"Home sweet home," Emily murmured as she dumped her bags on the varnished wooden floor of her entrance hall. She'd been away for almost four months now, give or take a week or two, shooting episodes for her new show, gosh was she glad to be home. She'd been jetted from Bulgaria, to Africa, to the Amazon rainforest, to the Artic and finally rounding it off in a sedate woodland area back in Europe, all to show the variety of habitat and animal. All the way Emily had the strangest bout of paranoia she'd ever experience in her life, every continent she was on, every bed and breakfast or campsite she stayed in, Emily was sure she was being watched and followed. She didn't want to think about whom it could be but when she steadfastly refused to confront the issue, the issue confronted her. By plastering the image of her handsome attacker behind her eyelids, Emily was forced to acknowledge that there was a serious threat to her out there. Ignoring it during the day didn't help her however; she had nightmares about him coming to get her when she tried to sleep, so she was thinking of him around the clock.

Emily pushed the door shut behind her and walked further into her home, feeling inexplicably safe by her familiar, albeit dusty, surroundings. Emily gave a half pout at seeing her plants withered into dried, brown clumps, she swept her finger along the edge of the pretty mantel above her old fashioned but obsolete fire place. The build up of dust there made her sigh, she'd have a lot to clean up tonight, there was no question of doing it in the morning, she wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that there was so much disorder in her neat little apartment. Not that she hadn't stayed in some squats but when it came to her home, Emily was very clear on how in should be ordered and run, not that she was a clean freak by any means … well, perhaps a little. Still, Emily thought as a way of cheering herself up, at least everything was exactly how she'd left it. Except for the dust, all nick-knacks, furniture and photos were in their original posts. Emily pulled out her handy little disposable dust cloths and began to wipe over her surfaces, a contented up lift of her lips turning into a fully fledged happy smile as more of the dust was cleaned away.

"Just as I left it," Emily whispered proudly, surveying her dust free rooms with her hands on her hips as her clock on the mantel tinkled the time; one o clock in the morning. "Just as I -"

Emily's stomach gave a growl, "oh no," she groaned, throwing a despairing look to the kitchen. Knowing she would be away for quite a length of time meant that Emily had cleared out her fridge, freezer and cupboards of any and all perishables, Emily made pathetic whimpering noises as she slouched into the kitchen and tried to rustle up something edible.

An hour or so later Emily was sat by her window munching on pepperoni pizza while staring out into the sky. She wasn't at all tired but that wasn't unusual, since her weird morphing ability had surfaced so had an intense stamina and nocturnal habits. While she'd been waiting for her pizza to be delivered Emily had checked her mail, her e-mail, unpacked her case, sorted all dirty laundry into ordered piles now awaiting their turn for the wash, she had even changed the bedding, thinking that four months of dust on her duvet was unhealthy for the lungs. She had had the good sense to curb her enthusiasm for the idea of vacuuming, not wanting to end up arguing with her neighbours. Emily reached blindly for her pizza and unerringly found the crust to pick it up; her eyes were still transfixed on the stars, her mind a buzz with silence. Her consciousness was submerged somewhere under layers and layers of sensual knowledge, she'd never have thought it possible in her old life but silence actually had a sound, and certain smells and tastes came with a variety of colour to her hawks eye. If she did say so herself; she was quite a fascinating anomaly.

It was only when there was a faint clicking from one of the various locks on her front door did Emily pull herself from her limbo and look to it. She watched in horror as the dead bolt across the very top of the door inched back all of its own accord, the chain in the latch unlatched itself, Emily acted as fast as she could. Rather then try to run for the door that was turning its last lock, Emily spat her mouthful of pizza into a napkin and with quick movements wadded it up and threw it the box, she was then up and out of her seat and to her desk drawer. While she was unpacking, one very valuable piece of equipment she had purchased while travelling through South America, was placed in that drawer - the drawer wasn't locked, in case of emergencies. Emily picked up the Glock -17 and palmed it, she still wasn't sure how to use it, though Gabriel, her "dealer" had shown her.

"How hard can it be?" Emily murmured to herself, beginning to sweat profusely, "she aims and pulls the trigger. Yeah, aim and pull."

Emily watched the door closely as the last lock finally unlocked itself and the door swung open silently and with impossible slowness, it was like something out of a horror film and simply because Emily was too scared to see what was behind the door she fired a shot without looking. Eyes clenched tight, on impulse her finger tightened on the trigger when her whole hand tautened with fear, the shots rang out painfully loud for Emily's sensitive senses, that and the abject fear of having let off a shot had Emily immediately dropping the gun. She cursed herself for being such a girl and dropped to her knees to retrieve it, there was a gruff curse and she looked up, the handsome stalker/murderer man was lying wounded over her threshold.

"You bitch!" he snarled, before passing out and transforming into a hawk with a shattered wing. Emily's mouth made a silent O and looked down at the gun, "oops," she murmured before crawling on all fours towards the bird. She approached it slowly, stopping a safe distance away she craned her neck to check out his condition, it seemed like he was breathing okay but the wing must have hurt so much that it had caused him to black out - Emily shook her head, she was stating the obvious! What she really needed to establish was whether her feathered stalker slash would be murderer, was in a position to harm her. It didn't look like it but then looks could be deceiving, she was living proof of that fact.

"Checking his condition requires me to move closer," Emily whined softly to herself, she whimpered pathetically as she shifted closer to him. The only reason she was doing so was because she couldn't stomach the thought of acting like a coward, it would haunt her for the rest of her life - she was many things, many disagreeable things in fact, but she was not a coward. Though she agreed that should she decide to simply toss him in the dumpster, the actions would be justified not cowardly.

"Yeah right," she grumbled and after giving him a soft prod with her finger, got up to retrieve her coat.

*********************************************************

Dr. Qassim Ali threw a murderous look at Emily over the body of the unconscious hawk; Emily ignored him and stood on tiptoes so she might get a better look at his work from her side. Qassim's looks of distaste, disgust and plain disdain had never bothered her, it was simply his way, he'd been so since college. Most people didn't like him, he was rich, aloof, arrogant, unbelievably intelligent and good looking in that very Middle Eastern way. Most people blamed their dislike of him on those things or going for the simple explanation that he was foreign and therefore things were lost in translation, such as manners and western etiquette. But years of working with him, sometimes involuntarily, had taught her he was also shy, socially awkward and extremely observant and astute. When she'd first started dating Edward, Qassim had spent less then an hour in the man's company before looking at Emily in his quiet, dissecting way and announcing in Edward's presence, that he couldn't see the relationship lasting and though he hadn't much time for anyone, he didn't want Emily to be wasting more years then it was worth lumbered with an asshole. Suffice to say Edward and Emily were very offended, Emily got over it, Edward didn't and had forbidden her to never see Qassim again. She'd acquiesced to his request simply to stop any further arguments, though she had stayed in touch by e-mail. Still Qassim noticed the abrupt decline in visits - even though most of the time Emily forced herself on him and his cold hospitality - and it had hurt him.

"Listen, Qassim -"

"I'd rather you not talk while I do this," Qassim said sharply, keeping his eyes fixed on the hawk's wing, "if you can't be quiet leave. And take the bird with you. God knows, I'm sure you've many people who would open their doors at dawn to fix a problem for you."

Emily nodded and felt her throat tighten, in that moment she hated herself and Edward, she'd been so in love with him and so obsessed with keeping her first real boyfriend that she'd forsaken a friendship, a good one. One that had remnants that still touched Qassim enough so that he grudgingly accepted her into his home and helped her.

"It's a hawk," she clarified under her breath, Emily kept her eyes down cast but saw in her peripheral vision that Qassim had thrown her another filthy look. It took her back to when they'd been forced together on projects at college; Qassim had no time for a 'stereotypical, superficial, plastic wannabe Barbie'. Emily had always been offended and confused by his assessment of her, she had weird coloured burgundy hair, not blond and yes, she was quite beautiful but she didn't flaunt it … at least not really. She couldn't afford to draw too much attention to herself; she was basically the average weirdo once people got to know her. She knew lots of people but they weren't friends, she had very little friends.

"Where in the world did you find this hawk?" Qassim asked, to any other person it would have sounded like he was musing to himself but Emily knew he was actually asking a question.

"On the street outside my apartment," she lied, Qassim frowned and shook his head, he flicked a glance up at her then back to the bird.

"What were you doing out so early in the morning?"

"I - went for a walk," Emily lied again, but her hesitation cost her and Qassim recognised the lie immediately, he paused in his work to throw her a cold glare.

"Fine," he bit out and they lapped into silence.

A little over two hours later Qassim had sown the last of the stitches on to the hawk's wing and stepped back, he removed the tubes from its mouth and lifted it with the blanket to put it in a cage he kept at the back of his surgery. Because he refused to give into his family's demands to get married, he'd become a certified workaholic and basically lived in his veterinarian surgery. By then Emily's eyes were itching with tiredness and her jet lag was catching up to her, she followed Qassim at a sluggish pace to the cage, even Qassim must have been tired because he didn't tell her off for following him.

"You can call a cab," Qassim said awkwardly, "I'll let you know how -"

"Oh please," Emily said desperately before thinking, "can't I stay with him?"

"Here?" Qassim looked at her as if she was insane, but Emily knew she'd either stay or take the bird with her. She had been a crappy friend to Qassim; the last thing she would do was repay him for his kindness by letting him stay with a cold blooded murderer in his house. Emily was of the notion that this bird was like her and yet not. Emily had learnt she could not hold her hawk form when unconscious, it seemed that it had the reversed affect here and that her feathered friend could not hold his human form. Emily knew that should the bird wake up and try to harm her she could always cause it enough pain to put it out again, or just go for the safe all around route and kill it. The thought turned her stomach.

"Yes, I really want to stay with him," Emily said, her mind free of any real reason or excuse for her odd behaviour, then again, the fact that she was an eccentric had been the reason Qassim had eventually warmed to her.

"It's just a bird, Emily," Qassim said disbelievingly, "you've done your bit by bringing it to a vet, most people wouldn't have even done that."

Emily opened her mouth then closed it again. He was right, most people would very likely have left it lying on the street, and had they been in her situation many would have killed it, knowing it was a threat to their lives. Strangely enough though, even with her predatory instincts and the threat the hawk represented, leaving him to bleed to death on her floor hadn't crossed her mind. Perhaps it was out of pure morbid curiosity that she'd wanted him alive so she could eventually talk to him and study him.

"Please, Qas," Emily begged and Qassim shrugged and gestured to the sofa.

"I'll get you a blanket and pillow."

****************************************************************

Jasyn fought through layers of smog and dizziness to find himself locked in a cage, his left wing when he tried to move it was painful and sore.

That whore! She'd shot him!

Jasyn grudgingly respected the fact that she had been prepared for him and because she'd had the balls to do it, but that was drowned in a wave of disgust at the cowardice of using a gun. Jasyn flicked a look down to his wing to assess the damage, thinking of a way he could get to Carson, he was shocked to see a neat row of stitches over his wound; he blinked at them a few times before accepting they were there.

She'd … helped him? Most likely saved him.

Jasyn wasn't sure how he felt about that, it confused him, which he hated. But it also made him aware that he was in her debt and was honour bound to repay her, though by most people's judgements he had no honour, and therefore did not have to see it through. Jasyn snapped his beak sharply, he hated being in debt to anyone. And to be in debt to an Arcadian, it was enough to make him rend his own plumage. Why the hell had she done such a thing? It bugged the shit out of him that he couldn't figure a motive for her actions, perhaps it was a sneaky Arcadian ploy, that she would help him so he wouldn't kill her? But that made absolutely no sense, there were more holes in that explanation then there was in Swiss cheese. Twice he'd been at her mercy, the first time - the time he dearly wished not to recall - when he'd frozen up in her grasp under the magnetism of her eyes, she'd held him by the neck and could have broken it in a swift flick of the wrist. The second time he had been passed out on her floor, she could have done anything to him. She could have killed him outright or made him suffer days; that was the Arcadian way. Something was so off with this broad Jasyn wasn't sure what to think.

His thoughts were quickly disrupted by an opening and closing of door, from his position in the cage Jasyn could not make out who was there, but he caught the scent of human male. He swiftly played dead when he realised the person was coming nearer the cage, a shadow fell across the bars, shrouding him in darkness, then moved away, Jasyn opened his eyes cautiously.

If that stupid bitch had taken him to a human vet, she'd very likely exposed them all!

"I've already checked on him, he's still sleeping off the drugs," came her voice, Jasyn wanted to let out a squawk of rage but wisely kept silent.

"I'm the vet, it's my surgery, I'll check him if I want to." If he'd been in human form Jasyn would have smiled, he liked the way this male treated her like shit. Jasyn watched as the sadness from both people intensified, and so did the feeling of hurt and anger from the male. The male made his way back to the door but before he could reach it, she caught up to him, the scene played out a few metres away from Jasyn's cage. Dr. Emily McLean. One of the youngest, most renowned Zoologists in America, if not the world. And half the host for the discovery channels 'Wilds of the World'. He'd followed her for months, plotting the right time to kill her and take a look at that tape. Jasyn watched as she gripped his arm through his white doctors' coat, she spun him around with strength that would surprise the man. The guy looked down at her with a serious frown and she looked up at him with a deploring expression, it looked deploring from her side profile, which Jasyn was getting.

"Qassim," she let go of his arm and held on to the lapels of his coat, "I'm … so very sorry."

The guys face quivered a bit before hardening, "too late."

He made to leave but she refused to let him, and with her were-hunter strength she could keep him there all day.

"I know it is, but its better late then never," she said, her voice soft and very pleasing to the ear, Jasyn admitted that much. "I know you'll never forgive me, and I know I don't deserve it. But I am just so sorry, I was stupid and I was blind and I was wrong. I made a wrong choice. And I would just like you to know that … well, I've learnt my lesson and if you'd ever find it in your heart to give me some room back in your life, I will not, ever, be as foolish and complacent. Nor will I take it for granted."

She's good, Jasyn thought acidly, her type always were. Beautiful, beguiling and betraying. It was obvious to him she had betrayed doctor Qassim, and now the woman was begging, actually begging, for the guy's friendship. Where was her sense of dignity? Were-hunters didn't beg. Where was her sense of shame? Though Arcadians didn't seem to have much.

"Yes, you will," Qassim said nonchalantly, as if unaffected by her words, "people always do."

Jasyn decided then that he liked the good doctor, as much as he ever could like someone, the doctor was someone who could understand on his level. That bitterness and grave knowledge in him which said that everything and everyone will stab you in the back, the front and the sides, given the chance.

"People take for granted what they haven't lost," Emily muttered, "I lost. And know what I will lose again."

Emily stepped back from him and put her hands behind her back, "Thank you anyway, for what you did with the bird."

She turned to walk back to wherever she was sitting, Jasyn saw her eyes were bright and he rolled his own. Women and their tears!

"It's a hawk," Qassim said suddenly, the guy gave a grudging smile and Jasyn lost all liking and respect for him. If the guy was that easily swayed by words then he deserved what he got. "Want to have breakfast with me?"

Emily moved forward, her eyes were still bright but she laughed instead of sobbed, she put her hands to her mouth while she cackled madly while nodding like a buffoon, Jasyn could not help but feel lightened by the sound. The pure joy in it was something he rarely heard, Jasyn couldn't think the last time he'd laughed or smiled simply because he was happy.

"Yes, yes I would love to," she said as she walked into his arms and hugged his waist, the doctor put his arm around her shoulders and shook his head.

"This is the only time I will allow you to hug me," he said primly as he led her to the door, Jasyn heard Emily sigh out of sight and answer him.

"Whatever you say, doc."

Jasyn heard the door slam shut behind them and felt strangely cold and alone, which was stupid because he was always alone, forever cold. Yet … her laugh, so melodic and pleasing to the ear had warmed him, even though it was all for another. Jasyn shook himself and looked down at his wing, wondering whether he should chance an attempt at escaping, he debated with himself swiftly and decided that he'd have to wait it out a bit longer. He could keep pretending he was asleep if he had to, but doing a prison break now wouldn't do him any good, he'd only damage himself further and there was a good chance he'd likely die. Plus he needed to know more about Emily McLean, she was his primary target now, and she would either be silenced or destroyed.

*******************************************************

Emily poked her head around the door of the surgery and saw that the homicidal hawk was still out of it in his cage, she moved into the room quietly. Qassim was finally out of the house having left for a visit to his mother, this would give Emily some good, clear thinking time to contemplate what she would do when her attacker came round. She'd put off as long as possible, she had breakfasted, read the newspaper, showered and washed her hair while her clothes had washed and dried, there wasn't much else she could actually do and the bird being out of her sight too long made her a little edgy. Emily moved forward to the cage and stood in front of it gazing at the hawk, it was a magnificent specimen to behold, like her he was a red tailed hawk, one of the largest of hawks. Now that she'd had time to reflect Emily admitted that bringing an obviously disturbed and dangerous animal into her friend's house was not a good idea. What if the damn bird decided to take his revenge on her by killing Qassim? Emily's stomach roiled at the idea, despite their past differences and apparent lack of common ground, Emily had always cared deeply for Qassim. His slightly acerbic sense of humour and forthright personality had always made her laugh; Emily's only regret was that she hadn't listened to him about Edward. Had she been so desperate for the man's love that she would have cut off her friends for him? Emily suspected that the only reason Edward had tolerated Jay was because he was scared of him, Jay may be gay but he could fight his way out of any corner better then some prize fighting boxers.

"Who are you?" Emily asked the sleeping hawk quietly, she worried her lip as she gazed at him, abruptly the hawk flicked open one beady black golden eye and glared at her, Emily gasped and immediately backed away from the cage, holding her hands up in surrender. "I mean you no harm."

The hawk said nothing but then Emily hadn't expected it to, though she had the strong impression he was likely scoffing at her attempt at a truce.

"Why are you trying to kill me?" Emily asked angrily, she'd never truly encountered someone who hated her; nearly everyone liked her - at least to her face. Okay, so they found her weird but they generally liked her. Still the hawk said nothing, Emily wondered how she expected it to speak in its animal form but with human cognition he should be able to give her some feed back. Perhaps he wasn't like her? Perhaps when he was animal he was all animal …

"I've wondered if there were people out there like me ever since I started to … you know, transform. I even went as far as to search up my biological parents …"

Still nothing, Emily started to worry. "I'm like you."

You're nothing like me, human! A voice spat in her mind so sharply that Emily jumped and stared in shock at the bird, his beady eyes raging with anger.

"How - how did you do that?" Emily asked, touching her hand unconsciously to her temple, she started towards the cage, "how can you talk in my mind?"

A whole new world of possibilities opened up in Emily's mind, it occurred to her that this person, bird … thing, was far more comfortable and able with his abilities then she was. She was sure she could learn much from someone like him … if he wasn't determined to kill her. Emily frowned, that kind of put a kibosh on the whole thing. Jasyn twitched his head at her, was she playing with him? Jasyn could not scent lies from her, so it stood to reason that she actually didn't know how to speak telepathically. This was getting stranger by the minute, every were-hunter, Arcadian and Katagaria, could speak to each other when in their animal form by a common telepathic path. It wasn't mind reading or invasion it was simply a way of projecting thoughts from the mind so that another were-hunter might hear. It was one of the most basic and easiest of skills a were-hunter would learn from their family. This begged the question then of why her family had neglected her education?

"When you say you're nothing like me, what do you mean?" Emily said curiously, she peered at him through the cage like a fascinating lab experiment, the thought chilled Jasyn all the way through.

You are human, Jasyn said, forgetting his sneer in the face of overwhelming curiosity. "I'm an animal."

"But I've seen you human -"

"Yes, but that's not my base form, my base form is that of a hawk."

"And you don't like me because my … base form is that of a human?"

Got it in one, sister, his voice growled in her head.

Emily silently pondered this for a moment, then abruptly yanked a chair over; she turned it around and straddled it, crossing her arms over its back.

"Okay, there are obviously some underlying issues here that I know nothing about," Emily said in a lets cut the crap kind of voice, "now I need you to tell me our race or breed or whatever."

Why should I help you?

"How can it harm you?" Emily snapped impatiently throwing up her hands, "you're simply telling me our history and particularly why it is you hate me. I need to know why I may end up fighting you, or people like you, for the rest of my life!"

Jasyn sat in moody silence for a moment, the spiteful side of him, which was the bigger side, wanted to leave her there, just dying for all the knowledge he possessed. The other part was so interested by her that he wanted to tell her everything, and for once the smaller part of him was victorious.

Fine, Jasyn snapped and Emily beamed, if you let me out.

Her smile dropped her face like jelly sliding off a plate, she chewed her lip and sighed, "you'll try to kill me."

Jasyn laughed at her and relished the sight of her pretty cheeks flushing red, I won't.

"I can't be sure of that -"

What could I possibly do? Jasyn asked slyly, thanks to you I'm wounded and weak. I can't fly and I can't change back into my human form, if anyone should be worried about their life it's me. How do I know you won't eventually kill me?

Emily's first reaction was righteous indignation and denial, she would never do a thing like that, her mouth snapped open to tell him so but she stopped herself. Best let him think that she was capable of it. Though if it came down to a him or her fight she wouldn't be so noble again.

"You'd deserve it if I did," she sniped at him. Emily stood up and moved towards the cage, taking a deep fortifying breath she flicked open the lock and opened the door, dreading the moments to come. Jasyn was shocked at how gullible and impressionable she was, he hadn't stayed alive all these centuries by being a weakling, of course he could change right now and he'd be able to hold his form too. In fact he could kill her faster then she could swat a fly. Jasyn hopped out of the cage and flew the short distance to the chair back, which he perched upon; Emily went about getting another chair, her movements slow and deliberate, her eyes forever looking sideways at him. Jasyn smiled to himself, she had enough self-preservation not to trust him implicitly.

"So," Emily said politely, she had sat down across from him, her legs crossed neatly as if she'd been plucked out of finishing school. "Would you like to continue?"