sorry for taking so long in posting this chappie! i have had the most horrible block and i'd been writing single paragraphs or sentences before i finally sat down in study hall and finished it. SORRY FOR THE WAIT!

"So," Jack said once Brad and Crystal had disappeared into the bedroom. "Are we ever gonna go out?"

I put my arms around his waist and pulled him closer. "I don't know. Are we?"

"Well, I heard that there's a movie showing in the park tonight. Do you want to go?"

"Sounds good."

"How're we gonna get in the theatre?" I asked when Jack and I were running through the woods again.

"It's in the park. 5 dollar admission for humans. But baby, we get in for free!"

"You dog."

"Stop trying to be ironic," Jack thought. Dog form was our favorite way to travel downtown. We blended in perfectly, and we loved the feeling of our muscles rippling under our skin and the unlimited power they gave us.

We snuck over the fence bordering the park and found perfect spots near the back. Dogs don't need too much space.

"I'll go find us something to eat." Jack licked my cheek, a gesture that was very romantic in dog-world.

Once he was out of sight, a sandy-haired mutt pranced over to me and dropped a corndog at my feet. "For my lady," he thought.

"You… how can I hear you?" I thought back.

"I'm a Shifter, too. I've been watching you, and I need a place to stay for a few days."

"I don't know if-"

"Hey, I got you a corndog. That's gotta get me something."

"What's your name?"

"Jason."

"Why are you alone?"

"I've always been on my own."

"Are you a nomad?"

"Is it always 20 questions with you?"

"Answer the question."

"Feisty now, aren't we?"

"I'm just hungry," I explained briefly.

"Eat the corndog."

"I don't know where it's been."

"Smart girl."

A deep growl came from behind me. "Get. Away. From her."

"Jack, chill. He needs a place to stay for a few days."

"Him and how many others?"

"Just him."

"Oh." He sat down. "So where's you come from?"

"Albany," Jason answered.

"And how'd you get to Manhattan?"

"I'm a Shifter, remember?"

"Right."

There was an awkward silence for a few minutes before I broke it. "Jack, where's the food?"

"Well I was thinking that we could force-shift bozo over here into something appetizing."

"Jack!"

"I'm going, I'm going." He ran off, muttering about cannibalism.

"He's protective," I briefly explained for Jason.

"Obviously."

When the movie was showing, Jack was always glaring at Jason over my back. I didn't exactly trust the newcomer either, but I wasn't showing it as clearly as Jack was.

Jason was ruining our date.

After the movie was over, jack and I led Jason to headquarters. Neither of us was too thrilled about letting him stay with us. But we couldn't just leave him out on the cruel streets of New York.

I got changed and had about a minute of sitting on the couch before Jack and Jason came out. Jack entered the room without wearing a shirt – a bad habit of his.

It was the first time that I'd seen Jason not as a mutt. He had shaggy strawberry-blonde hair that fell over the bluest eyes that I had ever seen. He was wearing a blue and white pin-stripe shirt that was a little tight on his chest, but I didn't mind too much. He smiled at me – the brightest and most attractive smile I'd ever seen. And I'd seen a lot.

"You are so much prettier than I imagined," he said.

Jack came over and kissed my neck. It was a sign of dominance and possession in our clan. He stood up and glared at Jason.

"What?" the blonde asked. "Am I not allowed to compliment her?"

"No, actually, you're not. She's mine and only mine."

"Protective much?" Jason thought to me.

"Just a little," I answered.

There was a metallic ching behind me. Jack perked up. "Toast!"

I sighed. "Jack, it's after 9. You don't need to eat any more."

"Says you." He took the toast and slathered butter on it. "Where is everybody?"

"Maybe they're asleep," I said.

"Crystal said that she'd still be up when we got back."

"Well go check the bedrooms."

"Fine." He went through the door and stopped. "Uh… Ems?"

"What?"

"You should come see this…"

I got up and stood next to him. A lit candle was sitting on the floor between two of the beds. A tri-fold mirror was placed around it, making the light shine on the opposite wall.

"It's a candle, Jack," I said. "What's the big deal?" But I was scared of the tiny flame, too.

He pointed to the lighted wall, his face unnaturally pale. His hand was shaking.

I turned and saw what he was pointing at. On the wall in red pain were two words.

You lied…

"That's Ben's handwriting," I said. "He did something to them."

just so you know, Jason looks like a strawberry-blonde Sterling Knight when he still had his sexy, long hair (like in season 1 of SWAC). sexy...

R&R!