Roger turned on the camera and framed up Paul and Amber on their Couch. Just like always the view of their kitchen behind them, out of focus.

Roger was having a little bit of trouble keeping sharp focus on both Paul's face and simultaneously Ambers.

Because Paul was so short now his face, or her face was on the periphery of the lens - no matter what Roger tried.

Ultimately he opted to get a 2nd Camera and to get 2 more light fixtures. He decided to focus on Paul and have Amber extra illuminated.

The couple waited patiently on the loveseat. Paul's keeping his hands warm in between his legs. His head resting on Amber's side.

Amber and Vanessa chatted about nothings and somethings. 

Filming for the show was almost over and Vanessa had started feeling out for future projects.

Amber had her suitcase behind the couch. Later she would be going to Chicago. Everyone was happy for her.

"Almost ready," Roger announced clicking on a lightbulb.

Paul felt the infrared heat flare up on Amber. He leaned in close to her to catch some rays.

"I just want to thank you both for helping make this whole thing possible," Vanessa said, fawning over the two. 

"You've let us into your home, put up with the interruptions at work, participated in experimental technology."

Vanessa patted the briefcase on her lap.

"I'm shocked at how this thing works, and what a difference it has made. I'm also told the staff at Berkeley are very happy as well - they've been collecting loads of data."

"Maybe I should have quit law to be a scientist," Paul Joked.

"So what's the plan for our final challenge?" Amber asked. "You said on the phone you had only one last dilemma for us."

Vanessa looked back at Roger.

He gave her a thumbs up - they were recording.

"That's right," Vanessa said, to the camera mostly. 

"After everything our favorite couple has been through we only have 1 more big decision for them to make."

Amber put an arm around Paul, hugging him close to her. 

"It's been obvious to everyone," Vanessa continued, "That this battle of the sexes has been one sided.

Paul and Amber nodded.

"While we didn't know where this adventure was going to take us, we can clearly see that Amber has come out 'on top' so to speak."

Vanessa looked more closely at Paul this time. Roger adjusted his lens to zoom on the little guy.

"I must say, I'm surprised." Vanessa prodded. "In the last challenge we put forth we thought it would have been easy for you to 'restrain' yourself."

Paul ate up this innuendo. Privately he wondered why they didn't just come out and say that he wouldn't keep it in his pants.

"We gave the choice to Amber to see if you would be willing to measure up to her standards... Clearly you did not, but only because you wanted to see her grow?"

Vanessa trailed off waiting for him to fill in the blank.

Paul made a little cough to speak up. Lately the camera had a hard time of picking up his words.

"I started to realize that the love of my wife was able to utilize the 'advantage' in a way I never did. I trusted her to make good use of this opportunity - and I was right."

Paul pulled his head away from Amber's body just enough to look at her. 

The two smiled at each other warmly.

"She's now taller than I ever was, and I must say it suits her better."

This was perfect for television. 

Behind them Paul's phone vibrated between the couch cushions. 

"Just ignore that," Roger said, "We can cut that out."

Paul collected himself, "Ultimately I'm okay with the swap. It is a perfect fit."

Everyone smiled again, pausing for it to be digitally captured.

"That so great to hear," Vanessa said. "Because we all can see how devoted you are to your dear beloved - we wanted to give you the option this time."

"What option?" Paul asked.

"The option for her to grow again!" Vanessa said.

"Again?" Amber asked. She was already twice Paul's size.

"I thought the show was ending?" Paul wondered. "Wasn't this whole thing supposed to go back to normal. Aren't we almost done?"

"In the last task," Vanessa explained, "We said that the transfer was going to be permanent. As it currently stands we certainly were going to have you grow back - to your new normal."

"New normal," said amber.

Vanessa Continued, "Our accounting shows that Paul is 'now' 5 feet 3 inches. Amber you are 6 foot 6."

Paul and Amber looked at each other.

"Our question today is, would you like to go back to the old state of things, or dive into the waters a 2nd time?"

"How do you mean?"

Paul's phone vibrated again.

"What I mean," Vanessa said, "Is that we're offering the choice to you this time Paul. No outside chance. You can decide whether to have 12 inches taken from Amber and given back to you... or you can give another 12 inches to your lovely wife." 

Paul and Amber looked at each other. 

"Permanently," Vanessa said in a completely unnecessary way.

"This isn't fair," Paul shouted standing up on the couch. 

Amber let go of her husband, only keeping her hand near his shoulder so that he didn't fall forward to the ground.

"Unfair?" Vanessa justified her position. She shrugged her shoulders, "In the past your shrinking was brought on by random chance, or by other people's choices. This decision belongs to you alone.

"That's not what I meant!"

"Honey," Amber pleaded.

"No! this whole thing has made me out to be a fool."

Paul slid down from the couch cushion, his feet hitting the floor as he advanced on Vanessa sitting in an armchair. Paul went right up to her striking a little fist on her knee.

It didn't hurt, but Vanessa did pull herself back a bit into the chair to look down. Also she wanted to make sure she didn't accidentally kick him away.

Roger followed all of this. Although a consummate profession - he couldn't help chuckle after 20 years in the Bizz.

"Fine," Paul spat knowing that his protest was weak against a woman who had seemingly come from nowhere to turn his world upside down.

"I give up," Paul waved at amber. "I give it all up for her - I won't let you say that I did this for myself or reduce my feelings."

Vanessa opened up the briefcase. Inside she made a click on the trackpad and turned a dial.

In front of Vanessa Paul's head shrank below her knees, His eyeline sinking down and down along her calf. 

When he stopped shrinking he silently observed the knit of her nylon hose. 

At this size he could see tiny details better. It felt good to focus on something.

Paul's phone vibrated a third time, and then a fourth.

"Someone's calling," Amber said.

"Let me get that," Paul said, approaching the couch again. It was a bit further away than he thought, and the cushions were a bit too high.

"I'll answer," Amber said. Then she stopped herself, "Can I?" She asked, glancing at Roger.

"Go Ahead," Roger conceded. A break was probably in order, "We'll just edit."

Amber fished the phone from the back of the couch. Holding it delicately in her powerful hands. She swiped it open, "Hello?"

"Yes this is Amber his wife," then Amber looked down at Paul on the carpet, "Whose Sarah?"

Paul whispered back, "She's from the office."

Amber returned to the phone call, "No I'm sorry, he can't answer the phone right now."

After another moment Amber repeated herself, "No, he just can't."

Amber looked down at Paul again, "What does she want?" She asked Paul.

Paul Shrugged.

Amber refocused on the call, "Actually yes," Amber said with some surprise. "I don't think he could hold the phone because he shrank again."

Vanessa and Roger gave a sharp frown.

"Wait," Amber stopped herself. "How did you... Vanessa 'is' here."

"I think you should hang up," Roger grimaced.

"I gotta go," Amber said quickly before putting the phone down again.

Everyone looked at Paul.

Vanessa spoke first. "Paul you weren't allowed to disclose the nature of the contest to anyone."

"I didn't," Paul said meekly. Trying his best to stand up to a woman 2 and a half times bigger than he.

"You met Sarah, she came to the house to drop off my office stuff."

"But I didn't tell her anything," Vanessa countered. How did she know my name?"

"I didn't tell her." It was all Paul could think to say.

Amber spoke next, scrolling through Paul's phone "How long have you been texting her."

"I work with Her," Paul looked at his wife. She was 3 and a half his size. Her shoes resting at the base of the couch must have been half his size on their own.

"She's the junior paralegal."

Roger turned to Camera onto Amber. 

"I didn't know that," she said.

Vanessa stood up from her chair. 

Paul gaped as this woman transformed into a sequoia before him. Her legs, and body stretching into the sky. Her head in the clouds.

She looked down onto him like a goddess deciding judgement. "Paul I'm afraid you've broken the rules."

"No," Paul tried to shout but couldn't.

"Amber, unless you have anything else to add, I think we need to punish him. It's in the contracts..."

Paul tried to gaze at the two giantesses. He failed to see them properly. He had ceased to be a normal person - so had they.

Amber didn't say anything for a while. Then she too also stood up.

"I just don't know what to think," She softly said. "I just need to consider... I'm going to leave early." 

Amber stepped towards her luggage. 

Paul tried to dive onto his wife. Desperate to hold onto her ankles and plead her to do - to say something.

Amber however was too large. Too fast.

Paul could feel himself dwindling within moments. He shrank below her calf closer and close to the ground.

Instead of rolling away with her suitcase Amber merely picked it up and walked out the door.

Paul was hiding under the couch when he felt himself stop shrinking.

From behind him, behind the wooden furniture leg he heard Vanessa. 

"Paul I don't think we can leave here here."

Paul peeked out from the wall, blocking her from view. He could See Vanessa kneeling on the floor. She was holding her dark hair out of her face as she scanned - sideways - to find him.

Paul popped back out of view. "How small am I now?" He asked.

"You're 3 inches now. You went from 3 to 2 feet, and now to zero." Then she corrected herself, "Or, just above zero."

"I think it's clear then that I'm fucked," Paul called out.

"Paul, I'm not trying to hurt you."

"No, you just want good ratings."

Vanessa assented to that critique, "As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings. Would you trust me to make a happy ending."

Paul poked his head out again. He saw Vanessa still on the floor 

"I have an Idea," Vanessa said. "Would you come out and listen?"

Paul considered. He was very cold, very small, and very alone. If he was completely fucked he might as well play along, "Ok," he said.