intently while doing all this.

Body and hair washed, the time came for my back, and she was right there, her hands gentle.

I wobbled slightly getting up, and all it took for her to steady me was an arm. While the other arm produced a towel. I took it and did my thing while she stepped back and watched.

Though she wasn't silent. "Immersion in water as hot as your bath for extended periods has been known to cause dizziness and nausea in humans."

"Well I don't feel any nausea at least," I could at least take that worry off her mind. "Why did you make it that hot, anyway? And how? I don't think our water heater goes up that high for safety reasons."

Jeanette gave me a good stare. "Maid magic. It was relaxing, no?"

It was relaxing, yes.

"I have laid out clothing for you." Jeanette told me, pointing to the sink where some of my more comfortable jeans and shirt (blouse, it was called a blouse, and I had no idea why it was called such even now) lay.

"Yes Jeanette, I saw them. Why are you changing the subject? How did you do it?"

I would not be so easily swayed!

She sighed, loudly enough to make it clear that she was doing it for effect. "I simply boiled water in amounts calculated to bring your bath to the proper temperature. Your water heater cannot safely support a rise in temperature that high, even should I manage to disable the safety mechanisms. No, your household does not need a new water heater."

Way to crush my dreams, Jeanette.

She cocked her head at me. "You don't know, do you? You really do not know."

The easy amiable expression slid off her face, and I could tell she was burning with anger.

"What's wrong? What don't I know?"

"It has just come to my attention that we need to have a conversation, young Miss. About certain details regarding your condition you do not yet know. Perhaps this discussion is best conducted downstairs, over coffee?" She was still seething, but it wasn't at me.

I was kind of glad she wasn't seething at me, she could snap me in half if she wanted.

Jeanette barely waited for me to get my clothes on before opening the door and striding down the hall. I managed to catch up at the base of the stairs.

We made it to the kitchen, and the smell of fresh coffee within. "Please seat yourself," Jeanette made it sound more like an order than a request. Then she raised her voice and fixed my butler with her gaze. "Jeeves, a moment of your time?"

Jeeves had his arms elbows deep in soapy water and only a few dishes before him, but it was enough. His reply was calm. "Of course Jeanette; what do you need?"

"I need you to explain to our creator how her illness and power are connected, and why you've yet to clue her into said connection."

Jeeves stopped; literally ground to a halt, for a good half a second; more than long enough for anyone to catch it. Then he grabbed the dish towel and turned to look at us.

His response made me wince. "She did not ask for any clarifications on her medical condition, and so I did not provide any."

Jeanette's gloves all but popped as she flexed her fists. "And did you not...."

"What's going on here?" Mom asked, entering from the living room, no doubt following the sound of raised voices. Well, one raised voice anyway.

"I am attempting to question why my... predecessor never explained certain facts to the young Miss. His explanation seems lacking thus far."

Mom pulled up a chair and reversed it, sitting down and fixing Jeeves with a stare I wouldn't want directed at me. "Oh? Do tell."

"Jeanette, coffee please." Maybe if my maid was getting busy she would calm down, even if only for a minute or two.

"Of course young Miss." She instantly moved to obey, but did not let Jeeves off the hook. "Jeeves, care to explain what we know of our creator's health?"

Jeeves spilled the beans. "Without your regeneration mistress Min, you would undoubtedly be dead."

Well that was... bleak. It was true that without my regeneration I wouldn't have survived what was a very stressful change in biology, but that was past. Wasn't it? No, don't jump to conclusions.

"What do you mean?"

"Your biology is unique among humans, mistress Min. Your brain uses far more resources under normal operating conditions, to great effect. When you - create, you can and often use even more resources than is normal for you, as well as generating more heat. This leads to drastic depletion of vitamins, minerals, and heavy metals your body needs to survive, as well as fluids, creating an anemic state."

Wait, my worst weaknesses were caused by my thinking? My brain was my own worst enemy?

"In addition, the heat generated by the increased electrical activity has a deleterious effect, breaking down the cells of your brain over time," Jeeves continued blandly, as if he wasn't crushing my world. "Without your regeneration, you would undoubtedly die as a result."

Jeanette said some things in French I was pretty sure were swear words. "You have no tact, fool." She finally said in English before turning to me, and just like that her anger was gone and her tone gentle. "That is why your diet is important - to replenish what you lose from thinking. It is also why your hair is so important."

What? How did my hair factor into this? "What about my hair?"

Yes, let's talk about how my hair is weird. That will undoubtedly distract me from the fact that my brain was apparently melting itself from the inside out, cell by cell, regularly. That sort of thing wasn't creepy nightmare fuel at all.

Mom was on one side, and Jeanette was on the other. "Hey, honey, it's okay. You're fine."

Which was matched by the far more relevant. "Your health is not in danger, young Miss. You seem to be... insulated from the worst effects of your condition."

I knew what she meant. She knew what I was thinking, and she was telling me I would not lose myself and wake up one day another person, or even worse, half of a person. That somehow, my memories and person did not change. I did not believe her.

"Mom, quick, what's my first memory? The first thing that you remember that I told you I remember."

Mom knew too, I could see it in her mortification. She was worried I'd get it wrong.

She didn't hesitate though. "The time we went to the zoo. You were three, and you fed a Llama your cotton candy, and almost got us thrown out. You laughed the entire time."

I remembered that. It was after I tried to talk to the monkeys. It wasn't the only memory from that time, and might not even be the first, but I did remember it. If that one was still there and more besides, then it was highly unlikely my memories were getting erased.

Now how would that work? No! Now of all times was not the time to be distracted. I could breathe again, and wasted no time putting the breath to use.

"You're right, I think."

"If anything, you should regain more memories, old and new." Jeanette informed me. I was going to ask her soon how she knew all this stuff.

I pinned Jeeves with a stare. He'd known all this too? "So, my hair?"

"Your hair is not just an unusual color," my maid explained. "It is of unusual construction as well. The material is unusual as well, not simply keratin, but a form of that substance which, when combined with the structure of your hair, draws heat and traps it within. It acts as a form of thermal regulation beyond the normal for humans, and reduces the damage which could be caused. That is why Jeeves was opposed to you cutting it, as more hair draws more heat."

"But wouldn't that leave me... sonova, that's why I'm always cold all the time!"

"One of the reasons, yes. Perhaps even the greatest one." Jeanette answered. Then she pulled out a brush and I surrendered to the inevitable with a sigh.

"That's so terribly inefficient. In order to shed heat part of the time from my head I have to be cold all of the time, because my best mechanisms for it can't discriminate."

"Nature is often thus," Jeanette opined. "What is best in Earth's preserve is often the first solution, not the best solution. Nature can be brilliant, but blind."

"A little early in your life to be waxing poetic, isn't it?" Mom asked her.

Jeanette scoffed. "Hardly that. I am simply pointing out the many shortcomings of biology." Her brush was slow and steady, just as Jeeves's had been.

I could hardly agree more with her at the moment, and I wasn't sure I liked that. It was true though; being cold wasn't the same as being dead, and if my brain melted out of my ears, I'd be very dead. Nature was all about being alive long enough to reproduce, and my issues were... odd, but viable, if only just. Knowing about it all would certainly have helped things along.

Jeeves was in for a rough time.

"So, now I know."

"Now we know," Mom interrupted with a hug.

"Now we know," I corrected. "So what happens now?"

Jeanette didn't stop, even as Jeeves froze for a second before coming back. Has he always done that? I didn't think he did. "Whatever you wish happens now, happens. Knowledge is power, it is said, and knowledge of how to manage your condition, of how we your loyal androids manage your condition, can only help you in the future."

Now was the right time to ask: "How did you know though?"

"Observation and deduction, mostly. Jeeves observed your health and investigated the causes, and all of us share information with each other."

"But...." Jeeves hadn't had any specialized medical training, or any specialized training for that matter; Jeanette was the nurse, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was no money or other resources for it.

"We are very good at learning, young Miss. Even the least of us." Jeanette told me softly, running the brush through my hair a final time.

Until Jeeves spoke up for the first time since his secrets were revealed. "No less than fifty strokes is proper, Maid Jeanette. A full hundred strokes are best for proper hair care."

My maid looked up, her gaze what I could only consider as murderous. Then in a blink, her face was passive as she admitted. "You are correct."

The strokes continued.

"Can you do braids, Jeanette?" At least I could get the crap collected and out of my way; all I would need is to be working on the jet and have my hair get caught in the intake or something.

"I can, but it might be best for your condition if your hair was left loose. Your butler was to run experiments to that effect, however he has no results listed as yet."

Well, no messing around in engines for me - just perfect. So much for a nice relaxing Saturday. Not that I was going to have one now, but it was the thought that counted.

"Jeeves, I need a refill. Then you can get back to those dishes." Getting my coffee and doing my chores was the least that Jeeves was on the hook for, no matter what Mom might say about building character.

From the looks of it though, Mom and I were in complete agreement.

If she wasn't going to bring up the fact that she was still hugging me, I wasn't going to bring it up either.

My maid had no problem with that however. "Mrs. Campbell, if you would please sit I'll brush your hair as well, just as soon as I've finished here."

"Well that sounds like a nice offer; I can't remember the last time I've been treated."

Okay, that was bull. "Didn't you go to your hairdresser just last month?"

Mom didn't even turn to me or drop her smile. Her words came grudgingly from between gritted teeth. "Shut up, honey."

I kept my grin hidden. I'd scored a point, but smiling would tempt fate.

I took a sip of my refill. "So what's the plan for today?"

"Not much. Louge around the house, eat too much, watch stupid T.V. and generally relax. Work's been awful this week."

I could second that, it was almost like she'd gone back to full time. "Yeah they've been running you ragged lately."

"It should get better after this week; we just had to return some favors at the school." Mom replied, leaning back and putting her feet up on the empty chair next to her with a sigh. Behavior she'd be yelling at me for.

I fought down the guilty feelings; I knew I was the reason Mom had to work more - between the new bills and all the favors Mom and Dad called in to make sure I wasn't dying, I'd cost my family plenty.

"Hey," Mom's gentle punch to the arm was less gentle than she thought, probably. "Want to watch a movie with me?"

Mom liked romantic comedies. "Uh...."

"Come on, it'll be fun! We can have ice cream!"

"Depends. Your kind of movie, or mine?"

"How about one of each? We have time." She answered.

That was four hours outside of school or the lab, when there was so much to build - but Mom was asking, and we hadn't just hung out in a month. Maybe even longer. And maybe I shouldn't be in a hurry to melt my brain down today.

Then I had an epiphany, like lightning from a clear sky directly into my head. "My brain overclocks!"

"It does what now?" Mom asked, clearly confused.

"It, well it acts like some of the new computer processors and... no, nevermind, it's not important. Sure, I'd love to watch a movie or two and just relax."

My maid was less than thrilled. "I do not approve of such lack of activity on your part, young Miss. However, we may make up for such lost time at a later date."

"Sure," Like ten years from now, perhaps. "But what are we going to watch? Unless you want to go rent the movies, we've seen everything we own."

"Well that's a no-go," Mom replied, lifting up her crossed feet in a show of laziness. "But we can send Jeeves with a list, and he can walk to the place. It's not far."

"Alright, a list of five movies from each of us, Jeeves rents one of each from the lists we make?"

"Sure," Mom answered. "I can live with that."

Heh. She was getting at least one action movie then, something as mindless as I could manage, like a dead hard sequel... shame we had seen all those already.

"Where's Ian?" I had to ask, seeing as he hadn't shown up while we were yelling.

Mom smirked. "Father-son bonding time. They were in the garage going over the engine of that second wife of his."

Sharp pangs of fear. "Why, did something break? Did it..."

"No Min, "Mom interrupted. "The car is fine, it's running like a top. But your father wants to show Ian why it's running so well, and how to keep it that way."

Well, it was about time for Ian to learn; I was a bit younger when Dad started teaching me, but not by much. Knowing Ian, it was probably driving him crazy to be away from his computer for so long. I kind of missed it myself.

Speaking of long, it was past eleven! I'd slept forever!

"How do I keep sleeping so long?!? No, never mind, don't answer that." My androids had basically just explained that, after all; I pass out and heal while unconscious. Or for a variety of other reasons, really.

Jeeves helpfully provided a small notebook (empty) and a pen. I wrote down my choices and passed it over. Mom wrote hers and passed it directly back to Jeeves along with a twenty and her video membership card.

"I want the change back, Jeeves."

"Of course," Jeeves said with a bow. Then he turned to me. "By your leave, mistress Min."

"By all means, please go get us those movies."

"I'll not be long." Jeeves promised as he left.

Mom sighed. "I knew there was something he wasn't telling us."

"Jeeves is a marvel of technology," my resident marvel of technology opined. "However there are clearly flaws caused by a lack of time and good materials. Like baking a cake, substandard ingredients can ruin the mix."

Mom's eyes narrowed. "So you're saying you aren't hiding anything from us?"

"Of course I am," Jeanette replied. "I can also say without doubt that the two further secrets I keep from you all is one that should be kept, for your own safety. I am capable of making such discernments more easily than my predecessor."

"How bad?" Mom asked. Did she mean how bad the secret was?

Jeanette seemed to take it that way. "Life altering at best. I can say however that the lack of knowledge will harm none. I know you have concerns... they are unfounded."

What concerns?

"I'll be the judge of that, but we can let it go for now. Want to join in on our ladies day?"

My maid picked at her dress with a hand. "I believe my presence is required as part of my new job, but I appreciate the gesture nonetheless."

"Well you could always be stuck in the kitchen facing a corner. I've done that sort of thing to rambunctious kids before."

Time-outs sucked. "No need for all that; she's officially invited, after all."

Jeanette blinked, giving Mom a look. Mom smiled, and it wasn't one of her nice ones. "I suppose it is for the best that I am invited after all."

An easy silence broken only by the whisk of a brush sliding easily through hair went on for a few minutes. I sipped my coffee and wondered where my phone was; it was probably upstairs, with a hundred messages on it from my friends wondering why I wasn't up.

I knew if I asked, Mom would be less than happy with me.

"Task completed," my maid stated, putting her brush into a pocket. If you didn't know, you wouldn't be able to tell it was there.

Mom hopped up with more than a little bubbly energy. "Great, thanks!"

Jeanette looked over as Mom started off, and I put a finger to my lips. Then mimed putting a phone to my ear and shrugged. She got it almost immediately, a sparkle in her eye (which was probably a spark of electricity) as she nodded understanding. She pointed upstairs and just as quickly reverted back to her usual posture as Mom looked back at us.

Mom saw none of it."Come on, let's wait in here. The couch is much better than those chairs."

That was the truth.

"Alright, it'll probably be another fifteen or twenty minutes. Hey Jeanette, can you please get a book from my room? Anything will be fine."

"Of course," came the expected answer in the expected way, as my maid bowed and went to do my bidding.

"Good call. I could probably stand to read a little myself." I was half glad my Mom didn't tell me to get my own book, and stop relying on others.

I mimed my phone again as Jeanette passed me, and she gave me a miniscule nod.

Mom sat at the right end of the couch, her favored side, so I took the left. Her book, some fantasy thing with a shirtless guy that had to be a bodybuilder on the cover. She also threw her feet up on the coffee table with another loud sigh as she cracked it open and began to read.

She was fully engrossed by the time Jeanette came down, a book on the finer points of programming in one hand, and my phone palmed in the other. She passed both along, using one to hide the other. I looked, and my enterprising maid had turned my phone on vibrate first, and muted all notifications just to be sure. She was surprisingly good at sneaky stuff it seemed, considering her earlier honesty.

"Min, I see that. Put it down."

Busted. I was not as good, it seemed. "I'm just checking my texts Mom, Maggie and Sam were supposed to be coming over today."

As expected, there were more than a few messages, the expected ones from Maggie and Sam, and a few from Ricky. Only one from Ralph, which was nice, but all were variations on the same theme: what are you doing? Can we come over?

It was odd, thinking back on it; when had my house become the default meeting place?

"Well...." Mom started.

"I know Mom, they aren't invited. I'm just telling them to make other plans." I knew mom just wanted a family day, at least for now.

"Alright, but after that it stays in sight; I know what you can do on that thing."

"I assure you, work is the farthest thing from my mind right now."

I composed the text: "Mom has kidnapped me today, don't send help or you might end up drafted. I'll be away from my phone so expect no further responses."

My friends list wasn't that large, so I could freely hit send to all and have it work as intended. I no sooner set the phone on the table in front of Mom than it started dancing; for a good solid minute it seemed. Finally it danced right off and hit the floor.

Mom made no move to retrieve it, so I left it there. Jeanette went for it, but a look from Mom had her backing off. She contented herself with sitting in Dad's favorite chair; judging from the faint smile it was to her liking. She was developing preferences, and testing boundaries already. So precocious, not that I really cared. If anyone else did, they would get an earful... even my parents.

Someone knocked politely on the door, three sharp taps. Jeanette was out of the chair before I could get my feet down, and she strode to the door with purpose.

Jeeves lay on the other side of it, a movie in each hand. "Thank you Jeanette. I have returned, and I was not followed."

Why would Jeeves be followed? Jeeves was just Jeeves.

My maid answered with one word: "Good."

"So what did you get?" I was kind of pumped to see a new action flick, and when Jeeves held out the latest Die Hard movie I almost lost it; that was about as perfect as it got.

The other movie, the one held out to Mom, was "The princess bride."

We'd seen that one before. "Really, Mom?"

"Really Min. We'll watch yours first, but this is the movie that I wanted to see."

I shrugged. "Whatever, it's your dime."

"Jeeves, go tell the men not to come in before two. Lunch will be ready by then."

Jeeves gave Mom a look, and immediately turned to me. "Go ahead and do it please."

Jeeves left immediately and I heard the door to the garage open.

"I really hate that thing," Mom muttered.

"He's protective of me, and doesn't want to be far away without cause."

"I know," she answered. "But the fact is he can't discern the situation or read the room. "I'm glad you made a replacement."

Jeeves was fine, but now was not the time to argue the point; it would ruin the day. Some fights you just couldn't win.

"Now, Jeanette, would you load up the first movie please?" Mom asked. Jeanette moved to comply of course, because she would obey Mom as long as no order countermanded an order of mine or her standing morals.

I doubted Mom would tell Jeanette to kill anyone, but if so, my maid wouldn't listen; we'd discussed how killing was wrong as I programmed her kernel. Not that she didn't do most of the work.

No, no work thoughts! At least a few hours without any of that! The movie successfully started, we three settled in to watch.