Cat & Mouse
Pairing: E/S
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mutant X Characters, except for in my imagination!!!!
A/N: This is my first attempt at an idea that has been running around my head for a while. I've read many of the E/S pairings and enjoyed most of them. I thought I'd attempt to put some of my musings down and see what the reviews say.
So Please, Read & Review!
…
TIME: A few years before Emma and Brennan join the Mutant X team
PLACE: A local dance studio
Emma wiped sweat off her brow and stretched. Her dance instructor glared and told her and the other girl, "Once more. With feeling, girls." She pounded the floor with a walking cane. One, Two, Three.
Emma looked over at her dance partner. Her eyes danced mischievously as she meets Emma's eyes briefly and then looked quickly away. God, she looks so good in a leotard! Emma heard her say. So do you, sweetie. So do you. Emma replied.
They stood back to back and the opening beats of Total Eclipse of the Heart started.
Turn around, Every now and then I get a little bit lonely and you're never coming round.
Turn around, Every now and then I get a little bit tired of listening to the sound of my tears.
Turn around, Every now and then I get a little bit nervous that the best of all the years have gone by.
Turn around, Every now and then I get a little bit terrified and then I see the look in you eyes.
Turn around Bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart,
Turn around Bright eyes, Every now and then I fall apart
Emma loved the music. She loved her partner Myra. She loved the words to the song. The expressions on their faces tell the world of their new-founded love. Emma sighed, because she couldn't wait for the practice session to end. Then she and Myra could grab a quick shower here and then go home. Cuddle time? She thought at Myra. Of course. Watch it, you almost took my arm off with that spin. Myra warned her.
Emma flushed and returned her concentration to the dance and the music. She relaxed and let the music flow over her until the last beat ended.
"Good girls. We'll continue next week in your next lesson. Now go before the pre-schoolars start coming in." Their dance instructor clapped and turned the music off.
Emma and Myra hugged her quickly, then grabbed their backpacks and ran to the shower area.
…
TIME: The present
PLACE: Sanctuary
Emma wakes up from her dream of Myra. Why? Why Myra?she thought fiercely to herself. She drew her knees up and bit her lip to keep from crying. Myra was killed by a drunk driver on the way home from that dance practice. She missed the constant reassurances Myra gave her: their bodies dancing in perfect unity; the kisses and furtive touches in public; the tenderness in bed. No more. Not since she had watched Myra die under the tires of that car. Damn! I really need some one to hold me just now and erase this bad memory. Emma crawled out from under the covers.
Sanctuary's halls were dim and quiet. Avoiding the medlab where Adam was most likely still awake with his research. He was not the one she needed reassurance from. At least not tonight.
Emma paused outside Jesse's and then Brennan's doors. The snores from inside reassured her that they were sound asleep. Quietly, she continued on to Shalimar's room. She wasn't quite sure if she wanted to wake the feral up or not. Hearing Shalimar's steady breathing, she sighed and headed to her meditation pool. At least she could use the time to calm herself down.
Shalimar heard Emma's sigh at her door. She had been woken up a few minutes earlier when the wave of sadness and longing approached ahead of Emma. Her little sister, she reminded herself. At least in friendship. She'd been extra sensitive to Emma ever since Caleb Mathius, the vampire, had sucked her lifeforce out. She realized then that she liked Emma a lot. Maybe even loved her. She didn't want to push Emma into anything though.
Emma reached the pool and settled into her meditation pose. Shalimar chuckled softly when she felt the waves of peace and contentment emanate from Emma as she meditated. I'm not going to disturb her now she purred to herself.
The rest of Mutant X slept on unaware of Emma's inner turmoil
…
About an hour later
Sometimes late at night I lie awake and watch her sleeping, She's lost in peaceful dreams (Garth Brooks If Tomorrow Never Comes)
Peaceful dreams indeed.
Emma awoke with a start. She was dreaming about Myra again. It took her a few seconds to realize that she was still sitting beside the Tranquillity pool and not in her room. She felt someone slip up behind her.
"Emma? Are you ok? I heard you from my room." Shalimar asked worriedly. She slipped in behind Emma and wrapped her in a big hug.
"Oh, Shal! I didn't mean to wake you." Emma twitched at Shal's gentle touch. Shalimar with a gentle touch….shiver
Shal felt the shiver but chose to ignore it. "What were you dreaming about? Brennan? Jesse? Adam?"
Emma bristled, "No, not any of the guys. An old girlfriend. We were dance partners a few years back at the studio. She was killed by a drunk driver one day as we left the studio." She bit her lip to keep from crying.
"Oh, baby!" Shalimar flipped around to face Emma. "I'm sorry about that. And you were there?"
"Yes." Emma barely whispered it. "We were…" lovers, she finished in her head.
Shal felt the emotions barely controlled in her friend and the fear emanating from Emma. She also felt the strong feelings for the old girlfriend and guessed at the relationship. "You two were very close, right?"
"Uh huh," Emma started to cry silently. Damn it! I didn't want to cry
Shal absently stroked Emma's back as she cried silently. She knew Emma rarely showed this type of emotion carelessly and was glad to be able to be here for her friend. "Oh, Emma! I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
Emma looked up at Shal through her teary eyes. "Everybody goes sometimes." She started humming.
Shal recognized the tune as Garth Brooks' If Tomorrow Never Comes. A Country song was the last thing she expected, but she recognized the sentiment of it, and Emma's grief. Shal hummed along with Emma.
Emma looked up at her friend. She saw the love and concern that Shal was projecting at her and was slightly overwhelmed.
"I wasn't allowed to go to her funeral. That day was seven years ago today. Her family didn't approve of our relationship…" She trailed off and shuddered again remembering the screeching brakes, the thunk of Myra's body hitting the car and the pavement, the last thought Myra had. I love you, Emma. Always and Forever. Don't forget it. I'll see you again. Emma also remembered that she never got to say the words back to Myra. She buried her head back into Shal's shoulder and cried harder.
Shal just hugged her harder, wishing she could have known Emma that day, so she could have dried her tears then too, but she contented herself with holding onto her friend and helping her through the grief.
A few minutes later, Shal realized that Emma was sound asleep. Carefully shifting her weight around, she picked up Emma and carried her over to the couch. She laid her down and snuggled up behind her, pulling one of the afghans down over the two of them. Listening to Emma's breathing and feeling the relaxation of normal sleep overtaking her, she closed her eyes and concentrated on keeping Emma safe. Her Emma now.
The game is on….
TBC
A/N: I corrected this chapter, thanks to my betas!