Author's note: I'm not a really great writer, this was just an idea I had, hopefully some people will enjoy it regardless of my choppy writing and lack of details. I feel like I was an inadequate writer for my idea and lacked complexity in my writing to do the complexities of the story justice. I guess I feel a little bit bad about that

Jeb proved to be a terrible spy. They caught him and it was his turn to be an experiment. He lost track of what was happening and where he was. Thinking he had lost consciousness for the last time, he was surprised to wake in a familiar house, without any restraints, without fear.

He sat up quickly and regretted it immediately. A gentle hand pushed him back down as he groaned. It was Val. "H-how…?"

"Never mind that…you need rest right now… you'll be safe here." She gave him a reassuring smile and he wanted to believe her. He closed his eyes and tried to recall the events preceding this.

"Haha Batchelder, you have no idea, we are doing you a favor…you'll be like your glorious experiments, even better maybe…if you can handle it, that is."

"He is kind of old isn't he?"

Jeb didn't understand any of this. What was happening…where, how? He knew that Max and the others must have felt like this at one point. He was numb to needles now, but not numb to the effects of the solutions inside them. They made him run until he fainted. They electrocuted him often as they had just finished now. Sweat was beading on his forehead. He was gasping for breath. And they were laughing at him! Why didn't they just get this over with and kill him? He would have liked that, he was finished; there wasn't anything more he could take. And that was the last he remembered of that facility.

Now he was here, and here was very good. He would never admit how much he wanted to be here or anywhere with her. She was beautiful and kind. She was intelligent and she was the biological mother of his remaining child.

She was in the kitchen humming. He could smell food and it was keeping him awake. The pain experienced at the moment was more from hunger than anything else at this point. Jeb opened his eyes and slowly sat up. He had been lying on the couch, his glasses folded on the coffee table. They were cracked which was unfortunate, but better than expected. He sighed and put them on, they would have to do for now. Assessing himself, nothing was broken…his head was aching. On his left temple there was a nasty scar. His pulse was beating there, increasing his pain and dizziness. Did they hit him in the head?

His clothes had been changed…a thought came to mind and made him blush so he quickly pushed the idea out of his head. Rolling up his sleeves revealed numerous dots from injections. He was disgusted with himself and rolled his sleeves back down. His hands trembled uncontrollably.

Ella came downstairs; she was surprised to see him up. "Oh! You're up!" She smiled and added, "The flock will be back soon, they're out flying." Ella. He hadn't known her very well but he knew Max was very fond of her.

"Max is here!" Seeing Maximum also would really make his day.

"Yes… are you feeling okay? Are you sure you should be getting up?" She had the same way of being concerned as her mother.

No, he thought, "Yeah, really, I'm fine." Could he lie to Val as easily?

Valencia looked around the corner and smiled to see him doing better. "Food's almost ready."

"…okay." Is this really…all over?

Her face fell… he'll be okay soon-I know it…he's stronger than that, they can't break him.

The flock returned from their flight. They greeted him with smiles, Max and Fang with smirks. Angel walked up to him, "your head's all funny." He knew better than to brush her off, she didn't do this for attention.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Angel frowned, trying to figure out how to put what she meant since she wasn't sure herself.

Finally, she just said, "you mean you can't tell?" And that was odd, wouldn't he know also?

"I-no…no I can't tell…I have a headache…" Inadvertently he touched the scar on his left temple. Angel watched him carefully.

Val interrupted the uncomfortable silence, "Food! You're all back just in time! Help yourselves." She was holding a bowl, it was for Jeb. He was eying it hungrily. When everyone had cleared out to the kitchen, she took a seat next to him. He raised his hand to take the spoon but she saw the obvious tremor in his hand and firmly said, "Say ah."

"What! I'm…not some child! I can feed myself."

"You want to eat don't you?" Her threat had tremendous effect on him and he surrendered. After looking away while his cheeks burned he opened his mouth lamely and Val fed him. She was good at taking care of him.

"Are you sure-"

"Finish your food first, then we'll talk." He didn't object, he was very hungry, even eating like a member of the flock. He recalled being malnourished by the scientists. It was apparent in his gaunt appearance.

Right after eating, his eyelids felt heavy as he leaned back on the couch. Val was about to leave so he could rest up when he said, "Wait."

She turned and said, "Look at you…you're so tired, you should sleep."

"No, first-first, tell me how I got here."

"Don't take it personally, we didn't know what they were doing to you or where you were, Max happened to find you when they were breaking in for files. You were in pretty bad shape."

"She hates me…I thought she'd leave me there… I deserved to be left there."

"No, no one deserves that…she rescued you because you're…one of them now kind of. Do you remember anything? The other scientists had a file on you; it wasn't clear what they were trying to do, though."

He thought hard and touched his scar again. Did it have something to do with that? Running his hand through his hair, he said… "No I can't remember anything specific…mostly it just felt like…torture."

Val touched his shoulder tenderly, "I'm sorry we couldn't get you out of there sooner…"

"It's all over now…that's all that counts." He still had a hard time looking at her. She was too stunning.

Then Angel, out of nowhere, climbed onto their laps. She was looking very intently at Jeb. "Angel sweetie, Jeb can't play right now…" Valencia still didn't know Angel was always much more serious than other little girls.

"No…I want to find out…" Her voice trailed off while she slowly reached up towards his head… the left side. Jeb could only stare back at her, unsure of what to do. Her small hand made its way up to his left temple. It delicately made contact with her fingers and suddenly both of them cried out in pain.

Jeb jerked his body away while Valencia pulled Angel closer to her. Both were holding their heads.

"Angel…what did you do?"

"You're head…doesn't like me." There were tears in her eyes. "I was right…that's what they did to you, that scar." Jeb was holding his head and burying his face in his lap. What was Angel saying? This was ridiculous.

"What happened in here? Report!" It was Max, she heard their cries. She came over and held Angel who had recovered by now. Jeb, however, was far from recovered, he tried to look up, the room was spinning.

"There's something wrong with Jeb's head," Angel whispered, answering Max's question. Max put Angel down and went over to tend to her father. He shut his eyes tightly as he held his head. If he opened them, the room would continue to spin and he would vomit for sure.

"Jeb…what is it, what's wrong?"

"The room… it's…spinning," he managed. Valencia took over.

She took his shoulders and said gently, "you'll be okay; you can open your eyes." He didn't. "I'm right here," she added. Slowly, he opened his eyes, he seemed better, but he felt sick.

"There's something in your head. It's bad… I think." Jeb turned to Angel, his hand rose to his scar and she nodded. He turned to Valencia, unsure of what to say.