Valencia and Birgit sat in the kitchen eating. They were both hungry and wanted different things, so they compromised and had everything.

"I don't remember having such a big appetite," Valencia said, "yes, I could always put away a good amount of food but never this much."

"Harvey says it's due to our cellular structure change with the restrictions lifted," Fiona said, sipping her drink. "Your body requires replenishment and rehydrating to complete the process."

"I don't understand why there were restrictions placed on us anyway," Birgit said, shovelling food into their mouth.

"The restrictions were put in place to keep you under Darcia's hand," Jesse supplied, walking into the kitchen and taking a seat next to Valencia. "If she completed the process initially required, she wouldn't please the investors after the military and their projects."

"Are you saying the military wanted us ..." Fiona indicated her form, "like this ... restriction-free."

Jesse nodded, "It would seem so."

"Why didn't she finish the process?" Valencia asked.

"It would seem she had another offer from a group of people who wanted another energy source," Jesse sighed. "Hence her branching out wherever she could find the subjects for her work."

"That's why Jasmine and I were taken," Valencia whispered.

"You were taken," Jesse said, "Jasmine was sold to her by her father."

"He knew what was done to his daughter," Fiona shook her head, "that is messed up."

"He knew," Jesse sighed, "he seems to have been one of Darcia's underworld connections and, according to what Jasmine has learnt, wanted a better kind of daughter."

"He sold her?" Birgit whispered, "as in got money for allowing someone to own and torture his flesh and blood."

"You heard right," Jesse said, "the problem is we don't know how far this has gone. Who has the knowledge and information Darcia was working on before she died, and who is Madden's successor is."

"It makes sense that Madden knows Darcia's work and is continuing because it has all been mapped out," Fiona sighed, leaning back in the seat, "that just sucks. But what do you mean, "we don't know how far this goes?""

"There is that possibility," Jesse nodded. "We have no clue who is on their payroll, who is privy to plans, including contingency plans to make whatever they have planned to happen. We must get the people off that island, stabilised and living once more."

"Where is Jasmine?" Valencia asked suddenly, "surely she would want to know about her Dad."

"I'll go find her," Fiona said, rising from the table and winking at Jesse, "I'm sure the news won't come as a surprise, but it will confirm and put to rest any questions."

Jesse waited in the deafening silence, making sure no other interruptions would come their way before he turned to the body sitting next to him.

"You both have a lot of explaining to do," Jesse hissed, holding on to his anger.

"We came out of the adaptor, and Harvey said it was probably for the best you weren't there when we woke up," Birgit whispered, "there is a reason."

"It better be a good one," Jesse cleared his throat, not looking at them.

"We overheard about Tina. Craig has to sit out for the duration of Tina's pregnancy," Valencia whispered. "We have seen the list of who could go in without being triggered or having their restrictions used against them. There were only five,"

"What made you think that going into the equaliser would be the only thing that would solve the problem?" Jesse clasped his hands tightly, closing his eyes against visions of the possibilities playing in his mind, still haunting him.

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Valencia went silent as though she could sense his emotion and hear his thoughts. Jesse turned his head to look at her, swallowing when he saw their eyes fill with tears.

"You're angry with us," Birgit whispered, "we did it because we had come across information on the computer about what the combination of the two machines could do."

"Why didn't you tell someone then?" Jesse hissed.

"No one would have listened," Valencia whispered, "as far as everyone else is concerned, I'm good at organising and keeping everyone fed and accommodated. Nothing more."

"You're good at those things," Jesse frowned, "if you felt that way, then why didn't you tell me?"

"What I found out would have been used on everyone else," Valencia swiped at the tears streaming down their cheeks. "I would have been thanked and then put to one side, forbade to participate and discarded."

"Why would you think that?" Jesse frowned.

"I'm not a fighter," Valencia said, "I'm not essential to a task that doesn't require restrictions ..." they cleared their throat, "... plus we've been a lot of trouble lately and are not trusted."

"You put yourself through all of that to prove a point," Jesse said, biting out the words, "you put me through hell wondering if you would make it. Scared out of my mind, not knowing if you'd come through the processes."

"You make it sound like I planned to hurt you," Valencia stared at him, suddenly going silent.

Turning to glare at them, he met only the stare of Birgit. Valencia has retreated, "Where is she?"

"She slammed the door," Birgit's husky voice said quietly, "what makes how you felt any different to how she feels when you go out to save the world."

"That is different," Jesse fumed, "I know what I'm doing, and I'm with a team who has my back."

"We don't have that," Birgit whispered, "for a while now, we have felt on our own. Isolated. Frankly, at times, we have felt unwanted. Even by you."

"Don't be absurd," Jesse said, "I have always been here for both of you."

"Really," Birgit said, "when we came to you earlier, you were too busy helping Breanna with her list, and then you were with David. Did you ever look at the note Val left you?"

"What note?" Jesse asked, puzzled.

"The one she handed you just after Fiona was pulled from the equaliser," Birgit said, her eyebrows rising. "You didn't even notice we were there. We could have been invisible."

Jesse sighed, pushing his hands into his pant pockets. Sure enough, a piece of paper met his touch. Pulling it out, he read the note. Babe, we found something that will help with the list. I need to talk to you.

"You had that with you the whole time but got angry when we decided to simply do the procedure we knew would work," Birgit shook her head. "You got angry with us for leading everyone through a process that is the only way to help those on the island."

"I'm sorry," Jesse whispered, "I didn't know."

"You're sorry," Birgit bit out, "I'm the one who has to listen to her sob. I'm the one that has to keep us alive while she pines for your attention ... for years. When you finally give it, you cannot even give it unconditionally."

Birgit got up from the chair, "You do what you want to, Jesse. I have to keep Valencia from falling apart."

"Wait," Jesse called, stopping Birgit, who turned and left the room. Looking down at the note, he crumpled it in his hand, "damn it."

Betty sat in the far corner of the kitchen, helplessly hearing every word from the couple at the breakfast bar. They didn't know she was still there. They didn't think she had been through the equaliser and adapter, her hearing so refined she could hear a dog whistle. Her heart broke for the young woman named Valencia. Being two people in one body must be very difficult, but having to deal with that and others' suspicions and exclusions must make it harder. Add the man who is supposed to be on your side, have your back and at least try to understand what is going on and fight for and defend you, doesn't. That was simply crushing.

She knew. She had been there. She understood more than anyone would know. It was mostly the reason she was still here. Hiding.

Leaving through a different exit, Betty searched for the dual person that people spoke of behind her back. They needed to know they were not as isolated as they thought.

"Hi Harvey," Birgit whispered, "we ... I wanted to apologise for causing all this," she indicated in the infirmary. "I... we couldn't see any other way of getting the message across."

Harvey glanced at Birgit before continuing to work on the latest person who had gone through the equaliser, "Where is Valencia?"

"Away," Birgit murmured while turning to leave, "just thought you should hear it from me ... us."

"Where is she?" Harvey grabbed Birgit's arm.

"Still inside," Birgit whispered, "and hurting badly."

"Jesse ranted and raged, didn't he?" Harvey sighed, "I'm truly sorry."

"No matter," Birgit smiled tightly, "we've weathered worse in the past. We'll survive this as well."

Birgit quickly walked away before more questions were asked, "Come on, Val," she whispered, "you need to come out."

No answer to her plea. She sighed deeply while heading to the door she had seen earlier. Jenkins had said it led to the gardens. Perhaps a little sunshine would be just what was needed. Birgit needed to escape all the tension surrounding them that required being somewhere quiet and beautiful. Maybe she could convince Valencia to come out of hiding and enjoy the sunshine.