Disclaimer: Still not mine =

Thank you all for your responses. I'm curious is this getting to the point where I should change my rating to "R" or is it still safe as a "PG-13"? I don't know FanFiction.Net that well.

Part 6: Urges

Jarod choked on his spoon, literally.

Gemini proved his genetic material by immediately grasping the situation and the spoon. He yanked it from Jarod's mouth while administering a hearty slap on the back, which he secretly had to admit he rather enjoyed.

"You okay?" he asked in genuine concern.

Jarod nodded and got up to get himself a glass of water.

"What are you two doing?" a sleepy voice queried from the doorway. "Oh, ice cream," Ethan answered his own question with two words that seemed to cover a variety of sins.

Gemini grimaced and glanced apologetically at his other brother. "I'm sorry, did we wake you?"

Ethan shrugged instead of answering and rubbed a hand over his eyes. He wandered into the kitchen to sit down at the table with his brothers. "Why are you two still up? Everything okay?"

Jarod swallowed his water and immediately answered the automatic question. "Yes, everything is fine," he assured Ethan. He glanced at Gemini and then back at Ethan. "G here was just telling me he wanted to be with Miss Parker for his birthday."

"Really?" Ethan smiled sleepily and innocently. "I wouldn't mind seeing her myself. Maybe the two of us could figure out a way to be with her?" he suggested, waking up a little more at the idea of seeing his sister again.

Gemini wisely put down his spoon and Jarod most carefully put his glass on the counter before either of them looked at the other. As soon as their identical eyes met, the muffled laughter ricocheted around the room, much to Ethan's bewilderment.

"What? What did I say?"

The two men had to look away from each other to finally get themselves under control.

Gemini was quite pleased that Jarod's attempt to embarrass him or, at least, make him uncomfortable had backfired so wonderfully. It also told him that his brother had taken the bait. Now for phase three. He waited. After all, Jarod was a self-starter.

"Sorry about that Ethan. No, what I meant was that G was indicating he wanted to be with Miss Parker . . . er . . . romantically," Jarod supplied, his earlier amusement fading at the thought.

"Romantically?" Ethan looked at Gemini confused, his brow furrowed as he pondered Jarod's delicate wording. Then his face cleared as the meaning dawned on him. "Oh. Oh, romantically." This time the look Ethan bestowed on Gemini was strangely neutral. It didn't make any sense. When the two brothers had first met and became friends, Gemini had admitted to having a crush on Miss Parker but as time went on and Ethan was able to supply more information to the younger pretender the crush had gradually changed to more of a regard for a sister than as a woman. They had discussed this, in fact. So, now what was happening?

Gemini looked at Ethan wondering if he would blow his plans or play along.

"Well, don't you have anything to say? She's your sister," Jarod prodded, expecting, hoping, for some form of protest from Ethan. He knew that his brothers were close, having spent a lot of time together and on the run together. Fleeing for your life together tends to bond people.

Ethan looked down at his hands, clasped together on the table, and back up at Jarod. "Hm, it is an interesting development, but not surprising. Miss Parker is a beautiful woman after all."

"True," Gemini agreed, inwardly sighing with relief.

"And she certainly is vital and vibrant with all the normal urges, I'm sure." He grinned. "In fact, knowing her with all the unnormal urges as well."

Gemini looked interested. "Really? Maybe I should read Venus In Furs?"