Here is the second installment. I can't tell you how much your reviews mean to me! Love you all! Enjoy!

Chapter 2- Vikram

"Hey Beckett." Vikram greeted her as she entered his apartment. It was cluttered with paper and empty file folders.

"What do you have?" At the edgy tone in her voice, Vikram turned from his lamp-lit desk and a shadow of worry cast over his face.

"Beckett, are you okay?"

"No. I'm not. Please tell me what you found. I can't keep doing this." She shoved though the dining chairs to where he sat and stood behind him, casting a shadow of anger and tension over the room.

"What happened?"

"Vikram…" She warned.

"Kate…you can't keep holding everything back from everyone. It's unhealthy." He turned in his chair and stood up to face her. His eyes bore into hers, "you're going to hurt yourself."

"Vikram. Don't do this to me right now. I already got it from my husband. Just tell me what you found. "

"Tell me what's going on."

Kate stared him down for a moment, then turned away, giving in, "you want to know what's wrong, Vikram? The fact that I can't even be seen in public close to my husband. The idea that any small, wrong move on my part could get my loved ones killed. The fact that I have to lie to the people I trust, and the man I love about…everything. I can't do it anymore, Vikram." She took a deep, shaky breath, "so if you have something…please tell me. Or we're done here."

"What do you mean?" He prodded.

"Don't go down that path. It's my private life, Vikram, and I would like it to stay that way."

"Kate, I need to know. I can't be responsible for putting you in danger when there's…something else going on."

Kate narrowed her eyes and watched him warily, "what are you referring to?"

"You know what I'm referring to, Kate, you're just choosing to ignore it."

"So suddenly you're responsible for me? Suddenly I'm your property?" Anger fueled her to take a few steps toward him, flames of hatred igniting in her, "you really think that my life is under YOUR control now?! Who do you think I am, Vikram? Because I am not a child under your protection! You are not my personal body guard. This is MY life, not yours. My life. I take care of myself. You don't do it for me. Now I'm going to ask you one more time." She was shaking now with rage as she stared into his eyes, "what. Did. You. Find."

He faltered for a moment, then took a breath, "I know you can take care of yourself. But I can't let you continue to put yourself in danger when it's not just your life anymore."

"How did you find out?" She demanded, "who told you?"

"Nobody told me." He admitted, "I…guessed."

"Don't lie to me."

"I swear, Kate. Nobody told me. The moment you came in last week to talk to me, I knew." Vikram seemed to lose his fire and slowly took a seat again.

Kate collapsed as well, anger replaced with exhaustion once again, "I haven't told him yet."

"Rick?"

Kate nodded slowly and sunk into a chair near Vikram's. He scooted closer to her and put a hand on her knee, "when did you find out?"

"The same day you did. That's…why I was late to our meeting that morning. I was at the doctor."

"When are you planning on telling him?"

"I was about to when I got your message. But I can't pretend for much longer. Soon, this…" she shot a glance down at her abdomen, "is going to be more than a bit obvious."

"Kate, there's only one way into this, but you know we can never guarantee our safety. That wasn't a problem before. We were both willing to risk our own lives. But now…"

"We'll be fine." She assured him, "me, you, and the baby. Just tell me what you have."

Thanks to all of you beautiful human beings! You're amazing! Next chapter coming soon.