Disclaimers etc. in the first chapter.

Author's Note: Sorry about the cliffhanger... sorta. :D Oh, and let me just say one thing here: I don't mind Simon. I have no great dislike of him. So as to why he had to be the bad guy... I don't know. My brain is just twisted, I guess.

Sorry it's another short chapter, but tomorrow's (the last one) is more than twice as long.

Simon had ignored all of Elizabeth's demands for explanations and John's angry threats to do bodily harm if they weren't set free, and simply smiled at them before leaving. Now they both sat in silence. John had attempted to pry some information out of Elizabeth, but she had ignored him, staring at the straw beneath her with frown lines creasing her forehead.

Deciding he couldn't just stare at her, John had begun quietly testing his bonds. They were strong, too strong for him to break even if wolf form. The locks on the chains would be easily picked – if he could have reached them and if he had anything to pick them with. The lock on the cage door itself was another matter, however, and who knew what was beyond the outer door. He found himself wishing for Jack's company; at least then he'd be entertained as they tried to escape. Then again, it was probably best that Jack wasn't here. When John hadn't come home last night, the older man was sure to have started an immediate search. He was probably their best hope of escape now.

"We used to date," Elizabeth said quietly. John snapped out of his thoughts and turned to her.

"I dated him," she repeated, "about three years ago. We broke up after the camping trip when I... when things changed."

"Was he always psycho?" John asked.

Elizabeth frowned. "No. At least, I don't think so."

"So what does he want with us?"

Her frown deepened. "He said he collected us."

"Yeah, heard that. What does it mean?"

"Simon's a doctor, but he had a hobby of entomology when he was younger. He used to collect all sorts of bugs, everywhere we went. Just before we broke up, he'd started collected larger animals, frogs and such."

"So, what, now he's moved on to people? Why'd he collect us?"

"I don't know. It seems strange."

"Ya think?" John raised both eyebrows.

She smiled slightly at that. "He always wanted a male and a female of each animal, matched sets, so I guess that's why both you and me. But if he wanted me, why not take me earlier?"

John shrugged. "Maybe it was seeing you with me," he hypothesized.

She shook her head. "If it was seeing me with another guy, he would have acted before now." At John's raised eyebrow she continued. "I've dated some in the past couple of years," she said defensively.

"Okay, so if not because he saw me with you, why? What makes us a matched set?"

Now it was Elizabeth's turn to shrug. "I don't know. Anything unusual about you?"

"Other than my irresistible charm?" She raised an eyebrow. "Not much," he said.

"Me either. Maybe..." She hated to suggest this; she didn't like opening her life to strangers. "Maybe we should tell each other a little about ourselves, see if anything turns up?"

John contemplated making some flirtatious comment about her wanting to know all about him, but thought better of it when he saw her expression. He thought about her suggestion for a moment. As much as he hated talking about his past, he couldn't really see any other useful way to occupy the time. Planning an escape would be almost impossible at this time; he needed more information. Maybe figuring out why her ex-boyfriend had kidnapped them would give him something to use later.

"Okay," he said.

They spoke hesitantly at first, comparing life experiences, from childhood illnesses and family vacations to favorite books and colors. Elizabeth had apparently decided to pull out all the stops, and he caught her blushing from time to time as she described some youthful prank. He returned the favor, reluctantly at first. But he soon noticed that even when he revealed some of the more painful moments of his past, she simply listened. There was never a hint of pity on her face, and he realized that among her many other attributes, Elizabeth was a superb listener. He kept secret only his black ops missions and his werewolf alter ego.

They talked for what seemed to be hours, although with no window to let in daylight it was hard to judge the passage of time. They still hadn't hit upon what might have made Simon choose them, and from the hunger gnawing in John's stomach, he guessed that enough hours must have passed to make moonrise approaching. He felt grateful that Elizabeth was chained out of reach; if he became a wolf this hungry, he'd probably try his best to make her dinner.

Speaking of which (the wolf, that is, not dinner) he was getting close to no more secrets to share. He thought about it briefly, then decided that if this wasn't it, it didn't really matter since it wouldn't be secret in another few hours anyway. So, when Elizabeth finished telling him about a snowball fight with her brothers last Christmas, he spoke up.

"I'm a werewolf. What about you?"