Heya guys!

Soz for the late update... but like i said - the more reviews, the quiker updates!

So please R&R!

xXx Tiana

Next Day

The four of them had arrived home around 2am. In their fatigue, they all managed to a room and a bed to sleep in.

At noon the next day, all four of then were having brunch in the kitchen. Talking was kept to a minimum as a result of their tiredness and slight hangovers. Although, Jesse and Emma had another reason to be so quiet, and were glad for the excuse of having a hangover.

Shalimar didn't miss the glances that Jesse and Emma were throwing to each other. Probably have plans to get to regarding their secret she thought.

As she noticed Jesse getting to the end of the newspaper, and Emma to the end of her magazine, Shalimar got up and the three empty coffee cups into the sink. Washing her hands. She dried them and walked over to one side of the kitchen where Brennan stood, watching a muted TV on the news channel sub-consciously.

Shalimar threaded an arm around his waist as one of his came around her shoulders. She looked at him. He knew what she meant and what she was going to do. Kissing her forehead, he gave her his support. They had decided last night that first thing, well kind of the first thing, in the morning, they would ask them about what they were hiding from them.

'Um… guys, can we talk to you?' Shalimar asked, walking away from Brennan and back to her seat at the table. Jesse looked at Emma, who did the same, and then back to Shalimar.

'Yeah, sure. 'Sup?' he asked back.

'Actually, that's what we wanted to ask you.' Brennan put in joining the three of them at the table. He stood behind Shalimar's chair to give her support.

'What d'you mean?' Jesse furrowed his eyebrows; he didn't like this.

'Since yesterday, you've both been acting strange - ' Shalimar began.

'Shal…' Emma interrupted gently.

'No, let me finish.' Shalimar shook her head. 'I know there's something going on, something that you're telling me, us. We're a family; we don't keep secrets from each other. Not anything this big.'

'How do you know it's big?' Emma asked curiously. Shalimar shrugged.

'I'm guessing so, otherwise you wouldn't be acting so weird.' She stated. Jesse and Emma looked at each other, not sure what to do. They had been trying to act normal, but around a feral, that wasn't really possible. When no-one spoke, Brennan decided to prompt them.

'Look guys. If you tell us, we can help you. If not, we'll find out our own way. In the mean time, we'll just come up other explanations. I mean,' Brennan looked as Emma, 'you being pregnant would explain the weirdness, wouldn't it?' he said almost innocently.

Emma blinked, shocked, at what he had just said.

'I'm NOT pregnant!' she said, quickly and certainly.

'Well, unless you tell us what the truth is, what are we supposed to think?' Shalimar backed her boyfriend up. Jesse sighed, giving in.

'Look, I didn't want to keep it a secret from you, but until I knew whether it was true or not, I didn't want you to know, Shal.'

Shalimar stared at him, urging him to go on. Jesse looked from her to Brennan and finally to Emma, who nodded.

'Yesterday, I was checking our computers and I came across something that told me who Adam was meeting wit. Look, Shal, before you do anything, just remember that Adam trusts her, otherwise he wouldn't have been seeing her, ok?' Jesse made sure. Shalimar just looked at him and slowly nodded. He looked at Brennan, realising that what he was going to hear wasn't going to make any sense to him. Jesse sighed once again, preparing himself to say it to her.

'It was Tori Reed.' He barely managed to say. For a moment, there was just silence and Jesse wondered if Shalimar had heard him. However, she was trying to process the info, hoping that she had got it wrong. He didn't say Tori Reed… did he? She thought, trying to sort out the memories and thoughts that had came rushing back to her.

'No. Adam wouldn't do that.' She managed to choke out a moment later. Jesse just looked down.' No.' Shalimar snapped, standing up suddenly. Brennan had to jump back to avoid that chair form hitting him. She started to stride out of the kitchen.

'Shalimar…' Emma tried to stop her again. This time she did stop, but she turned around sharply, facing the two of them with angry eyes.

'Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you tell me earlier?' she almost cried.

'Cos we didn't know until he had gone. Shal, he trusts her. I think we should give him the benefit of the doubt, don't you?' Jesse tried to reason. Shalimar just looked at him in dis belief. She shook her head again before turning around and continuing to stride out of the kitchen and no doubt to see Adam.

Brennan watched her go and then looked at Jesse, who was still looking down.

'Who is she?' he asked. Jesse looked at him.

'Someone who should stay out of Shalimar's way.' He replied. Brennan realised what he meant, but he didn't get the answer that he had wanted. Instead of pushing it, he went after Shalimar before she did anything rash.

Catching up with her, Brennan was a couple of metres behind her when he mad his presence know, although no doubt she already knew he was there.

'Shal, maybe you should calm down a bit before seeing Adam.' It wasn't really a question because he knew she wouldn't.

'Don't try and stop me, Bren. If you knew…' she trailed off, reaching the lab's corridor. Brennan caught up with her before she reached the door. Grabbing her wrist, he stopped her and turned her around.

'Then let me knew. Tell me what's going on here, Shalimar.' He pleaded with her. Shalimar stared into his eyes. If it was anyone else, she would have punched them right there and then for stopping her, but with Brennan, she wouldn't dream of it.

'You'll find out soon enough.' she said, her voice cold. She pulled her hand out of his grasp and entered the lab. She heard Brennan whispered her name, warningly, but it didn't stop her. She had to know.

Adam was going through some files that he had received from Tori at that moment. Quickly minimizing it all, he spun to see an angry feral, who he regarded no less that a daughter, came into his lab.

'Were you going to tell us, Adam?' she went straight into. Behind her came in Brennan, followed by Jesse and Emma. Adam hadn't expected her anger to be directed at him.

'Shalimar, what are you talking about?' Adam got up from his seat and walked over to her, but she took a step back as he got closer. This made his stop, getting more worried.

'About her, Adam. About Tori!' she more or less yelled. She stood with her arms crossed, on her own in the middle of the lab. Behind her and to her right were the other three, while opposite, on his own, stood Adam.

'How did you find out?' Adam almost whispered. After the momentary shock, her knew there would be no point in denying it, especially to Shalimar.

'So it is true then.' She stated, slight disappointment in her voice.

'Shal, I was going you tell you, but when the time was right.'

'When the time was right? When the hell would that be? When the GSAs are swarming into here? Or maybe when you're dead?' Shalimar was getting angrier and angrier now, mainly because of the fact that Adam was trusting Tori, even after what she had done.

'Shalimar, it's not like that! Let me explain, please!' he pleaded.

Shalimar shook her head no, backing away from Adam again. This time she headed out of the door.

'No! I can't…I don't…' she took a breath. 'Just let me think, alright?' she said before exiting the lab.

The four who remained in the lab couldn't do anything but watch her go. Emma could feel her anger and confusion, something that she knew that Shalimar didn't like, and it was giving her a headache. Jesse didn't know what to do. Although he wanted to know what Adam was talking about, he didn't know if he really did want to know.

Brennan knew better than to go after Shalimar when she was this pissed off. And being confused along with it didn't help either, especially when he didn't know what the hell was going on himself. He had figured out previously that everyone else, including Emma, knew who this Tori lady was.

Emma looked at Brennan as she started to sense his confusion and slight frustration too. She knew exactly what he was thinking, not that she could blame him. When she caught his eye, she motioned with a nod to head out of the lab. Brennan nodded and followed her out.

Jesse and Adam remained in the lab. When Jesse turned to leave, Adam spoke.

'How did you find out?'

'Does it matter?' Jesse asked back. His voice wasn't cold, even though he thought it would be. He saw Adam look down. 'I trust you Adam. We all do. So if you've been in contact with Tori for 12 months now,' Adam's head snapped up at this new piece of information, 'then you'll have a lot of explaining to do. To all of us.' Jesse stood his ground as Adam nodded acceptingly. Then he too headed out of the lab.

What do you think?

BTW - the next chapter is mostly B/S fluff... so if you wanna read it soon... just review.

LOL Thanx

xXx Tiana