Is this still home?

A/N: I realise that there are quite a few references to a possible relationship between Shalimar and Brennan in the eppy that I'm looking at (Nothing to Fear), but if you'll just suspend reality for a bit...lol. This fan fiction comes from a single point in that episode, where Henry Voight (the bad guy) threatens Emma (physically and verbally) using Brennan's body. Just wanted to clear that up! *smiles*

Emma's point of view: I haven't heard any noises for a while, so I'm pretty sure everyone's hit the sack already. Just to be sure, I do a quick mental sweep of the area before leaving my room. Shalimar's dreaming about shopping (Ooh, nice top), Jesse about swimming in the sea (Aaah!!! Minus the trunks! Did NOT need to see that), Adam doesn't seem to be dreaming about anything, and Brennan, he...well, I saw my face and got the hell out of that dream.

Finally, the kitchen...now, where did Jesse say he put the chips he bought last week? It's a shame I can't just access my own memories...then again, it's not like I've ever tried, is it? Well, here goes...

Images start coming thick and fast, of my team members, of the New Mutants we've helped, of my parents...suddenly I see Jess, holding a bag of chips and turning to face the...

Out of nowhere a hand touches my shoulder – "We left a plate in the fridge for-" Before Adam can get any further, I let out a loud scream and spin around to face him.

"Jeez! What are you trying to do? Make me die of shock?" I snap out, without really meaning it. A look of surprise hovers on his face for a moment before fading.

A moment later, Adam is against the wall, with a glowing blue ball in his face. There's a moments pause before the ball's owner speaks. "Adam? Oh, God, I'm sorry! I thought someone was trying to- never mind" As quickly as it had appeared, the ball of energy was gone, lost inside a fiercely closed fist.

"I heard Emma scream and freaked. It was like I was on autopilot or something...Thank God I realised it was you in time! I'd never be able to forgive myself if I hurt one of you guys..."

"It's okay Brennan, I probably would have done the same thing if I'd heard her. Besides, the sheer fact that you came running when you heard her shows that you care about us all. I was just telling her about the plate we left for her. I don't think she realised I was here." Trust Adam to be the diplomat, the diffuser.

Adam's point of view: For a second there I thought I was a goner. There was so much anger, and perhaps even hate in Brennan's face. I don't think I've ever seen that look on anyone's face before. It reminded me of Shalimar's face whenever someone threatened Jesse or me in the old days, back when Mutant X was a trio, before the two standing before me had joined us...

I don't doubt his assessment of being on "autopilot". He seemed so completely unaware of who I was, of his surroundings...of everything but Emma. Perhaps Henry's powers triggered some kind of shift in his genetic make-up?

"Perhaps you should come to the lab with me, Brennan. I'd like to have another look at your elemental DNA. I'm still not convinced that you guys haven't suffered any ill-effects from time Henry was in control of your minds." Even as I spoke, I felt the young woman at my side stiffen at the mention of Henry Voight, and move even further behind me. I wasn't sure before, but now I could definitely see that whatever was wrong with Emma had a direct link with our previous battle with Henry. What I couldn't understand was why all of her animosity in regard to that period seemed to be directed towards Brennan...

"Look, just because I thought someone was hurting Emma and freaked, doesn't mean that there's something kooky with my genes! It was just a protective instinct. Emma's like my...my...sister!" I shouldn't be surprised by that. He never did like all my "poking and prodding" as he calls it.

"Still, it's better to be safe than sorry. Come on, it'll only take a few minutes, and then you can get back to bed." I reply, laying a hand on Brennan's shoulder and gently propelling him towards the doorway.

I'm just walking through it myself when I hear Emma say my name. "Yes?" I respond, turning to face her.

"Um, well, I think I might have...what I mean is...oh, never mind!" She rambled, turning away to face the fridge. I almost pressed her to continue, but something made me stop short. An instinct, a feeling...I don't know.

Emma's point of view: When I was sure they'd gone, I allowed my body to relax, falling into a nearby chair. What possessed me to call him back? Sure, I wanted to tell him about what happened when I tried to remember where the chips were, but surely telling him at that moment would only serve to have him run some tests on me as well. The last thing I wanted right now was to spend any more time than necessary with Brennan Mulwray...right? I'm starting to feel like my heart is going over my head to get what it wants – no pun intended.

I can't spend my whole life hiding from him and yet wanting to be close to him at the same time. I've got to take the first step, and what better time than right now. If only I was as brave as I tried to tell myself I was! I finally sucked it up and half-walked half-ran to the lab. I was just about to enter when I heard Adam say something that chilled me to the bone.

"It's not a case of me not wanting to tell you, I swear. I honestly don't know what's wrong with her. The only thing I can think of is something that happened when Henry had control of everyone but Emma and me. He used your body to threaten her. However, I'm sure Emma's far too sensible to attribute that to you instead of Henry. She's-"

"WHAT?!?" Brennan interrupted before Adam could get any further. "He 'used my body'? What the hell does that mean? My voice, my hands, my thoughts, what?"

If this was all going to come out, I was at least going to make sure he truly understood why I was unwilling to be near him...

"All three, Brennan, all three. He...he...I can't explain it in words" I said, stepping through the doorway.

"Emma? I'm so, so sorry. I swear, if I'd known...I would've...could've..." Brennan exclaimed, his voice breaking.

"Know? You don't know...but you can..." Before either man could stop me, I strode over to the chair and connected with Brennan. If he'd known, huh? Well, I'll just take care of that for him, I thought as I sent him a mental image of the scene between us that day, making sure to include how scared, confused and hurt I was. If he was going to see this, he was going to get the whole she-bang.

Brennan's point of view: For a second my brain didn't register what she was trying to show me. All too soon, however, that moment of relative bliss was replaced by a seemingly incessant rush of images, sounds, feelings.

So much pain, and fear, and...suddenly I heard someone screaming. It took me a moment to realise it was my own voice I could hear.

The images are abruptly interrupted by a blinding white light. When it fades, I can see Adam standing over me, pulling a lost looking Emma away from me. What the hell was that? I mean, I know Emma has some pretty funky abilities, but since when can she mess with her own memories? It's kinda hard to concentrate on that though. I keep seeing my own face hovering in front of me, with a look of pure evil on it. Did I really do this to my beautiful Emma?

"What the hell do you think you were doing?!? You could have killed him!" I hear him shout. Kill me? No way! Emma's not nearly that powerful...is she? Surely we'd know about it?

"He wanted to 'know'...so I 'told' him. End of story." Turning to me she continued "Now do you see why I have such a problem with being around you, with hearing your voice...with trusting you?"

I had to stuggle for a moment to get my voice to work – "I...I...I don't have any memory of doing that, I swear! It wasn't me...it wasn't! IT WASN'T!" I couldn't say any more...the words just wouldn't come up. I felt a wave of guilt and grief as I curled up into a ball on the diagnostic chair.

Shalimar's point of view: I'm in the middle of a great dream about winning a shopping spree when I hear someone yelling. My feral instincts wake me up instantly. After a second I realise it's Brennan...and he's near Adam's lab.

Just because he didn't seem to return the feelings that had been developing in me for him doesn't make them any less potent. As I race into the lab I catch the tail end of what Adam is saying to Emma – "...did you do to him?!?". Emma did this? Emma hurt strong, serious Brennan? How? She's the weakest of all of us!

But the how doesn't matter right now, only the act itself, I think as I lunge for her..."I'll kill you, I swear I will!" I scream as I fly through the air...just before everything goes black. It takes me a moment to realise that I'm on the other side of the room, sitting against the glass wall, as she runs out of the room. What happened to sweet, gentle Emma, our little diplomat? When did she turn into...into one of us?

Emma's point of view: I didn't mean to hurt Shalimar, honestly I didn't, but when she came soaring through the air at me, instinct took over. I hope she's okay. What am I saying? Of course she will be! The three of them always are! It's only helpless little Emma dear that can't take care of herself!

All of a sudden I realise I'm walking into the garage. I pause for a moment before striding over to a small black car, a convertible. I took this one when I last stayed at a safehouse, so my overnight gear should still be in the trunk.

Part of me was screaming to go back, apologise for my so-called 'mistakes' like I always do. But a bigger, stonger part of me was asking if that was what I really wanted, if this hidden away place was still home, my home? I pondered the question aloud as I pulled open the hidden compartment under the dashboard and took out the keys – "Is this still home?"