She hated feeling weak. Because she couldn't face them and their judgment, she'd run away. From her psychology and sociology training with Foss, she separated an objective Jessi from the turmoil she felt inside which she dubbed troubled Jessi. She role-played pleasantries in her head until she got to the important part, the point in time when she'd had to run. While she ran on a familiar trail in the forest, she revisited Amanda's and Declan's feelings before she'd left. She was able to revisit memories without halting, though she had to slow considerably first.

She realized that Declan was confused, hurt, but also doubtful. Amanda on the hand radiated pure rage. It was like nothing else had been in there at the time. Sure Amanda had never really liked her much, and considering the little love triangle they'd had prior to her pursuing Declan again, she knew she'd be angry if she were in her shoes. She dreaded what she could do if she ever felt the rage Amanda had just then.

Despite this, she'd never envisioned Amanda punching her! She was always ready around Foss and so he rarely surprised her anymore. It drove home the idea she had to be ready for anything with anyone. Anyone could be Latnok, well, not Kyle and any of their family of course, but just about anyone else could. With their resources, they could buy the loyalty of pretty much anyone.

It was a sobering thought, to say the least. She stopped jogging and leaned against a large tree.

She replayed once more the conversation as it had taken place, focusing solely on Amanda. There it was! She believed 100% that she'd seen the text that Declan never sent. Could she actually be delusional? Was the regular human mind capable of snapping in a single moment? What could cause that snap? It surely would have to be a jarring, emotional if not traumatic event.

What could possibly be traumatic in their lives? There was certainly drama but trauma?

Was it possible that the text had existed? She looked around in her memories at all the people in the Rack, and figured it was possible that one of the patrons who'd gathered around them during the fight could have been responsible for the text. She looked at each intensely, and tried to feel their emotions but other than the sadistic pleasure of seeing others beating on each other – not that there really had been any in this instance – she couldn't spot anything out of the ordinary.

She was now certain Amanda wouldn't have tried to punch her unless that text existed. Following that thought but also intentionally forgetting its source, someone was attacking Amanda again, and this time, her sanity was at stake. It could only be one organization with the resources to mess with Amanda's phone: Latnok.

If that was the case, she had to protect her for Kyle. Would she let her was an altogether different question. Despite the concern she felt for Kyle – and even Amanda she admitted – she felt a smile creep onto her face. She loved a challenge.

An unwelcome thought intruded. If Amanda was truly crazy, if she had somehow between yesterday and today, likely this morning when she'd discovered her in Kyle's tub, become a schizophrenic, she knew Kyle would forever be Amanda's, simply out of concern for her.

The smile vanished much faster than it had appeared on her face. If that were somehow true, she'd just have to cure her. The objective Jessi decided that Amanda had a 90% chance of being sane. Troubled Jessi found 10% to be too great a risk.

Finished with the analysis, she began to run to Amanda's house.

When she stopped in front of Amanda's house, no one was home. She pondered her next move. She called Kyle's cell and left him a detailed voice mail. She knew he'd be busy training with Foss and didn't think it strange that he didn't answer. Especially if Foss was helping him to control that sense of smell, he'd need all of his concentration and would certainly require his calls go directly to voice mail.

She briefly considered leaving the same message for Foss but was interrupted when she saw Declan's car appear down the street. She steeled herself for several moments until she remembered Foss. With a deep breath, she calmed herself. Even angry or hurt, people could often be reasoned with: reason first, defend second, fight last. She realized the instructions were tailored to her specifically. They were a good way of offsetting her instinct to lash out, to shoot first and ask questions later. She chuckled at the common TV reference.

***

He wanted to stay cool; he wouldn't attack her; he'd try to believe her. He knew very well how volatile Jessi could be. When he got out of his car, she was looking at him with a little smile, her arms open. Maybe it would be easy after all, he thought. He opened his arms as well and they walked into each other's arms.

They were nose to nose. Jessi said, "I have to find Amanda."

Regardless of his proximity to her lips, he frowned. He was reluctant to say anything.

She looked into his eyes, searching, probing. He imagined her scraping at his exterior, getting to the soft flesh beneath, like a hunter plucking a rabbit. There were definite disadvantages to being romantically involved with a pod child. There were no secrets.

She said, "I cheated."

Having said it with such a straight face, he tried to pull away. How could she betray him so easily? She smiled when he found he couldn't move. "Silly!" He pictured for a moment her head-butting him, leaving him dead on the sidewalk beside his car, despite the sweet smile.

His eyes went wide when she kissed him, full on the mouth. It was a long, tender kiss, one meant to reassure, to reaffirm her feelings. It certainly confused him. Could he accept being second? No, not likely, even with her charm, with the things she surely could do.

His mind reeling, she withdrew. "Basketball, silly," she whispered. "You should have lost by six points. I cheated."

He was incredulous. "What?" He practically yelled.

She kissed him again, shorter this time, but she held him firmly in place. He stopped struggling. She said, "I moved the ball to make me win." Her smile disappeared, her mouth became serious. "I'm sorry I made you feel bad."

It was his turn to smile, "I won't ever be able to hide anything from you, will I? Do you read my mind too? What am I thinking?"

She smiled, loosened her grip, letting him go if he wanted. "I always know what you're thinking, but reading your mind is not one of my talents." She emphasized always in a way that made him know that she knew precisely what he'd been thinking.

He felt sheepish and withdrew. "So why tell me now?"

"I needed to come clean. I slept in Kyle's tub this morning, but only out of concern for him. He had a nightmare almost all night long, and I eventually fell asleep beside him on the floor. When he woke he must have put me inside it but I don't remember that."

She'd kept her eyes on his the whole time. When she stopped talking, she let him think in silence, withdrawing just a little but keeping contact. He knew she could lie to him convincingly if she chose to; there was little she couldn't do. She could even lie to Kyle. He'd have to take her at her word; he pushed away a thought that had been surfacing about double-checking her story with Kyle.

He kissed her briefly. "Okay, I'll accept that." He stopped, collecting his thoughts. "Would you mind being having more clothes on next time? And if at all possible, not sleeping in his tub?"

She smirked at him, "That would help your male ego would it?"

Another sheepish smile, "Yes."

"I'll try. Even I don't always think straight when I'm sleepy, but I'll try."

With that put aside, he asked, "So, why do you want to find Amanda?" To beat her up, he almost added.

"Not to punch her that's for sure!" She laughed. His smile vanished. It was almost like she'd read his mind. It scared him somewhat. Looking at him, she said, "What?" She let go of him completely, and repeated herself, this time louder.

"You didn't read my mind?"

"No I didn't!" She lowered her tone, "It was a pretty obvious course of action. I thought you'd find it funny."

She looked only mildly hurt. She was really understanding and patient; this side of her seemed new and refreshing actually. Being with someone who only burned hot and cold didn't lead to long relationships; he was surprised when he thought about a long term relationship with Jessi. He'd have to weigh that option too, but for now he'd take it one day at a time.

"Seriously, why do you want to see Amanda?"

She hesitated, which only served to pique his interest. "I don't think Amanda's crazy."

"She sounded like it to me, though normally I'd agree," he said. "Why?"

She seemed to hesitate once more. She moved closer and whispered in his ear. He willed her to breathe into his ear, or nibble it or something. That kind of thing drove him nuts. When she merely spoke, he concluded she couldn't read his thoughts. The one word she said though brought his attention back to reality.

When he pulled away, she whispered, "Whisper." She offered her ear.

He smiled; this was something he could play with. "You think they're back?" As he asked her his question, she gripped his shoulders and pretended to enjoy it. She was making it look like they were making out in the street! How novel! It didn't matter to him if she was pretending, maybe he could convince her to go inside the house afterward…

Her lips accidentally touched his ear and triggered a shiver down his spine. He didn't have to pretend. "I think they hacked into her phone. Someone at the Rack heard you talking with her, then leaving, and assuming you wouldn't come back, sent her the fake text when they learned I was coming."

He practically moaned, "Don't stop please." His knees were weak.

She withdrew for a second, looking him in the eye. She returned to his ear, but farther away. "Focus Declan! We're talking about Amanda, and ultimately Kyle!" That did help somewhat, not that he really wanted to be sobered. She continued, "I need to find her to see if her phone is bugged."

Reluctantly he'd play along, even if her pretend enjoyment was lessened. "She got my text, she showed it to us." After a sudden thought, he added, "Did both cells display the same message with the same time?"

Her eyes opened a little more widely for a few seconds. "Yes, they're identical."

"And she's obviously not here." She didn't answer. "Have you tried Lori or Hillary? They've been hanging out these last few days."

She smiled and said, "That's great," before her eyes widened again. Her smile lessened by the second as she mumbled a few words here and there. Her forehead furrowed. "What," she whispered. Her arms totally relaxed and her eyes began to move left and right as she went further and further into her memories. He found it a little disconcerting, but at least he recognized it for what it was. Now he did anyway. While Jessi remained in this state, he held her waist, though there was no fear of her falling. Looking at her closely he could see why Amanda had thought it was some sort of seizure. It definitely didn't appear natural.

When she came to, she had a fierce look in her eyes. "Let's go, she's probably at Hillary's."

All playing aside, this was the side of Jessi he didn't care for; the change from mind-tease to joking to ultra serious all in a matter of minutes. He didn't fully understand girls in general – thought he probably never would – but this one had so many facets about her that it was dizzying.