Suddenly, Susan realized how a teddy bear felt. She was completely squished under Grogek's massive arm, as he lightly snored into her hair. She wanted to cuddle up against him, but the more pressing issue, was that she desperately had to pee. Wiggling several different directions, she found that if she wasn't stuck, then Grogek tugged her in tighter.
"Elunara!" She hissed.
"Huh?" She blinked up at the bed.
"I can't get free!"
"Tickle him."
"What?"
"Wiggle your fingers on his belly."
Susan blinked and shifted her hand back, wiggling her fingers. With a giggle and a snort, he rolled over onto his back. She put her hand to her mouth to suppress the giggle fit. "That's the cutest thing I've ever seen." She whispered.
Elunara put a finger to her mouth.
Susan held her giggle and bolted for the bathroom.
Susan sat on the platform beside Elunara with a sigh. "Who knew he could be so adorable?"
"Me." Elunara winked. "If he ever scares you again, just remember that little nugget, and it'll be ok."
"He's such a sweet man; it's often difficult to imagine him as anything but."
"I'm glad you feel that way."
Susan jolted. "Oh, you startled me."
Grogek grinned. "Forgive me."
"Hey, Nara!"
Elunara rolled her eyes. "What Gerald?"
"Meet my ACTUAL sister, Jeana."
"The one you have a hard on for?"
Gerald smacked his face. "I knew you'd say something like that."
The woman in question laughed, and brushed her hair back. "My baby brother here has been telling me all about his adopted sister and her... weird attitudes."
"Youngest of three?" Elunara considered.
"Yeah, when our parents died, we were sent to the orphanage, Jeana here, was adopted out quickly, and left for Arathi, we kept in contact, but..." He shrugged. "Donald was also picked up, but by someone in Redridge. He came back often with his adopted parents." Gerald sat down. "Meanwhile, I was left here. I acted out, and landed myself in Mathias's lap. He raised me."
"That explains much." Elunara nodded.
"See, can't have a thing for my sister, if I never saw her." Gerald stuck out his tongue.
"Why ARE you back?" Elunara frowned. "If you've never come back before?"
Gerald sighed. "Always suspicious."
"Am not."
"Well, then, she's straight, hands off."
"Don't want that either. I just figured that sibling bonds would dictate she visit more often."
"Heard my brother here, adopted a baby. I was curious, that's all." Jeana shrugged.
"Hm. Well, I never understood such things anyway." Elunara waved a hand.
After the pair of them left, Elunara tapped her pencil on her board.
"Something is bothering you." Grogek reached up and stroked her leg.
"I don't trust her."
"Maybe it's just as they say." Susan sighed. "Look at my... ex-sister."
"Maybe."
"Elunara?"
"Yeah?" She looked back at the agent.
"Mathias has requested your presence."
Her eyebrows shot up. "On my way."
Jeana frowned. "Your Elunara is a wary one."
"Not really." Gerald shrugged. "She's just strongly analytical. She over thinks everything." He shuddered. "To extents that I don't want to discuss."
"Hm."
"Chrissy?"
"In here."
"Chrissy I want you to meet my sister, Jeana."
"Oh, how lovely." Chrissy smiled. "Gerald told me about your situation."
"Yeah, it's sad and all. Where's the baby?"
"William is asleep, but you can peek in at him." Chrissy wiped her hands on a towel and led the way.
"Isn't he beautiful?" She whispered.
Jeana reached out, and put her hand on the child's head. "Yeah... he's something alright."
"We've recently come into some interesting information. I felt you should be the first to know." Mathias came around the desk and sat back on it. "I have decided; due to the nature of this information, that I would ask your opinion on how to handle it."
Elunara's eyebrows shot up again.
"We have evidence that leads me to believe, that the woman known as Terica, the dead agent known as Robert, and the corpse, now known as Michi, that brought the infant William to our door, are all either siblings, or adopted siblings."
Elunara dropped her board. "What?"
He nodded. Reaching back, he snagged a packet of papers off of the desk. He handed them over.
Elunara frowned. "Holy shit." After flipping through the pages, she shook her head. "They weren't physical siblings."
"How can you be sure?"
"I've studied faces. You know my work... these... these aren't related. This is some sort of brotherhood. But, WHY?"
"I don't know."
"Something... there's something on the edge of my memory, something fresh..." She muttered. Shaking her head, she sighed. "I need my books."
"What of William?"
Elunara put her fist on her chin. "I don't want to keep Gerald in the dark. He needs to know this. Please, let me handle him."
"Of course." Mathias nodded.
Elunara knocked on the door.
Gerald blinked at her. "Uh, what?"
"I need to speak to you and Chrissy. Is your sister here?"
"Yeah."
"Get rid of her."
Gerald blinked. "CHRISSY!"
Chrissy stuck her head out. "Yes?"
"Elunara needs us."
"Y'all go on; I'll take care of the baby." Jeana smiled.
"No." Elunara's voice was flat.
"I know you don't know me." Jeana sighed. "But I love children. He'll be perfectly fine."
"This is SI:7 business."
Gerald's eyes went wide. "Jeana, leave."
"You can't possibly..."
"I SAID LEAVE!"
Jeana jolted and put her hands on her hips. "I am your REAL SISTER!"
Gerald marched back, grabbed Jeana by the arm, and hauled her bodily out the door. "GO."
Jeana glared at Elunara. "This is bullshit."
"Go bitch at Mathias; I'm sure he'll care." Elunara snorted.
After she finished, Gerald raked his fingers through his hair. "This is crazy!"
"Do you read the evidence the same as I do?"
He nodded. "I also agree with your assessment. I've seen your work, I know your abilities. You say these three aren't physically related, I buy it."
"But, what does it mean?" Chrissy whispered, as she clung, with some desperation, to William.