"I don't know what to do, Adam," Emma said as she sat in the lab talking over her comlink. She sat at the computer reading up on Shalimar and becoming more worried by the minute.

"I don't want you to do anything until I get there. We're on our way now."

"I hate seeing her cooped up in pain like that."

"I know but as long as you're safe and ok."

"Well, not for Shal's lack of trying."

"And you can't think of anything that brought this new attitude on?"

"No she just flipped out and attacked me for no reason suddenly."

"And she still feels the same way. Did you try to talk things out with her?"

"Well, I would but I didn't really have time what with the running for my life and all. When I did try to approach her she didn't make much sense it's like she's more far gone every time I see her."

"Well, don't let her out of the containment area. I'll be there shortly and we'll sort this all out."

Shalimar's head pounded as she sat curled up on the floor. She tried to ignore the sensation the entire room was spinning all around her. She could feel the sweat dripping down her cheeks as she shook in her place. She felt her grip on reality falling shorter by the minute and couldn't tell anymore if she was conscious or not though she'd swore she hadn't gone to sleep.

She twisted and turned herself over to lie on her side at the feeling of sharp pains slicing through her stomach. She felt her whole body start to ache under some unseen pressure. Emma used to be the glue that held her together. Now she wondered if her best friend was the one trying to rip her apart. She processed the idea she might actually be crazy but realized it didn't account for all her weird feelings both emotionally and physically. She wondered if she was being put through some kinda of test but doubted she deserved the treatment.

Shalimar let herself sink lower into sadness as she felt the heavy grief consuming her. Her breathing was almost at a pant and her heart raced faster then she'd ever remembered it. She closed her eyes as tight as she could in hopes everything was a dream and she'd wake up in bed any second. She felt like she was lost in her own mind and consciousness and was just dying to find a place where she belonged.

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Shalimar opened her unfocused eyes to see Emma leaning over her, her voice somewhat cloudy and distant.

"Time to get up. We have some visitors."

Shalimar slowly sat herself up to see Adam, Jesse, and Brennan walking across the hall following Emma.

"She'll probably be out for a while," Adam said. "We gotta get to work."

Shalimar watched as they headed out of sight and into the lab. She sat herself up fully and felt a slight pain in her hips as she did so.

"That little bitch is up to something," Emma said and crossed her arms before the feral. "You know they're cooking something up in there."

Shalimar looked to Emma and held a firm look on her face. She ignored the aches in her bones and frowned a disapproving look at the psionic before her.

"You're not real."

Emma gasped in a mocking shocked reaction.

"Well, that was harsh. Man and you wonder why I'm not begging you to take me."

Emma's mocking laugh only annoyed Shalimar more.

"Gees, one day you wanna fuck me and the next you wanna kill me is that your idea of romance?

"No, I-"

"I," Emma repeated mocking Shalimar's weak and uncertain tone.

"I only wanted-"

"I only wanted," Emma continued mocking Shalimar with a dark grin on her face. "I know what you wanted."

Emma moved herself closer to stand next to the feral on the floor.

"What do you think they're saying about you in there? What a lovesick, psycho feral you are. When you get the chance you could make them regret talking about you like that."

Shalimar flashed her eyes and growled at the words.

Back in the lab the team stood gathered around the large screen watching Adam work.

"In order to understand more we're gonna hafta do some tests on her."

"You mean take her out of the containment field?" Brennan asked.

"Exactly. I need to run some samples of her blood work and I'd like to have her under close observation."

"Wait, you think that's a good idea, I mean, what if she tries attacking Emma again?"

"Shouldn't be a problems because Emma," Adam said and rested his hands on the psionics shoulders to turn her towards the door. "Is gonna be in her room and out of Shalimar's sight. If Shalimar acts up you and Jesse can handle it. I want you to bring her in here and we'll secure her to the chair."

"Ok, sounds like a-" Jesse began but was cut off by the sounds of Shalimar's screams from the next room.

They all rushed out of the lab and quickly headed over the stand beside the field containing the screaming feral. Emma's heart broke as she watched Shalimar curled up, crying, and shaking in the corner. She looked at her exposed mid section to see the large scratches across her belly she'd given to herself as well as the bruises she wore from attacking the field.

"She's killing herself in there, Adam! We have to get her out."

Emma tried to keep herself as calm as she could but couldn't ignore the panic that was building up at the sight of Shalimar in so much pain.

"Brennan, I need you to bring the tranquillizer gun," Adam said.

Brennan nodded and turned to leave the room

"Maybe I should go in and see if I can calm her a little," Emma suggested. "I can't imagine the torture her mind is putting her though."

"No, it's too risky," Adam protested.

"Well, we can't just sit here and watch her suffer like this!"

"Emma, we don't know what's going on in her mind. You going in can make things worse than they already are."

They both turned as Brennan reentered the room with the tranquilizer gun.

"All ready," he said.

"So we're just gonna shot her?" Emma asked.

"With a small dosage. I don't want too much of that in her system. Only enough to put her out for about ten minutes."

"Ok, here we go."

Brennan raised the gun and pointed it at the twitching feral. Adam headed over to the control board and looked back to Jesse standing beside the field.

"You ready?"

Jesse and Brennan both nodded and Adam lowered the field. As soon as the field was down Brennan pulled the trigger. Shalimar quickly leapt towards Emma but soon fell to the ground at her feet and moaned before closing her eyes. Emma frowned to reveal the pain she felt and reached down to stroke the ferals hair from her face.

"Let's get her into the lab," Adam said as he and Jesse headed over to lift her up.