Disclaimer: Still don't Prodigal Son also don't own "Son of A" by Mackenzie Porter.

Suffice it to say, no one sleep well after that. Dani only went back to her room after Malcolm insisted for half an hour, but he felt her sneak back into the living room several times to check on him as he pretended to sleep. Sometime around daybreak, he fell into a state of semi consciousness.

The silence of the morning was broken by the sound of footsteps of the floor. Malcolm kept his eyes shut, up until the point where the footsteps stopped, and he could feel someone standing in front of them. He opened his eyes just a slit, enough to see a pale-skinned redhead, dressed in a bright white sleeping tunic, embroidered around the neck with pink, Blue walking around her feet and ankles. Satisfied everyone in the house was alright, she walked into the kitchen, Blue following behind her. "Do you know what that was about last night?" She asked, looking down at the cat.

Embarrassed and feeling hopeless Malcolm squeeze his eyes shut again, burying himself under the blankets and wishing he could just disappear until he heard a woman's voice softly singing. "If you did one thing right, it's the way you proved me wrong. Everybody tried to warn me, should've known all along…"

Slowly opening his eyes, Malcolm raised up on the futon, watching the redhead reaching into one of the cabinets and pulling a flat can out, quietly singing to herself, so softly she could barely be heard.

Curious, Malcolm carefully put his feet on the floor and walked towards the kitchen, where Twyla, oblivious to the fact she that she was being watched, began searching the drawers, continuing to sing to herself, her voice picking up a little as she hit the chorus, "You're just a son of a, son of a, a son of a oh, you can't outrun, outrun it, because everyone knows…" Her voice trailed off as she turned around and saw she was being watched, "Oh, hey. You're awake. Um, Malcolm, right?"

"Yes," Malcolm confirmed, "Sorry, for last night." His eyes darted away, embarrassed. "I-I didn't mean to cause such a scene."

"Hey, I came creeping in at midnight like some overgrown teenager." Twyla pointed out, gesturing with the hand holding the can opener, "Turnabout's fair play." She was silent for a moment, quietly studying him, then said softly, "You must have really been through something, huh, Bright Eyes?"

Malcolm just looked back at her, taken by surprise a bit by the question, not sure how respond, also feeling a slight pang of sadness at the nickname. Just then, Blue sat down at Twyla's bare feet and stared up at her, letting out a long meow.

"I can get that for you." Malcolm declared, maybe a little eagerly, taking a step forward. "Ah, Dani showed me how use the can opener last night." He figured it was the least he could do after waking the whole apartment up.

Twyla raised an eyebrow for a second, but said, "Okay, I'll get the coffee going then."

With that she handed the can opener and can to Malcolm, opening another cabinet and pulling out a red cannister while he carefully placed the two wheels together and began turning. Managing to avoid cutting himself this time, he peeled back the top and dumped the contents into the bowel. Noticing the other bowel looked low on water, he asked, "Can I refill the water bowel?"

"That would be much appreciated." Twyla said from where she was at the sink, filling up a clear craft with a pink handle that had hunting camo duct tape holding it in place against the glass.

As she moved out of the way, Malcolm emptied out the old water and turned on the facet, filling the bowel with fresh water before sitting it back on the ground and turning back to face Twyla. "I am truly sorry about waking everybody up last night, I—"

Twyla shut the lid on the coffee maker. "Don't worry about it. I've had some real doozies in my day. Usually involving snakes." Turning on the pot, she reached up into the cabinet above it and began to rummage, saying, "Tell you what, just show there's no hard feelings," She pulled out a white mug covered with black writing and smudges, saying, "You can use the banned books mug."

"You've been given a high honor indeed."

They both turned and saw Dani, in the oversized gray shirt she had wore to be the night before, standing against the wall between the hall and the kitchen.

"Dani," Twyla said remorsefully, "I'm sorry, we didn't mean—"

"It's alright," Dani assured them heading over, "So, I take it you two have met."

"Yeah, couple times over now." Twyla confirmed, glancing over at Malcolm, "Real sweetheart, this kid. Coffee should be a few minutes. Fruit and yogurt, okay? I think we still have some strawberry and orange slices left over from the other day."

"Sure," Dani agreed, going over to the fridge and opening it. Pulled out a plastic blue and white circular tub with one hand and a translucent Tupperware container containing something red in it with the other. "So," She began, sitting it down on the table, "What exactly happened with Rick?" She sincerely wanted to know what happened, but she was also stalling about telling her roommate her own news.

Twyla leaned back on the counter as the coffee make began making brewing noises. "Well, when he started complaining about what I was wearing the second I got in the car, that should have really told me how this weekend was going to go. But things started really to go south when he tried to starve me. Keep trying to insist I order the veal marsala—" Realizing their guess wasn't in the loop, she looked over to Malcolm and explained, "I'm no vegetarian, but I don't eat veal for ethical reasons, and I'm allergic to tomatoes. Not deathly, not yet anyway, but, it's not pleasant either. Anyway, eventually I find something I can eat. Things are tense, but good. Until halfway through the meal I start getting hives…"

Dani had seen what happened when Twyla accidently ate the wrong cheese dip once and saw where this going. "He didn't…He wouldn't possibility…"

"He did." Twyla said, "Somewhere in-between the vomiting and popping Benadryl, he owns up to slipping some his sauce into my red wine while I was in the bathroom, to show me it was all in my head. Obviously, I'm incensed, which leads to… Ah, Dani, what are you doing?"

"Getting some clothes on," Dani called back, marching down the hall, enraged, "What he did was assault, I'm gonna tack him down and arrest his crazy behind."

"I don't think it's in your jurisdiction." Twyla protested, rushing to catch up with Dani, reaching out and grabbing her by the wrist, "And I'm not pressing charges. So, don't make a thing about this, please?" She pulled her roommate back into the kitchen, pulling her into an embrace and running her fingers through the other woman's hair, "Dani? The blessed, the wonderful, Lady Protector of New York? I'm okay, I'm alive, I told him we were done, we didn't leave anything at the other's place, he's out of my life and I am done letting Linda from accounting set me up on blind's dates."

Malcolm turned away to give them some privacy when the tactile affection started, not wanting to intrude, but couldn't help but peak, watching the whole interaction carefully from the corner. The way Dani just jumped into action when she heard her friend was threatened, the intimate interactions as Twyla brought her back to her senses. There were two people who care about each other.

The pair broke the embrace and began the task of setting out breakfast almost as if nothing had happened. Almost. "And you're sure you're doing, okay?" Dani asked, going back to the fridge as Malcolm moved out of the way, glancing back as she pulled out another Tupperware container, "He's not going to trick you into going back, right?"

"No way Jose," Twyla declared, dropping three mismatched bowels on the table with a slight rattle, "If anything, I'm—I'm actually relieved. I mean, there were times when it felt like I was his project instead of his girlfriend, you know? And I know I'm certainly not perfect, but—" Her voice trailed, "You know what, enough about my drama. Dani, care to explain this child in our kitchen?" Looking over at Malcolm she added, "I'm sorry, but are you even old enough to shave?"

Dani and Malcolm stared at each other in alarmed silence for a moment. They honestly hadn't planned much for what they were going to say to Twyla other then make your eyes as big and blue as possible. Remembering that, Malcolm indeed widened his eyes a little bit, as he finally answered softly. "I'm a pet." Then he looked down, suddenly unable to look anyone in the eye.

Twyla tilted her head slightly, needing a moment to contemplate what she had just been told. "I'm sorry, a what?"

Dani sighed, putting both hands flat on the table. This couldn't be happening.

"A pet." Malcolm repeated when Dani didn't say anything, shifting uncomfortably.

"I'm sorry, but what do you mean by you're a pet?" Twyla asked.

"He means he's the human equivalent of a Peloton." Dani spoke up finally.

Twyla seemed to siften a bit. "Oh. I see."

As if on cue the coffee pot went off with a loud beep.

Still at the table, Dani's ran her fingers through her hair, getting several curls out of her face. "Twy, maybe we should take the rest of this discussion somewhere more private."

"Yeah," Twyla agreed tensely, "Yeah, I think that'd be best."

"I can go somewhere else— "Malcolm began to volunteer.

"It's alright," Dani said, already headed out of the kitchen with Twyla. "We'll be right back in a minute, just—stay here."

When they were far enough down the hall, they believed they couldn't be heard, Twyla let loose, "What are thinking bringing this… barbarity into our home? Why is this barbarity in our own? How did you even —"

"I wouldn't call Malcolm a barbarity." Dani began, "He's more of the result of the barbarity."

"Seriously?!" Twyla snapped, her voice a whispered hissed, "You're getting into semanticists here?! Seriously?!"

Dani tried again. "Look, I guess to start, there are…things about my career that I haven't told you. Years ago, before we met…"

Twyla had already put it together, a look of dawning on her face. "Oh my gosh, you've worked undercover, haven't you?"

While not untrue, the declaration gave Dani a moment's pause. "How did you…"

"Come on, Danno, I make sure people aren't lying for a living." Twyla said, "Those early days you were so specifically vague about-well, pretty much everything that wasn't required information, half the time you were on edge, sometimes you even cried in your sleep…"

"Wait, you knew about that?" Dani asked, surprised. She didn't realize when she was crying until she woke up with a wet face.

"What, you think I was randomly moving boxes in the middle of the night?" Twyla responded, "I didn't want to hurt your pride so I did the only thing I could think of…wait, exactly when were you undercover?"

"2014." Dani confirmed, not sure where this was going, "Did two years."

"Wait, but you just turned thirty." Twyla said, doing the math in her heard, "Which would make you…"

"I was twenty-three." Dani finished her.

"Dude, you are like the Clarice Starling of Vice!" Twyla squealed, then switch gears, "Wait, none of this explains the human pet in our kitchen."

"Actually, it does." Dani said, "They want me back uncover. I can't go into details, but Malcolm's my way in. Another cop put me in touch with someone sells used pets. Tarnished, they called them."

"Well, that explains last night." Twyla responded, gesturing wildly, "Who knows what those rich freaks did to the poor kid? Oh, I have read Flowers in The Attic!"

You have no idea. Dani thought. "That's something else we need to talk about. Twy, after this case…I want to keep him."

"What do you mean, 'keep him'?" Twyla demanded.

"Exactly what it sounds like." Dani replied, "Yesterday, before you called…I offered to buy Malcolm and let him stay here. He said yes."

Twyla didn't say anything for a moment. When she finally did speak, what came out was, "You mean you essentially asked a third person to come live in our apartment which barely holds us without consulting me?"

"It wasn't like I was planning on it." Dani protested, "But…he's gone through things, a lot of it I probably don't even know, and hearing what his life's like…. I can't send him back to that." She shook her head, "I just…can't. I won't."

"Look, I'm not unsympathetic," Twyla began, "but…we're not like those rich people, Dani. We don't have a couple of thousand to throw away on him. And even if we did…it wouldn't change anything, really. Look, I don't have a lot of specifics, but I've heard about people out there who could get him over the border, or to Texas—"

"I didn't hear that." Dani cut her off, firmly, "Twy, I'm a cop, it's illegal to free a pet. Keeping him's the only viable option that'll let me sleep at night. As for money, I would figure it out. So far, he's pretty low maintenance, actually. Look, you've been doing that one-year chorological Bible, right? Isn't there like something in Exodus about letting runaway slaves take refuge with you? "

"It's in Deuteronomy." Twyla corrected her, "And he didn't exactly take refuge with us more that you offered it…" Her voice trailed off before she gave in. "Go for the K. O., why don't you? Alright, he can stay. But I still don't think you've thought this through." Suddenly she was startled as Dani threw herself at her. "Ah-Okay. Okay, this is happening."

"Thank you, Twyla, thank you so, so much." Dani said gratefully, hugging her.

"Don't mention it." Twyla told her as she pulled away, "Now, come on, we left our new roommate waiting in the kitchen." After a moment she added, "I'm gonna need some boxes…"

The new roommate in question was currently pressed up against the counter, listening in. He had been so sure that Dani wouldn't want him around what happened last night. And when Twyla said yes, he let out a sigh of relief he didn't even know he was holding.

Hearing them heading back, he threw himself away from the counter, trying his best to appear like he hadn't been eavesdropping.

Dani saw through him in a minute. "I think he's already knows." She smirked.

"I'm sorry," Malcolm began, "I—"

Twyla walked over and pulled him into a hug. "Think nothing of it. Welcome to the village, Bright Eyes."

"Yeah, not that this isn't touching, but we've got an hour and half before I'm supposed to meet you Sargent, so can we get a move on?" Dani requested.

Trying to help, Malcom opened up the tub, asking, "Can I ask a question?"

"Shoot." Dani said.

"Who's Clarice Starling?"

It was shockingly easy how easily Malcolm slipped back into the role of pet.

Clean up in the blue suit Dani picked up at the thrift store, which wound up having to be pinned in several places to fit, he followed Dani into an office framed off by glass, where an older, tall woman, taller than the detective with straight back hair was waiting for them.

"Sargent, this is Malcolm, I told you about him on the phone, Malcolm, this is my boss, Sargent Diyoza, she'll be overseeing the operation."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am." Malcolm smiled politely, looking her in the face, but only meeting her eye for a moment, clasping his hands behind his back, his spine the stem, shoulders hunched ever so slightly.

Sergeant Diyoza looked him up and down, actually moving her head in that direction. "Easy on the eyes. Almost looks British." Glancing down at the black dress shoes, "Kinda clashes." Finally, she turned her attention to the detective in her command, "And, he's a…"

"Yes, ma'am." Dani confirmed, pulling out Malcolm's papers and handing them to her.

Malcolm stood in front the desk wordless watching while Dani stood off to the side as Sargent Diyoza read over the papers.

"…twenty-one years old, certified breeder—I feel like I'm reading the paperwork for my Retriever." The Sergeant noted, glancing up for a moment before looking back, "There's even a contract of sale."

Dani walked over and looked at it. She hadn't really gone over the papers the night before but sure enough there was a contract of sale with her name on it. "We might want dummy up another set, just in case Brannigan wants proof. "

The Sergeant sat the papers down and began to walk around Malcolm with an appraising eye. He suddenly felt his heart beating faster in his chest and he had to force his body not to tremble. It's not the same. He tried telling himself, It's not her, it's not that… Then, suddenly, her voice was in his head: So is it true what they say about pets…

Dani noticed the change in Malcom's demeanor and suddenly something Jessica had said the day before rang out in her head. …I don't know who his owners were before that, but he's…skittish around older women… "Ma'am, is there a problem?" She spoke, hopping to bring the inspection to an end, plus they did actually have serval things to talk about.

The Sergeant pulled back. "I'm still not sure about this. He knows nothing about police protocol. I mean, what if he gives you away? I mean, I highly doubt these things are bred for intelligence."

Malcolm kept his composure. He knew how many people felt about pets, but that still hurt.

"Respectfully, ma'am," Dani spoke up, not letting her own annoyance at the comment show, "I've discussed the situation with Malcolm at some length and he understands the importance that no one in Brannigan's organization know who I really am. And from what I've seen he's quite intelligent…" That was when she got an idea, "Malcolm, tell me everything you can about Sergeant Diyoza from this room." Show her what you can do.

Malcolm realized at once where Dani was going with this. "She takes her job very seriously, wants to make sure everything is done by the book and that her people are as safe as they can be considering their profession. She's skeptical, like you were at first. She thinks I'm going to be problem. She puts an emphasis on professionalism. She's left-handed, prefers cold drinks over hot, recently divorced or separated…separated, with two children, girls, who she loves." He stopped, thinking that he was saying too much. Saying the wrong thing.

"Anything else?" Dani encouraged.

Before Malcolm could speak, Sargent Diyoza put a hand out to the side saying, "That's alright, I get the point. How did he…"

"Maybe you should ask him." Dani said.

Sergeant Diyoza turned to face Malcolm. "How did you figure all that out?"

"The way you've been looking at me ever since we walked in." Malcolm began, "You've been positioning yourself away from us, guarded, your mouth is pulled slightly to one side, your eyebrows raised, but at the same time you're carrying yourself with a rather professional bearing. When you were looking through my papers you used your left hand, and also everything on your desk is set up for a left-handed person. There's a cup on your desk that's filled with ice and half-drunk coffee. There's also a tan line on your ring finger where a wedding band would be, recent, but your husband is still in the family picture, along with two girls one a teenager, one pre-teen. There's a raven figurine on your desk, you're using it as a paperweight but it doesn't seem to match the rest of the office, so I'm assuming it was gift from one of your daughters." He glanced down then up again.

Sergeant Diyoza didn't say anything, honestly impressed.

"When it comes to procedure, defense skills, I can teach him what he needs to know." Dani volunteered. She was already thinking about teaching Malcolm some self-defense skills anyway.

Sergeant Diyoza looked between Dani and Malcolm. "We need to get a move on, on this. I'm giving you a week, Detective. The basics to not muck up a case. And just make sure he knows to stay out of the way."

"Thank you, Sergeant." Dani said, approaching and taking Malcolm by the hand, "On that note…"

"Oh, yes, you're excused." Sargent Diyoza told them.

"That—that went the way you wanted to, right?" Malcolm asked in a low voice after they were far enough away. It seemed like they were in the clear, but the sergeant's ambivalence left him worried enough to check.

"Yes, you did great in there." Dani assured him, guiding him by the hand through the bullpen. Lowering her voice, she added to herself, "I just lost some respect for my boss, though." Being concerned about letting what amounted to an untrained civilian who was barely old enough to join the force loose on a case was one thing. That was a reasonable concern. Assuming he was stupid and talking about him like he wasn't even in the room was another. And calling him a thing? Seriously?!

"I've heard worst." Malcolm told her, having heard the comment, "So, what happens now?"

"Now, I guess I start showing you the ropes." Dani answered. However, I do that.

She decided that giving the fact of investigation to him was as good as any, resulting in Dani slamming a thick stack of files on her desk and flipping one open, revealing a picture of a well-built, white haired man in fine gray suit. "Okay, this is Ellis Brannigan, international shipping magnet on paper, but he also makes pretty doubloon smuggling drugs from…pretty much everywhere. Fentanyl from China, cocaine from south of the border, meth from Missouri, we even suspect him of running bootleg cigarettes, but he's just careful enough for us to not get enough to build a case. Three years ago, he bought," Dani pulled out another picture, this one taken from far away, but still clear, of Brannigan of girl in her teens, flawless olive skin and raven black hair that pooled around her slender shoulders, "This little lady. We have no evidence she's involved in any of his dealings, but ever since he won't take on new business partners who don't have a pet. That's where you come in. We got a CRI who'll introduce us, me looking to move product into the city, you as…" Her voice trailed off, realizing she may be getting a bit redundant.

"Your pet?" Malcolm finished for her.

"Exactly," Dani responded, "I'll be wearing a recording the device, so I get a recording of him agreeing to transport drugs into the country, the cover officers swoop in, we bring him down." After a moment, she admitted, "I say that like it's going to be easy, quick. It won't be. This could take weeks, months…last time I did this it took two years and even then…." After a moment she cleared her throat, "Any questions so far?"

"Those terms," Malcom began, "CRI, Cover Officer, what do they mean?"

"Confidential Reliable Informant." Dani elaborated, "Basically informants, usually criminals, with information the leads to the bigger fish." Realizing Malcolm might not know the term, she added, "Worst criminals. Cover officers are agents of law enforcement there for the safety of the operative, there to make any arrest. Undercover officers aren't suppose to make any actual arrests while in a covert capacity, if there's some sort of emergency where I must take action, I'm suppose extract myself as soon as cover officers take control. Which leads us to the basic dos and don'ts. Like I said, I'm suppose to have a recording device on me, and I'll be armed. Exceptions to this rule require an insane amount of paperwork."

The wheel started turning in Malcolm's mind. "Do I—"

"No, you're essentially a civilian." Dani admitted, "Like I told you yesterday, just follow my lead." Maybe she couldn't say that. She of all people should know there were no guarantees. "Anyway, no drinking, ne sexual contact, no controlled substances…" Her trailed off for a minute, then she recovered, "There can't be anything visible that can identify an under agent as a member of law enforcement. Since you're with me now, that goes for you, too."

Almost involuntarily, Malcolm's hand into his pocket and his pocket and around the license. He would need to find somewhere safe for it before they went under.

Dani noticed something was up. "What is it?"

Malcolm didn't want to show Dani the pendent. Didn't want to talk about it. But what if she needed to know? At last, he took it out and sat it on the desk. As she picked it up and explained, "It belonged to one of the girls back at the broker's. She gave it to me before you took me." He didn't mean that to sound as accusatory as it did. "I—"

"I know what you mean." Dani flipped the flat pendent in her hands her thumb going over the engraving on the back, the names and contact information of people she wouldn't know from Adam. Or maybe she should say Eve. "Yeah, this is something that could raise some questions." Looking up at Malcolm, she realized what those girls had meant to him. "You want to talk about them? The other girls from Jessica's?" As she asked, she pushed the license back over to him.

"Don't we need to focus on this?" Malcolm asked, trying to change the subject.

"Protocol can wait a minute." Dani told him, "Look, I'm going to force you, I just thought you might…"

They were silent for a minute, then Malcolm started. "Eve, the one who gave me the pendent, was the youngest. She arrived after me. Her master had to start selling off property, liquidating assets. Including her. "He was silent for a moment, sucking in his bottom lip slightly, "She was so…devastated. Still innocent you know? Naïve. I think she was scared of us at first…me and Sophie…. but then she stuck to us both like glue. Sophie was the oldest, her master just…tired of her. Her second one was cruel she actually…" He paused, then continued, not going into more detail about Sophie's story, "She was almost like the mother of the group, looked out for both of us. We tried to look out for her too."

Dani nodded wordlessly, letting him continue.

"She was already there when I got there." Malcolm continued, "Nerves of steel. She would have been great for this. Ainsley's the same age as me…sometimes I think she forgets she's a pet. She was always very forward, fiery, even, aloof. Didn't let us get too close." Not wanting to give Dani a completely negative impression, he quickly added, "I suppose it was a way to protect herself, it can't be easy for her, caring for people she knows will be gone soon, that she'll never see again. But she was nice. She did a lot of things she didn't have to. Sometimes she'd sneak us sweets, not on our allowed diets, and she was smart, I told you about her teaching us to read. Also, for some reason it seemed really important to her teach us French. Just a few basic phrases." He looked down silent, before glancing back up to Dani. "Thank you, for letting me say goodbye to them." It was something people to should appreciate more, getting a chance to say a final goodbye to the ones they cared about.

Because you didn't always get that chance.

"Anyone should have done the same." Dani responded, tilting her head a little, gazing at the mourning look in his eyes. She knew part of it was grieving for the girls, but for some reason, the way he was so grateful, made her think back to what he said about his first family. "They didn't let you say goodbye to Christopher, did they?"

Before he could answer a rather stoic, put together man with neat jet-black hair and a neat goatee liberally peppered with white and gray approached. "Mind if I cut in here?"

Malcolm's countenance brightened, grateful for the change in subject and pleasantly surprised by the cop's sudden appearance.

"Oh, Lieutenant," Dani greeted him, honestly surprised, "Didn't see you come in."

"Just got here." Gil admitted, "Anything I need to know before I go in there?"

"She wants the suspect bad, but she's still not sure about this." Dani admitted, "Even with Malcolm rather impressive display in there," She shot Malcolm a knowing glance, which caused him to turn away almost bashfully, "I think you could make or break or us."

Gill nodded his understanding, then turned his attention to the boy. "And you, Malcolm? You're still alright with this?" He wasn't sure if Malcolm would feel free to speak his mind in front of the detective. The boy had that guard up most pets did, trying to please everyone, particularly their owners, and while she was a good cop and he really didn't have any reason to be suspicious of her, he didn't know Dani that well. The pair had only met a few times and he only learned of her problem by chance.

"Yes, I'm still alright with it." Malcolm said, sincerely, before glancing between the two cops. For some reason he wanted to tell Gil about Dani wanting to keep him, but she had told him to keep it a secret for now. "Dan…Detective Powell's teaching me undercover procedures."

Her eyes darting his way, she asked, "Lieutenant Arroyo, would it bother you if Malcolm called me by my first name?" Dani asked.

"It's not any of my business, but quite frankly if anything I'd prefer it." Gil confirmed, taking it as a good sign. Perhaps he had been worried for nothing.

Just then Sargent Diyoza came out, clearing her throat.

"Gotta go, I think I'm being summoned." Gil told them, beginning to walk away, "Good to see you both again."

That evening, Ainsley and Jessica walking through the house, Ainsley carrying a tray with bowels.

"Maybe I should call to cancel." Jessica said, "We're in the middle of a situation right now, he'd understand…"

"A bit last minute, don't you think?" Ainsley pointed out, turning around with the trays, "Mom, I got the girls, we'll get some food into Eve, just relax and enjoy your date."

"I wish I could say it was just that." Jessica admitted as they neared the stairs, "The truth is, I think he's still mad at me about the business with Detective Powell. He's only meeting me tonight after obligation, who knows if he'll even come at all…"

"Gil's not that vindictive." Ainsley assured her, "He'll show." Just then the bell rang. "See? That's probably him now." Then she hurried off with the bowels.

With baited breath, Jessica hurried to the door, just in time to see the house keeper Louisa letting Gil in. He smiled, greeting the woman before she left, then saw Jessica, his smile faltering a little.

"I knew it." Jessica said, taking a few steps forward, "You're still mad at me over lending Malcolm to that detective. I already explained why I did it; what exactly did you think was going to happen when you sent her to me?"

"I thought you'd give her one of the other two." Gil countered. The whole reason he had sent Dani to Jessica was, having delt with nearly impossible cases, he was sympathetic to the young woman's plight, and he knew that Jessica would find a way to get the pet in question back and to safety. He didn't anticipate exactly how things would work out though. "Not a key witness in a murder investigation."

"You've seen what that boy can do," Jessica reminded him, "A cop shows up at my door looking for a pet for an investigation and I'm not supposed to point her to the brilliant, pratically hyper-observant one who brings a new meaning to the phrase 'read the room'? A talent, which by the way, could hinder the operation at least until I can let him in on it. Oh, and, those other two are fine, by the way, well, Sophie is at least, Eve's not eating, but we're working on it, thanks for asking."

That made Gil feels like a complete heel. He had been so worked up over the Malcolm situation, he forgot that he wasn't the only pet involved in this situation. A situation that, if he was honest, he was as much to blame for as she was. "I'm sorry. I should have given the girls some consideration." After a beat asked, "Is she really not eating?"

Jessica nodded. "We've been trying to get something in her since last night. Poor girl's distraught. At least it gives Sophie a distraction so she doesn't do something she can't take back. I was worried this might trigger something." She knew about the girl's attempt at self-harming so no one would want her again like they had before. "I really had hoped to sponsor them all together."

"I thought Novaks weren't taking any pets right now anyway." Gil responded, "Not until the heat dies down from that Freedom Ledge fiasco on the coast."

The Freedom Ledge, while not the only activists against the keeping of pets, were the foremost group. Unfortunately, they were also a bunch of fanatics who had no qualms about letting pets die for 'the cause' and couldn't think a plan through to save their lives. Case in point, a cell who ran van transporting a van of full of twelve-year-old pets from a kennel on the west coast to its training center. They managed to abscond with one girl, however, in the process another girl was thrown through the windshield and killed on impact, yet another was in a coma, terrified another girl and the boy of the batch ran into the woods surrounding the stretch of road. Two innocents with no life skills, much less any wilderness survival skills, likely wouldn't last long. As for the rest, hopefully the kennel would just decide to hold a smaller lottery when the girls turned sixteen, but there was still a chance they could all be put to sleep. In short, a Pyrrhic victory if there ever was one. And, as Gil had pointed out, from the attention from the authorities it brought on just served to foul up operations like Jessica's.

"There's still Texas, if all else fails." Jessica told him, "Granted, my contact isn't returning my calls…" Her voice trailed off, then she partially changed the subject, "Have I really screwed up the case against him? Is he going to get out because of me?"

"Detective Powell's superiors have agreed to make Malcolm available to us at a moment's notice." Gil explained, "If Martin gets off, it's not on you, do you understand me?"

Instead of answering, Jessica asked a question of her own, "What are the odds of that happening? Martin getting off?" He had already gotten away with so many murders. He couldn't get away with this one.

Gil rubbed his face wearily before coming out with it. "It took some convincing to get the prosecutor to file charges. Except for Malcolm's testimony, it's almost all circumstantial, and well…I don't have to tell you about the issues with the statement."

"Do you still have the letter?" Jessica suggested, "Maybe you could try—"

"Jess," Gil cut her off, "They're not going to charge him with his 'wor'k with the kennels. Even if there were enough evidence, you know we couldn't get anywhere."

Jessica opened her mouth, as if she was going to argue, then gave in. "I know."

Gil had not been completely honest with Dani about how he had met Jessica; the incident with Ainsley had happened, yes, but he had met the socialite once before that. It was his first day as head of Major Crimes, she had walked in shaking, a green envelope in her hand.

"You know, I still remember what it said," Jessica told him, looking like she was going to break down at any moment, "You seem like a nice lady, so I think you should know what your husband is really doing at those puppy mills…" Her voice trailed off, unable to go on, suddenly reliving it all again. Sneaking through the service entrance after Martin had been called in. Watching as the pale-skinned, dark haired girl was dragged in, screaming, pleading for her life. Realizing just exactly what her then husband was putting in the syringe.

"Come here." Gil said gently, pulling her into his chest. "I'm so sorry I got you mixed up in this." This whole debacle was his fault, and he knew it. And not just for sending Dani Jessica's way. Long before that happened, he had dragged her into this by sending Mr. Harker's niece to her. He should have anticipated all the old, painful memories it would drudge up for her.

"No." Jessica sniffled, whipping her eyes, "You did what you had to do to save that boy. We both know what would've happened, if…" She took a slightly shaky breath before saying, "You know, even before all this, I keep …I keep thinking about that—that girl. Sometimes I even dream about her and I wonder…did I just make her death more torturous?"

"You did everything you could to save her." Gil told her, "There was nothing you could have done."

"I should have…" Jessica protested, "I should've…"

"Sssh, sssh, sssh," Gil hushed, just holding her and letting her cry in his arms.

Upstairs, three wooden, rectangular fold out trays had been set up, on each Ainsley say a bowel of barely, lentil and potato stew.

When they were children out the kennels, the staff had tested off serval dozen food combinations on them before finally settling on a rotation of five staple meal plans with allegedly the perfect balance of vitamins, protein and carbohydrates. Except for a few variations , the meal plans were the same for every kennel.

The smell of it made her want to gag, but Ainsley stuffed a spoonful in her mouth, hopping that would encourage Eve to copy her but the teen just stirred at the meal, staring at it.

"Please, Evie." Sophie coaxed, "Starving yourself isn't going to bring Malcolm back."

"She's right." Ainsley agreed, sitting on the other side of the girl, "Look, do you really think he'd want you carrying on like this?" That bit of emotional manipulation earned her a hard stare from Sophie to which she just shrugged.

"It's not just Malcolm," The youngest girl finally admitted, "It's just…what the point? All I have to look forward to is losing not only him, but both of you and then being smacked around, and that's if I'm lucky until I get shipped off to the next place."

Sophie's heart dropped. She and Malcolm had done their best to prepare her for what could happen without unnecessarily scaring her; apparently they had failed in that regard. "Eve, look, you're still young…"

"So were you." Eve pointed out, "So was Malcolm."

"So was I." Ainsley spoke up before she could ever really think about what she was admitting.

Both Sophie and Eve's heard whirled to look at her in surprise. "You're tarnished?" Sophie asked, "You?" For some reason she had just assumed Jessica had bought Ainsley straight from the lottery. They all had.

"Maybe not tarnished, so much as scuffed." Ainsley walked it back a little, closing her eyes for just a second. She had never told her story to any other pet before, anyone really, but she had opened this door, so, here goes. "Apparently the man who picked me hadn't informed his wife he had applied for the lottery. When we got home she was—she was furious, screaming, cursing, things I didn't even know what they mean, dragged me upstairs and locked me in a….I think it was guestroom, maybe. I'm not sure how long they left me there, but when the door was the door was opened…and there was Miss Whitley. She said they had come to an arrangement and she was taking me home. And she did and…well, here we are." She reached out and began to rubbing small circles along Eve's spine in what she hoped was a comforting motion, "The point is, you're not going to wind up in some harem, or whatever else you're worried about. I'll make sure of it."

Sophie shot Ainsley another reproachful glance. Did she really think she had that power.

Ainsley closed her eyes and took a deep breathe. She was about to do something she knew her mother wouldn't approve of. "Alright, the truth is…."

Before she could get another word out, unable to stop herself, Sophie lept up, ran to the half bathroom, slamming the door behind her, followed by the sound of retching. Ainsley turned her head towards the noise. "Is she…"

Eve began a staring contest with the floor, her eyes darting all around, as another round of retching gave credence to Ainsley's suspicions.

More then a little concerned, Ainsley got to her feet quickly. "Wait here." She told the younger girl before hurrying to the bathroom door and knocking on it. "Sophie." She opened it a crack, "Sophie, it's me. Can I come in, please?"

"I'm fine, really." Sophie coughed, her voice raspy, her throat burning, "Please, don't bother. I'm fine." However, it was followed by a stream, of chucky hot bile coming up and out of her throat, burning as it went into the toilet.

Ignoring the older girl's please, Ainsley stepped into the bathroom and found Sophie on her knees, steading herself against the bowel, limp brown hair falling into her face.

"Here." Ainsley said, crouching down next Sophie and pulling back her hair in time for her to puke again. "How long have you been getting sick."

"It's probably just something I ate." Sophie groaned.

"That doesn't answer my question." Ainsley said, deciding not to point out that if that was the case she likely wouldn't be the only one getting sick. "How long have you been getting sick?"

Realizing it was no use denying it, Sophie finally answered, "A few days. I usually manage to make it to the other bathroom, so the others didn't realize what was going on. It's mostly in the morning,"

No. Ainsley thought. It couldn't be…

"It's not that." Sophie spoke up, realizing what Ainsley was thinking, "I can't…" Her voice trailed off, shaking her head. She didn't want to be talking about this. "It's just not that, okay?"

As Sophie vomited again, Ainsley began rubbing small circles on her back. "Don't worry about that now. We'll deal with that in a minute."

After a few minutes without any vomiting, Ainsley cleaned Sophie up, sitting on the toilet with the lid close. "There we go." She said, whipping the last bit of mess away with wet cloth. "Now, I'll be right back, just wait here, okay."

Sophie nodded, before asking, "What are you going to do?" There was a reason she keep her illness a secret.

Not answering, Ainsley stepped out of the bathroom, shutting the door behind her, Eve staring at the door. "Is Sophie okay?"

Ainsley didn't say anything, hurrying out the room with a sense of urgently and down the hall, to the full bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet where they kept emergency supplies for the pets…including pregnancy test. Taking it both hands, she pulled one down, staring at it like it was bomb about to go off.

Downstairs, Jessica and Gil knew nothing of what was going on, nor did anyone let them know.

"Are you sure you don't want me to try talking to Eve." Gil offered for perhaps the fourth of fifth time that evening as he prepared to leave, "I mean, she's seen me when I would check on Malcolm…"

"And she was bit intimated." Jessica cut him off, "I appreciate the offer, but it just might actually make things work."

"Okay." Gil agreed, his eyes darted Jessica's direction. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Jessica sighed. "I have to be."

They were silent for a minute, then Gil just said the first, somewhat random, thing that popped into his head. "I saw Malcolm today, when I went to talk to Vice's Sargent. He seemed in good spirits, all things considered."

"That's…good to hear." Jessica replied, then added with a smile, "How is it that every time we're together now somehow the conversation always eventually turns to that boy?"

"I have no idea." Gil admitted, as they headed for the door, "Maybe when all this is over you could just adopt him."

Jessica laughed. "Appealing ,but no. No, I got a feeling he's going to be a handful one day, he'll be much better off somewhere far away from here." As they reached the door she leaned in, raising a few inches to give Gil a rather chase kiss. "I love you." After a beat, she added, grinning, "That never gets old."

"Not yet." Gil agreed, "Love you, too."

Jessica's renewed clam and joy lasted just until she walked in the house, turning to see Ainsley standing in the entry way, a sober look on her face, causing Jessica's own face to fall. "What is it? What's happen?"

"We have a problem." Ainsley told her soberly, before handing her a positive pregnancy test.