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Part One Sleep, study, social life; a good student could only afford two. Connie’s choice had been difficult enough without work in the mix. A thousand miles from home, sharing a room with a stranger, she clung to the future promised by her degree. Things would be better after that, even if the present was killing her. It was a brutal week of rude customers bookended with assignments. Connie could barely remember coming back from the library, or if she went back to the dorms at all. Every moment saw her crossing points from her endless to do list before trudging through the next item. She needed sleep. Whether it was a Wednesday or Thursday Connie could hardly tell; only that it was the afternoon and she had a window through which to crash. The handful of hours offered by her angel of a professor was a gift she was determined not to waste. Perhaps when she woke it would be with sanity restored. But even after her head struck the pillow rest evaded her. She closed her eyes and cleared her thoughts, but remained aware of herself and her surroundings. Her body, it seemed, had been trained to endure through exhaustion, and did not recognize the now alien nature of her reprieve. Something had to be done. On the rare nights she stayed in the dorm she watched her roommate, Emily, sleeping with her headphones on. ‘Relaxation tapes,’ she said, and they appeared to do the trick. Under the dim light emanating from her desk Connie would often find the other girl smiling in her sleep, sometimes squealing in delight; always peaceful, always happy. Oh, but for a fraction of that contentment! On any other day Connie would have left things as they were, but times were desperate. She opened the top drawer beside Emily’s bed and removed the small mp3 device sat inside. She replaced the headphones with her own. After scribbling a note to Emily, apologizing for borrowing without permission, she sprawled across the bed and hit play. Soothing music washed her thoughts. A gentle warmth ran to the tips of her fingers. All care melted into the ground. And then… **** Connie bunched the comforter in her arms, and held tighter as she began to stir. Better to bury herself in the warm fabric than think about how cold it was between her thighs. The thought landed; why were her thighs cold, and why were they wet? Connie started up in bed. Her heart nearly beat out of her chest when confronted by the stark reality. She’d wet the bed, like a small child! Her jeans, her underwear, her sheets, all stained and reeking. As though it weren’t bad enough the dread tightened when Emily stepped into the room with a gentle smile. Wild with panic, Connie threw the comforter over her lower half. Emily, however, did not falter, and kneeled by her side. ‘I’m so sorry,’ she said. ‘This is all my fault!’ Connie knew the words, but the more she thought about them the less they made sense. Though they’d barely spoken she recognized Emily as a gentle soul; the kind of girl who’d grow up to be a perfect mom. Her long, straight, strawberry blond hair had the same divine aspect as her eyes, sparkling pale and green. That was to say nothing of her smile upon which she’d carried a thousand wounded souls. She took care of her friends, though Connie was hardly that. Even then, the gentle touch running down her arm was familiar, as though they’d known each other for the better part of forever. Emily winced. ‘You listened to my relaxation tapes.’ Guilt wrenched Connie’s chest. ‘Those aren’t normal tapes,’ Emily said. Words faltered on her tongue. ‘The point is this isn’t your fault. Everything’s going to be okay. Come on. Let me help you get cleaned up.’ Connie flinched at the thought. Help? Wet clothes and a wet bed were easy to handle, maybe, on any other day. Yet every time she tried to move her body resisted. The job became bigger and bigger as she became smaller and smaller, and none of it made any sense. Connie whined as tears started to flow down her cheeks. What was wrong with her? Next she knew Emily’s arms were around her, pulling her close, drawing circles on her back. The other girl hushed and sang and assured her that everything was going to be alright. Connie couldn’t explain why, but she believed her. Something about those gentle arms made the world safe; even more than her comforter when she was clinging tight. ‘You must be feeling very fragile right now,’ Emily said. She was. ‘And little.’ She was. ‘And you really wish someone strong and kind would come and make things better.’ Connie hesitated before giving a loose nod. Emily eased back to brush the stray hairs falling over Connie’s face. Her green eyes lit up as she met the other woman’s gaze. ‘You can trust me to take care of everything,’ she said. ‘I owe you that much. I won’t hurt you. I promise.’ For reasons beyond her comprehension Connie’s thumb slipped into her mouth. She may not even have been aware of it; only the soothing sensation that followed when something was inside her mouth. If such a thing were unusual Emily said nothing about it. Instead she guided her roommate to her feet and held her hand as they stepped into the bathroom. Dutifully Emily lowered into a squat and unbuttoned Connie’s jeans. She slipped her fingers into the band of her underwear and slipped both garments to the ground. She then prompted Connie to step out of the leg holes, one after the other. Though still wearing a tee shirt, Connie had never been so naked. She winced knowing that Emily was the first to see her this way - not even boyfriends had seen her body entirely - but remained calm under the clinical gaze. Nothing, however, could prepare her for the cold shock of a wipe running between her thighs. Connie whimpered. Her knees buckled, but Emily’s firm hand kept her straight. ‘Everything’s alright, princess.’ ‘Princess,’ Connie echoed. At any other time it would sound condescending. Why not then? A sudden rush coursed through her body as the wipe ran between her lips. It was an area once exclusive to Connie’s touch. She pulled her arms closer across her chest. Her mouth sucked more intensely on her thumb. Emily hummed a bright, bubbly tune. ‘There we go, sweetheart. All clean!’ Finally, Connie thought. Emily paused. Her smile tightened. ‘We just need one more thing...’ New pants were exactly what Connie needed, but when Emily reached for the side counter she found her roommate had something else in mind. From the lower cupboard designated for Emily’s use she removed a flat, plastic piece of padding. Emily’s jaw tightened as she brought herself upright. ‘The effects of the tape last for about twelve hours,’ she said. ‘You’re going to need one of these.’ Unless her eyes deceived her Emily was offering Connie an adult sized diaper. More than it was an incontinence aid it was also strewn with pink shapes, decorated in the same way that it would be for a child. Connie frowned. ‘Why do you have this?’ The answer should have been obvious, but still evaded her. Emily retreated into her shoulders and fixed her eyes shut. Rolling up her shirt seemed to cause her pain, as did pressing down the hem of her skirt to reveal an identical garment taped up underneath. ‘You wear these,’ Connie said. Emily nodded, but dared not look. ‘Why?’ ‘Because I’m a big, pervy weirdo that likes to be a baby sometimes,’ she said, ‘and the tape you listened to helps me regress into little space. I don’t use my pacifier when you’re around, but you never notice when I’m wearing, so…’ Connie blinked. ‘Wearing?’ ‘Wearing diapers,’ Emily groaned. ‘I have been for nearly the whole time we’ve been rooming together.’ ‘But you said they were rela… re-lack-say-’ ‘Relaxation tapes, yeah,’ Emily said. ‘Being a baby is relaxing for me. I didn’t think you’d ever sneak through my drawers and use them!’ Connie shook her head. This was a lot of new information; more than she knew how to handle in such a short amount of time. Confusion swirled between her ears. Her tummy ached. It didn’t feel good. Soon it was too much, and came spilling out in tears and sobs. Emily leaned into her and hushed her, just like a mother would. ‘It’s okay, little one. I told you we’d get through this, remember?’ There was no reason for Connie to place that level of trust in her roommate - the two were relative strangers - and yet her scepticism remained absent, perhaps overtaken by the immense need for comfort. Was it a product of the tapes? It had to be, she thought; she needed as a child might need, and filled her arms with a figure to protect her. Emily lead her back to the main room. ‘Come lay on my bed.’ She did as she was told, allowing herself to be all the more vulnerable. Connie’s shame grew when her legs fell open. She’d revealed more of her body in the last few minutes than she had to anyone. The cool air tickled, and she shuddered. Guiding the girl’s backside up Emily slipped a towel beneath her. She beamed and hushed Connie with a finger to her mouth. ‘I’m not going to do anything untoward,’ she said. ‘You’re perfectly safe, and this is perfectly chaste.’ Connie groaned. Strange that she was both disappointed and relieved with the prospect. Reaching into a drawer Emily produced a pacifier, one whose plastic nipple was larger than any the vulnerable woman had ever seen before. She offered it to Connie who accepted it happily. It was even better than her thumb, and the relief that came with it! All her tension poured into sucking the plastic object. Emily wasn’t done, however. She reached over Connie’s head and to the far corner. From there she fished a stuffed rabbit; one which Connie had mistaken for ornamental, but now realized was so much more. It should have seemed silly to draw comfort from an old toy, but the moment Connie touched its fur she was filled with the love that was poured into it, night after night. She clutched the plaything and exhaled. ‘I see you and Whiskers are making fast friends,’ Emily teased. Connie held tighter, and buried her face in the rabbit’s fur. ‘Are you feeling happy, little one?’ Connie nodded. The butterflies eased some. How could something so weird be okay? Perhaps, she thought, it was the lilt in Emily’s voice, like magic. ‘Good girl.’ She giggled in spite of herself. She hadn’t been a ‘good girl’ since she was a child, but then again that’s what she’d become; or a psychological facsimile of one. So many people spent their lives reclaiming a lost childhood. Why shouldn’t Connie enjoy the experience while it lasted? Her embarrassment returned with the sound of crinkling and the realization of what was about to happen. Twelve hours, Emily said; twelve hours until she could return to adulthood and control of her bladder. What part constituted ‘relaxation’ was anybody’s guess, but for the sake of her sheets and what semblance of remaining dignity she could muster Connie would see it through to the end. Obediently and with minimal complaint she lifted her behind for Connie to slide the garment beneath her. She clung tighter to Whiskers as the rain of powder tickled between her legs. The heavy scent caused a tiny sneeze to escape her. ‘Bless you,’ Emily sang. She was going to make a great mom someday. Connie winced with the tearing sound and planted herself ever deeper into Whiskers’ fur. She lay still as the soft lining closed over her mound and Emily fastened the plastic flaps around her hips. They were firm against her body, but as Connie sat up she couldn’t help but notice how loose it was underneath. When she was upright it was with a quiet puff and a cloud of powder. Emily knelt and perched her chin on Connie’s knees. ‘How do you feel?’ She mumbled around the pacifier. ‘I feel…’ Words half formed on her tongue. Most failed after the first syllable. ‘Feels like my pants are going to fall off…’ Her roommate smiled. ‘Don’t worry. Diapers are supposed to feel that way. They need room to, erm, how do you say, expand.’ The stark reality drove deeper. First Connie had wet the bed, next she was wearing a diaper, and soon she would likely use it for its intended purpose, all because of a silly tape! Her hands trembled and her cheeks burned. Tears rolled down her already swollen features and ran under her chin. Emily pulled her into another embrace. Her fingers swirled in circles around her back, keeping her in one piece. All the while she hummed sweet assurances. ‘There, there, little one. You’ve got nothing to be afraid of. This is going to be our little secret, okay? I promise to look after you until this is all over, and then everything goes back to normal.’ ‘But- but I have so many things to do,’ Connie said. The very thought of her workload prompted a fresh round of tears. Her schedule was heavy enough for adult shoulders, let alone in her current state. She sobbed until the lump in her throat was full and hard. Emily climbed into the bed and pulled her reluctant charge back into her arms. Connie clung to Whiskers so that he sat between them. The blankets were drawn over them, and a safe cocoon took shape. ‘You don’t have to think about that now,’ Emily sang. ‘Just think about how good it feels right now, to be in my arms, safe and cared for.’ Her eyes closed, and for the first time since waking Connie’s troubles floated away, carried by the breeze. Her limbs collapsed against the force of gravity until her body was a lump held by her roommate. She breathed the warm scent of Emily’s flesh and the lingering apple shampoo she used. It was a moment of perfect peace, suddenly interrupted by heat between her legs. A small sound trickled to her ears as liquid expanded underneath her, curling up her behind. Connie stirred, but was quickly soothed by Emily’s melodious voice. ‘Just let it happen, little one. Everything’s alright. That’s what it’s there for. Just relax and stay here in my arms, okay?’ The world had gone topsy turvy, and yet Connie could not refuse such an offer. Emily’s breasts were warm and full of life. Her gentle heart beat set the rhythm for Connie’s breathing, until soon she closed her eyes and nothing else existed. Emily kissed her brow. ‘Goodnight, princess.’