Disclaimer: The usual. I own nothing, I know it, so please don't sue. Though you're welcome to use my opening idea to bring the show back. :)
Author's Note: Haven't written in a while. Shame on me. Thought of this and had to give it a try. I admittedly stopped watching the show after Emma died... I must warn you, I'm a big J/E shipper and don't think much of Lexa's character. It might show in the story. :) I guess the truth is I thought the team accepted Emma's death too easily. I kept waiting for there to be some psionic involved, making them see her as dead while Eckhart or someone else had the real Emma, who needed their help. (That's in another story I'm working on, by the way.)
Summary: One member of Mutant X takes the opportunity to work through her increasing powers after the explosion at Nexcon (I think that was the name of Shal's dad's company). The nightmares depriving her of sleep bring the revelation that something far more serious and deadly is going on than anyone realizes. BIG J/E fan so yes, there is that pairing. S/B also of course.
Chapter One: The Departure
She was sure that the time had arrived. Later, she would be able to recall the exact moment it hit her, clinging to the crumbling cement trying not to look down at the blaze below. If she was to leave her friends, in many ways her family, and work through her increasing powers and the nightmares filling her evenings she had to do it now. The explosion rocked the area for miles, making it believable that she would have died. Small, frail, innocent, caring, they would believe what they saw without question. And they did.
Watching Jesse's shocked face and Shal's terminated launch towards the red head's body, she knew. They believed. And that belief would give her the time she needed. Turning around, the weak and injured young woman walked slowly away from her friends. The group that had become her family would continue on without her, and without her knowledge, without their leader for a time. As the missions continued for the remaining members of Mutant X, Emma lived.
"Hey Sarafina, can you take me through another meditation later today? I'd love to pick up where we left off." Elise said, looking at her friend gratefully as the woman nodded.
"Certainly, dear. Have you had more nightmares?" Sarafina asked, knowing the answer already. Elise knew that while Sarafina was not a New Mutant, she has many gifts.
"Yes." Elise answered, frustrated. The former red head, now brunette, looked into the aged eyes of her good friend and let her frustration show. "I keep hoping the meditations will help. I'm very calm and relaxed before I curl up to bed, and then within a few hours I wake up from the nightmares." Sarafina gazed into the young woman's eyes and recognized her pain.
"It's not easy to have gifts, but there is always a reason. Have you considered that maybe these dreams," Sarafina paused, seeing Elise's glare, "nightmares, have meaning?" The older woman asked, watching Elise's brow furrow ever so slightly.
"I hope not." Elise said, remembering the stand off between Adam and Adam in front of a confused and scared Shalimar, Brennan, Jesse, and a brunette she didn't know. Elise tried to block the images that swam before her eyes, but they continued. The disturbing part wasn't even that there were two Adam's. The disturbing part, the part that really hurt, were the feelings that seemed to emanate from Jesse towards this brunette. She had grown used to his boyish charm and constant girl watching, but to know that he would one day come to love this other woman caused her heart to ache.
"Are you sure?" Sarafina asked quietly, allowing Elise to think of the images she was obviously consumed with while giving her something to ponder.
Whispering, "I hope not," Elise stood up slowly and walked towards the spot where she carried out her evening meditations. Sitting down gracefully but still filled with a sense of great loss, Elise crossed her legs and began the meditations that helped her control the power inside.
Breathing slowly, purposefully, Elise focused on releasing the images that had previously filled her. One by one the nightmares dissipated, drawing her deeper into herself. Recognizing the barriers she had put up for protection, Elise concentrated as she moved through them. The feeling was similar to that of sinking, only it was within her own mind.
Feeling comfortable within her skin again Elise allowed herself to sink. Looking around the young woman stopped. Why would I bring myself here? Seeing woods and the huge aircraft, Elise immediately recognized her surroundings. Voices sounded further down the path, closer to the Helix's opening.
"I need time to fix it." Jesse said, frustrated. The soft sounds following were obviously her voice, tinged with fear. Elise closed her eyes, she remembered this day so well. Everything was just as it had been. Opening her eyes Elise watched the events unfold. As Shalimar chased Brennan to help him rescue the missing pilot, she tried to give Jesse the time he needed to fix the machine. Now, in this part of her mind, she stood still as a redhead sent a negative energy pulse throughout the surrounding area. Watching with trepidation, Elise felt Jesse's fear and astonishment before sensing nothing in the way of worry. She had wiped his mind of the experience, sparing herself the inconvenience of explaining her abilities to him. The inconvenience of allowing him to worry about her. She knew it was true.
Even though on the outside she was the most fragile of the team, internally she considered herself among its strongest members. To show weakness to this man, this young man who flirted like there was no tomorrow and who didn't even bother to hide his lust, was more than she could do. She cared for him. I don't want you to see how weak I really am, Jesse. The thought surprised her, but no one knew better than Elise that if there was truth to be found it would be here, within her own mind.
Seeing the barrier floating around this memory and confident she was ready to pass it, Elise walked through seconds before her jaw dropped. Why am I here? Adam was yelling "Hang on Emma!" as he struggled to maintain his grip. Jesse and Brennan and Shalimar were hanging on to the cement floor to survive. They all stared at each other before looking at her. Frail, sweet Emma, will she survive? Had they known she would leave them? Or is this my mind's way of bringing me back to reality, I left them after all.
Not sure of the answer but feeling slightly uncomfortable, Elise turned to move on when she stopped. There, behind one of the ambulances, was the brunette. What was she doing there? Elise stood as the figure smiled and moved back into the shadows. Hearing a scream, Elise turned as Brennan grabbed Shalimar before she could run to the stretcher carrying away the image of Emma's dead form. Elise didn't know who the person was that had died, the woman either worked at Nexcon or was one of Eckhart's flunkies. Either way, she had made it easy for Emma to die.
Sighing, Elise began losing her focus. She wasn't dead, but after putting her friends through that she probably should be. Looking at the seen one more time Elise decided to strengthen her barriers. Feeling confidant with her abilities once again, Elise slowly came back to life.
As the young brunette opened her eyes she tried to take her mind off the image of the other woman at the scene. When Sarafina asked if her dreams meant something she had thought the woman was reaching too much into her own experiences. Elise didn't have the New Mutant ability to dream the future, but she supposed there might be some truth to what Sarafina had always told her. Everyone has gifts, some psychic or pre-cognitive or clairsentient or any number of a dozen others, most just don't know it or develop it. Forced to face her fears about her powers, she probably had a head start on most people where developing those natural gifts were concerned.
Standing up, Elise walked inside and started thinking. She couldn't go home, not yet; but she had to know who the other woman was. If her friends were in danger she had to warn them. Figuring out what to say, the young woman said a quick goodbye to Sarafina before rushing off to the library to send an anonymous message.