Scott perched on the edge of TinTin's bed and stroked her soft black hair back from her face. She had been frightened to go to sleep but so tired that she could hardly stumble back to her room. He had carried her the last leg of their wander back through the house to her bedroom and she had drifted off in his arms.

Sure that the time would soon come when sitting here with the girl who was as a sister to him would become uncomfortable, Scott found himself wishing for her to never grow up. But it was already too late. Everyone saw it. The child she had once been was drifting from them.

Soon it would be polite handshakes and awkward closeness. And it made him sad to think that even now if someone found them together, they might see more than platonic love in the way he leaned down to kiss her cheek and bid her goodnight.

Closing the door carefully, Scott then turned towards the house and his mood instantly changed. His steps determined and his jaw set, he made his way through to the lounge.

They were still there. Talking softly and even, god knows how, laughing easily together. And it fired Scott's fury even higher. But, at the last moment, he thought of his brother and forced a long, even breath from his tense body. When he stepped outside to join them, he had managed a small smile of greeting.

"Son." Jeff greeted warmly.

Scott turned to him, seeing his father's face was flushed and then noting the glass of whiskey in his hand and the half empty bottle beside him.

"It's a beautiful night." Penny offered, leaning back along her sun-lounger and gazing up at the black above them.

Scott sat down on a free bench and took a deep breath.

"What is it?" Jeff frowned.

Scott looked between them both. "Where is John?"

Jeff's frown deepened and he opened his mouth to offer a reply.

"We don't know." Penny suddenly beat him to it.

Scott saw the surprise flash across his father's face and his heart was racing. "Why?"

Penny sat up straight and set her coffee aside. She gave Jeff a brief smile of assurance and turned to Scott. "Our contacts lost him after he left Prague."

Scott stared at her in disbelief.

Penny nodded slowly, "I know … it's disappointing - "

"Oh, it's a hell of a lot worse than 'disappointing'!"

"Scott!" Jeff cautioned.

Scott looked across at him. "Did you tell Pen what happened to me?"

"Yes, he did." Penny answered firmly.

Scott looked back to her and saw concern and sorrow. It didn't help.

"Scott …" Penny began carefully, "I … well, we … we think that John is getting close to something."

Scott could feel anger growing again but he forced himself to calmly wait for her to continue.

"Alex stopped calling London and John has disabled the tracking device in my laptop." She sighed heavily, "He would have known it was there from the start and I took comfort in that – that he knew we would follow and perhaps even wanted us to. But now …" She shook her head slowly. "I'm worried."

"Oh, good." Scott scoffed in sarcasm.

Penny looked hurt.

"So. How long have you been lying?"

"Scott!" Jeff barked, sitting upright and glaring angrily in defence of Penny.

Penny raised her hand to quieten him and held Scott's gaze. "About five days."

Scott groaned and closed his eyes.

"But I've got people on the case." Penny urged, "Our agents are trying to pick up the trail in Prague and keeping an eye out for any clues as to - "

"You think he might be dead?"

Penny and Jeff gasped in unified revulsion.

Scott looked between them evenly.

"Why would you think such a thing?" Penny asked quietly.

Scott shrugged, "You've been trailing him, the CIA have a watch on him, who's to say there aren't others?"

Penny had no answer.

"It seems the CIA also lost him after Prague." Scott continued, "Maybe something happened after they left the Czech Republic." He frowned suddenly, "And that would add up."

"Add up to what?" Jeff urged, his voice thin and full of sudden fear.

"TinTin." Scott replied, "She's had these nightmares about John. And they started about five days ago."

"Nightmares?" Jeff's frown grew.

Scott nodded. "You know … the strange 'abilities' that none of you will acknowledge and won't even consider helping her with."

"Now, wait just a damned minute!" Jeff ordered angrily, "You have - "

"What?" Scott kept his gaze on Penny's troubled face. "A point?"

And Penny nodded.

"No!" Jeff retorted, tired of seeming to be on the edge of the conversation. He stood and hurried to Penny's side so he could face Scott squarely with her. "Scott," he began with a sigh.

"Jeff." Penny turned and placed her hand on his. "It's okay."

Scott watched them in interest.

Penny looked back at Scott. "TinTin has an innate level of extra-sensory perception."

Scott watched her in stunned silence.

"After the incident in London, Brains scanned her." Penny explained and gave a small shrug, "We had to know."

Scott's heart was racing and he looked between the two of them, suddenly seeing in them a seeming treachery that he did not recognise. Or much like.

"Her brain waves show a similar pattern to the Hood's but she is nowhere near as powerful and … well … now that we know who Mishka really was, we accessed her research on the Hood." She smiled thinly, "So we can help TinTin."

"What?" Scott's throat was dry, "How?" He asked carefully, noting the lack of eye contact from his father.

"Brains thinks he can cure her." Penny replied.

Scott gasped.

"I know, I know!" Penny broke away from Jeff and moved to sit beside Scott. "And, god, I'm so, so sorry." She put her arm around his shoulders and was glad that he made no move to shrug her off. "We just could not find the way to begin to tell you." She sighed heavily, "At least … not until we have spoken to her."

"But …" Scott looked into her tear-filled eyes, "What if she doesn't want to be 'cured'?"

Penny nodded slowly, "And what if her powers develop further?"

"TinTin is a good person!" Scott shouted suddenly, "I can't believe this!" He pushed Penny's arm away from him and leaned back from her. "Listen to yourselves! God!"

Penny nodded in understanding and dragged a hand through her hair, clutching it together in a tight mass at the nape of her neck. "I know …"

"I can't believe this!" Scott continued, "And you guys have all been discussing this behind our backs for … what … months?"

"No." Jeff lifted his head and met Scott's anger. "It's only been over the past few weeks. After she told Kyrano about her dreams."

"She had been frightened to say anything until then." Penny added.

"Oh, I can't think why!"

"Scott, please." Jeff pleaded wearily, "Try to understand." He sighed and shook his head, "God, you're so quick to anger …"

"Yeah? Well just look at what I've had to deal with these past months?"

"I know." Jeff smiled suddenly, "It's just … I've always hoped we weren't quite so similar."

Scott calmed a little and met his father's tired eyes. He managed a small smile and shrugged his shoulders. "I guess I could learn something from Virg or …" And he closed his eyes.

"John is fine." Penny urged in earnest.

Scott turned to her. "I'd like to believe that."

Penny reached out and gently placed her hand on his. "He has to be alive or TinTin wouldn't be sensing him."

"She's right." Jeff urged.

Scott nodded slowly. "I guess." He then saw movement in the corner of his eye and he spun round, his heart sinking as he saw her standing in the open doorway.

Jeff followed his son's gaze and groaned softly.

"You really think that's true?" TinTin urged in a thin, frightened voice.

Penny spun with a start and saw her. The three of them paused in uncertain silence.

"TinTin, darling," Penny stood and moved slowly towards her. "How long have you been standing there?"

TinTin regarded her in interest and then seemed to understand. "Not long. I heard you say that John must be okay or I would not sense him."

Penny tried not to seem too relieved but somehow knew there was no fooling her young friend. She shrugged slightly and a smile danced on her mouth. "Well, it's true. Isn't it?"

"I guess."

Scott stood and headed to Penny's side. "Thought you were asleep, little buddy?"

"I was. But then John woke me." She frowned slightly, "I wish I knew how this all works."

Scott stepped further forward and reached out to place his hand on her shoulder, "You had another dream?"

TinTin nodded and her frown grew, apparently troubled by what had woken her. But suddenly she smiled and placed her hand over Scott's. "I know how to find him."

Tbc …