Wanda's POV

There was a knocking at my door and I turned to see who it was. Ian stood there with a smile on his face. I turned to him and made a 'ssh' with my finger to my mouth then turned back to where I was looking. I heard Ian's footsteps come closer and he walked into the room to see baby James asleep in his small crib. The night Jared and the others left on the raid, Doc told me and Jamie we would be able to move him into the room with us.

Jamie was very excited about that idea. He helped move it right away.

Now, Melanie and Jared's son lay fast asleep and I couldn't help the way my heart felt when I looked at the tiny little boy.

Melanie was musing over him with me that I didn't realize Ian came to sit beside me until he was already seated. "How long's be been asleep?"

"About a half an hour," I answer. "I couldn't bear to leave or to wake him up to go anywhere."

"I'm here now," he says. "Do you want me watch him?"

"No," I shook my head and I look to him. "I actually wanted to come see you."

"Me?" he instantly brightened. "What did you need?"

"Nothing," I say. "I just wanted to see you."

"You wanted to see me?" You can hear the smile in his voice without even seeing it. But I do. I do see it and Ian's smile makes me want to smile.

"Yes."

No, no, no! Melanie chants.

What?

Don't you see where this is heading?

Maybe. But it's not going to.

Wanda, she mentally shakes her head at me and rolls her eyes. You're flirting back with him, giving him hope. If you really think nothing will happen from that, you're lying to yourself.

I know I am. I don't even need to tell Melanie I know. But she's right about the rest, too. Ian leans toward me, his hand underneath my chin, pulling it up to him. I forget about Melanie's objections, about how he should be with a human while I stare into his blue eyes.

But then I remember James, who's sound asleep right next to where we're seated. "Wait."

"What is it?" he asks.

"I told you we can't do this," I say. I hope my stalling works. Though I don't know exactly what I'm stalling for.

"So you've said," Ian nods but he doesn't back away. "But I also said I don't want someone else, Wanda. I want you."

I close my eyes then open them again. "Jared said he'd be watching you."

That makes Ian laugh. "So Jared says."

"Ian," I say. "This isn't just me in here. It'd be like...you'd be kissing Melanie, too."

He gives me a face, cocking his head to the side. "And what does Melanie say?"

"She doesn't want me to kiss you," I answer. "She doesn't want you to kiss me."

"Of course," he sighs but stays in place still. "But what about what you want, Wanda?"

"Me?" I almost squeak. "What do I want?" Ian nods. "I don't know what I want, honestly. I know I want Jamie and James safe. I want Jared and you safe, too."

He's shaking his head before I even finish. "That's not what I meant."

Now I'm the one tilting my head to him. "Then what do you mean?"

"Do you want me to kiss you, Wanda?" he asks. "You. Not Melanie. Not listening to Jared's threats. Do you want me to?"

"I don't know."

But I do know. And for a second, my eyes must show I do. Ian leans in again, grabbing my face from both sides and kisses me. He kisses me deep and I kiss him back. I'm not sure of what I feel. It's different than the kisses in Melanie's memory or the one between me and Jared just days before he left.

But it's a good different.

Ugh! Stop this right now!

Apparently not to everyone, though.

I pulled my lips apart from Ian's. He had this look in his eyes and I was sure my own mirrored it. He smiled at me. "Good or bad?"

Bad! Definitely bad!

I ignored her protests. "I'm not sure."

He nods. "Never done that before?"

Oh, no, I did. Just over a week ago. But I didn't want to tell Ian that. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm not good at...these kinds of thing," I admit. My cheeks warm at the confession.

"What, kissing?" he teases.

"Not just kissing," I answer. "Relationships. Friendships. I didn't have many real friends back in San Diego."

"San Diego?" he asks, unknowingly changing the subject.

"Where I was...before here," I tell him.

"What were doing down here then?" he asks. He does not mean it to question me or my motives. He's genuinely curious as to what I was doing here. "In the desert of all places. You looked close to death when Jeb found you."

"I think I was," I laugh after I speak. Ian doesn't laugh with me. "I was running away to my old Healer. He got moved from Chicago and the Seeker was pressuring me about James. So I left my home and packed his stuff."

"She wanted to put a soul in him," he states. I nod. "Well, damn. I don't blame you for leaving then."

"You might not," I say. "But the souls might. I'm a traitor."

"No, you're not," he says and puts his hand under my cheek again. "You just have a big heart. They can't blame you for that. Isn't that why they wanted to take over our planet? Because us humans didn't love enough?"

He meant it as a joke but I don't laugh. He smiles at his own words. I don't correct him. He's right. We did take over their planet. We did it because there was so much violence and hate and not enough appreciation of what they have here. But there's good here, good humans. I wish I had known that before.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks when I don't speak.

"Nothing," I shake my head. "I'm perfect."

"You are," he says as he stares into my eyes.

My eyes feel like tearing up. He's always saying sweet things to me. "Ian."

"You are," Ian repeats then he kisses me again. This kiss is even more different than the last one. I kiss him back again and puts my hands on the sides of his face this time. When we break apart, he's smiling. "How was that?"

"Getting better," I smile back.

Ian stands up and holds out his hand for me. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I stay seated.

"Jeb wants to see you," he tells me. "It's the actual reason I came here."

"I thought you came so you can kiss me," I tease him.

"Well, that, too," he smiles bigger. I laugh at him he just watches me. "But, come on."

"What about James?" I say.

"Taken care of," he says and walks to the door. He makes a motion to someone outside the door and after a few seconds, in walks his back-up.

Jamie!

Melanie echoes me then adds. At least something came out of this moment.

I roll my eyes at her, something I've gotten used to because of sharing a mind with her. "You're gonna watch him for me, Jamie?"

He smiles brightly. "Ian asked me to be on Uncle Duty as soon as he got out of Jeb's office."

I give Ian a look. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he smiles.

Jamie watches us with a look. It makes me wonder what he's thinking.

He probably doesn't approve, Melanie tells me. He's only used to seeing me with Jared.

But I'm not you, I reply.

She ignores that and continues as if I hadn't commented. Seeing you with Ian will be weird for him.

It's not like we're getting married, I say to her.

Still.

"Is he in his crib still?" Jamie asks me, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, right by your bed," I say to him.

Jamie peers into the crib and smiles. I hear a giggling sound, meaning James is awake. Now I don't want to leave as much as I did seconds ago. James waking up to his uncle makes me want to stay. But Ian holds out his hand for me still.

"You ready to go?"

I look between the two boys and then back to Ian. They'll be here when I get back. "Yeah. Let's go."

Before we leave, Jamie hugs me goodbye. It feels bittersweet to have him care about me as if I'm his sister. I guess in a way, I am but it makes me want to tear up all over again. Ian leads me down to Jeb's office before I actually can.

The door is shut when we get there. Ian smiles and knocks on the door for me. Within seconds, Jeb is standing there in front of me. It feels like forever since I'd seen the old man. He beams at me happily. It reminds me when I first saw him in the desert, when my words registered him as Santa Claus. Being jolly suited the man in the front of me at the moment.

"Well, well," he says in his usual gruff voice. "It's about time you brought her here."

"You didn't send me out that long ago, Jeb," Ian replied.

"Maybe, maybe not," he says. "Well, Wanda, come on in."

I look to Ian, wondering if he's supposed to come too. He nods me forward and I walk into what's Jeb's office.

It's the first time I've been in here and it's actually bigger than I expected. He has a desk and three chairs, one behind the desk for him. There's also a shelf of books, paperbacks and hard cover. There's one that don't look like reading books, too.

"I guess you've never been in here yet," he notices as he sits down.

"No," I answer and sit down myself in front of the desk. "Not yet."

He chuckles. "What do you think?"

"It's very homey," I look around some more.

"Homey," he repeats. "I like that word. Kinda makes me feel like I made a comfortable place here for everyone."

"You did," I tell him. "I'm sure they're grateful for all that you've done for them."

"I hope so," he nods. "Wanda, I asked you here for an important reason."

Oh, no. Did the Seeker do something new? Did he decide it'd be better for everyone if he got rid of me here and is kicking me out? I swallowed hard. "Okay."

"Jamie has been skipping his usual classes to spend time with you," he says. Huh? I didn't expect that at all. "You told him once you were a teacher, yes?"

"Yes," I say. "What could I do though?"

"I want you to be a teacher, here, too, Wanda," Jeb tells me.

"What?" I ask. "I don't think the people here want me teaching them anything."

"Some people have warmed up to you," he points out.

I remember Lily and Wes and some of the other people who now smile at me as I pass them instead of glare. "Yes, they have. But, Jeb...I don't know any of what you'd teach here. I taught the history of the planets, shared my experiences or others'."

"Then that's what you'll teach them," Jeb smiled.

I stare at him for a moment, waiting for him to tell me he's kidding.

I don't think he is, Melanie points out.

He has to be, I reply. Thinking other want to hear about my kind? He's even crazier than I thought if he thinks they want to know about that.

Jeb's still watching me, waiting for a response. "Well?"

"I don't know what to say," I tell him. "I don't think anyone wants to hear about the souls who took over their planet."

"Maybe not," he nods. "But I bet they'd like to hear about the other planets out there."

"Maybe," I agreed. "But how can you be so sure?"

"Because people are curious, Wanda," he leans forward on his desk. "They are sometimes afraid to find things out but they are. They'd come to find out more about what's out there and then, about your experiences."

I find myself nodding. "Okay."

He begins to show me a schedule for the classes and I find myself excited to even be offered this chance. I loved teaching and thought I lost it when I left San Diego. But Jeb was giving me another shot and I liked the way it thrilled me to get it back.

After what seemed like a while in there, I walked out of the office with a big smile on my face. Ian stood up from his seat on the floor when he saw me. "I take it that was good news?"

"Very good," I nod. "Jeb's gonna let me teach."

"Cool," he smiled back. "What are you gonna teach? Math, history, English? Something else?"

I shake my head. "I'm gonna teach them exactly what I taught outside of here. Jeb thinks maybe people will want to hear about the other planets I'd been to. I don't know if that's true but...maybe they will."

"That sounds like a great idea," he tells me and puts his arm around me. "You wanna go play a game of soccor with me? Wes came by and told me they were in the game room."

"They?" I ask.

He nods. "A bunch of us. Wanda, don't worry about it. They'll love you."

I stand there frozen. "You sure?"

"Yes," he says. "If not, they can play some other time."

I smile at his joke. "Okay."

"Okay, then," he agrees.

I shouldn't have slipped like that, a voice in the back of my head muttered.

It'd been three days since I felt the baby kick. All these months, I couldn't get a name out of this body. Seeker had been pressuring me ever since I woke up for information. When my doctor confirmed this body was carrying a child, she had only gotten worse.

For three days now, Seeker brought me coffee in the morning and asked how my progress was going. And every morning, I told her I had nothing new. I told her what the body told me - it was a slip because of feeling her unborn child and I didn't think I was going to get much else.

So far I had three things - when the baby was conceived which was five nights before she was caught. I had two names though. Her own, Melanie Stryder, and the father's - Jared Howe.

I shouldn't have told you that, she said to me but was scolding herself. I knew you'd tell them.

I had to, I explain to her. I have to do my duty.

Hmph! she exclaimed. You're gonna get him killed!

No. I disagree. If anything, I'm gonna save him.

How? Melanie asks. How would getting him caught by parasites save him?

Because it's the right thing to do.

Melanie doesn't say anything. I can feel her anger though at the thought of putting a soul inside Jared's body was a good her, it wasn't. To my kind, it was.

I won't let you find him, she warned.

What if you slip again? I ask her.

I won't, she answers. I'll make sure of that.

I could tell she was hiding more from me but I didn't know what. Did she know where her human was? Did she know if there were more? I could tell she wouldn't budge on it.

But a week later, the dreams started. At first, she dreamed of small moments of her and Jared. Watching him cook her breakfast, cooking him breakfast. Walking out of the bedroom in a house I didn't recognize and kissing his cheek to wake him up.

Every night, I would watch a replay of moments. It wasn't even discussions exactly. Sometimes there were and other times, there was flashes of moments. Some fleeting but so happy that she locked them up for all these months. I could tell now why Melanie did not want me find the father - she was in love with him. The kind of love people want to fight for and seeing it in her head made me want it for myself.

I sighed. I didn't know if she did this on purpose to make me feel guilty about wanting the souls find him or if she was just slipping more now that she gave me his name. Whichever it was, I could feel how much she missed him. One night, she imagined if she got home to him from Chicago and told him about his baby. I tried not to cringe at how her heart was breaking when she dreamed of that one.

But still, every time we watched a memory, I could tell something was edited. There was something she didn't want me to see, something she didn't want me know. I wondered every night for a month after her first slip.

There was a hint of another human one night in her memories. I guessed she didn't edit as well as she usually did. But it wasn't until it was closer to the baby's birth that it came through and I knew what she was hiding from me all this time.

Melanie had a little brother named Jamie.

I reported it right to the Seeker and the next morning, she bugged me and then I went into labor.