Mothers and Fathers By Tigereyes320 Chapter 7 of 23

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Mutant X. Tribute Entertainment owns the rights to these characters. No copyright infringement is intended.

A/N This story came to me in a dream. Don't ask. I was thinking that if the actress who plays Shalimar became pregnant, how could they cover an entire season with her being pregnant. She could hardly beat up GSA agents in her 6th month. They would also want to keep the baby a secret from Eckhart as long as possible. The baby of course would be born in June, just in time for the end of the season. But if everyone knew who the father was (Brennan) it wouldn't be that interesting of a season, but what if it wasn't clear. . . Brennan/Shalimar pairing constructive criticism only to tigereyes320@hotmail.com Just to let everyone know this is going to be a long story. And I don't update every week or even month, but I do finish all fics I start. So, be patient it will be finished. Also Emma is not dead, it will be explained in the second chapter how she came to still be alive. Adam is also no longer believed to be dead, that will also be explained in a later chapter. Lexa is now part of Mutant X. Also the excerpts Shalimar reads are from the book "What to expect when you are expecting" no copyright infringement is intended. Leave me your email address in your review and I'll send you an email when I update. Now if this was really an episode from tv you'd only get one episode a week. I have several chapters already written but I'm going to try for one update a week. No promises though. Also I don't thank each reviewer each chapter I wait until the very end. Thanks to everyone for reviewing.

A/N Just so everyone know the baby's sex and name has already been decided. However in an upcoming chapter they will be discussing names. So if you want to contribute a name you can, but give me a reason why the name should be suggested. For example Rose, because it's Shal favorite flower.

Chapter 7 The Proposal

Brennan caught Shalimar in his arms before she hit the floor. He swept her up into his arms and placed her on the sofa. He went back to the porch to retrieve the bag he had dropped to catch her and closed the door.

Brennan took off his leather coat, hung it up on the hook provided, and went into the kitchen. He found a clean towel and after wetting it down with cold water went back to the sofa where he had laid Shalimar. He sat down beside her and began to press the cool damp cloth to her forehead and cheeks.

The icy cold water quickly revived her, "Brennan? You're really here. This isn't a dream?"

"Nope."

"Did you say something about a baby? You know about the baby?" Shalimar said as she sat up on the sofa.

"Yeah, and I said you're both coming home with me." Brennan stood up and twisted the towel in his hands.

"But B-"

"I know why you broke up with me and said all those things to me."

"What are you talking about?"

"I know you're pregnant and I know you aren't sure of who the father is. What I don't know is why you felt you couldn't trust me."

"But I do trust you." Shalimar protested.

Brennan sat down beside her on the sofa again. "With your heart? Yes, but you didn't trust me to take care of this baby. Shalimar, how could I not love any part of you. That is what this baby is to me, a part of you. Do you think if you had had a child with Richard I couldn't have loved it? Shalimar I don't know what to tell you to make you believe me."

"You don't have to say anything." Shalimar said her eyes brimming with tears.

"I don't?"

"No. You came after me. Knowing everything you still came for me."

"Of course I came after you. I love you. And I love this baby, my baby."

"Brennan we don't know that."

"Yes I do. It takes more then biology to be a father. I'll be the one there with you when this baby is born. I'll be the one to walk the floors with it at night, teaching it to read. I'll be the one who loves them. If we happen to add to the family, this baby will always be my son or daughter."

Shalimar just sat up on the sofa and cried harder at what Brennan had just said. 'I hate all these hormones. He already loves you B."

"Hey don't cry. I didn't say any of that to make you sad." Brennan offered her the towel he still had in his hands.

Shalimar took the towel and wiped her eyes and blew her nose. "You didn't. I'm a lot more emotional these days. I just realized I put us both through an agonizing week and I didn't have to. I'm so sorry, I didn't trust you. I'm sorry I ran away and I'm so sorry I hurt you." Shalimar said as she crawled into Brennan's lap.

Brennan put his arms around Shalimar and held her close, he pressed his lips to her temple. "It's okay baby. Shh, you you shouldn't cry so hard Shal, it isn't good for you or the baby." Brennan rocked her for a few moments.

Once she had stopped crying, Brennan looked down to find that Shalimar had fallen asleep. He picked her up and carried her into the bedroom. He laid her on the bed and covered her with her beloved quilt that he had grabbed off the couch when he picked her up. Brennan kissed Shalimar on the forehead and made his way to the kitchen. He would see what provisions there were for dinner, all of a sudden he was starving.

~~~~~~~~~~~ Back at Sanctuary ~~~~~~~~~~~~

Emma was sitting on the bed, meditating when her cell phone rang. She sighed and answered it, "Hello."

"Emma?"

"Brennan! Did you get there safely? How is everything."

"I made it and everything is good. Shalimar and I are talking, well we were. Shalimar fell asleep. We're probably going to stay up her for a couple of weeks. Let everyone know I called. We'll call again before we leave. Right now I think we need some time for us."

"Okay. I'll let everyone know. Give my love to Shal."

"I will and Emma, thanks."

"You're welcome. Bye."

"Bye."

Emma tossed down her phone and went in search of Adam to tell him the good news. As she headed to the lab she bumped literally into Adam. "Adam! Just the man I was looking for."

"Well you look happy. You have another date with what's-his-face?"

"No, I don't. By the way his name is Michael."

"What's your good news Emma?"

"Brennan is up at the cabin with Shalimar."

Adam stopped dead in his tracks, "What?"

"Brennan found out Shalimar was pregnant. He needed to speak with her. So I told him where she was."

"Emma we promised."

"No I promised not to go to Brennan and tell him about the baby and her fears. I never promised her that I wouldn't tell Brennan where she was at. I also never promised not to confirm he asked me straight! out. Adam you promised not to tell him where she was at. C'mon you and I both know Shalimar did not want to break up with Brennan. She let her fear take over."

Adam couldn't argue with Emma, especially when she was right. "Are they okay?"

"They will be."

"Good. They deserve to be happy. No date tonight?"

"Nope, Michael has to work late. How about you?"

"Actually I'm meeting a friend for cocktails. I'll be back later."

"A friend? Would that be a female friend?"

"Yes."

"Do we need to have a talk about the birds and the bees?"

"Very funny. It hasn't been that long since I have been on a date."

"So can I ask who it is?"

"It's Danielle."

"Hmmmmm Danielle."

"Good Night Emma."

"Good Night Adam. I think I'll just go watch one of our movies. A happy one. Maybe 'Miss Congeniality' sounds like it might be good." Emma said as she walked away from Adam toward the living room area. "By the way Adam don't do anything I wouldn't do."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~* Meanwhile in Jesse's Bedroom ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jesse lay in his bed propped up on one elbow so that he could better look at Lexa. It always amazed him how vulnerable she looked and acted when sleeping. Her features were completely relaxed and she often snuggled into him. Public displays of affection were not her thing. If it was just the two of them Lexa could be very affectionate, but the minute someone else came in the room she always moved away from him. Jesse tried not to let it bother him, because he did know that Lexa cared for him.

Jesse tucked the dark blue sheets around them, then used his finger to lightly trace her lips. Jesse, unable to resist the temptation, dipped his head to catch her lips in a long kiss. When he ended the kiss and he raised his head, he saw her intense blue eyes looking up at him.

Lexa arched a brow, "Am I supposed to say 'My prince has come' now?"

"Nah you'd have to be a Princess for that." Jesse said with a smile.

"Are you insinuating that I'm not a princess?"

"Well. . . "

Lexa slapped at is chest. Jesse grabbed her hand and kissed it. He then put his arms around her and scooted around so that her head was on his chest and he could stroke her bare back. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Talk about what?" Lexa asked as she closed her eyes and let Jesse's hands work there magic.

"About whatever you're thinking about that changed your mood."

"What are you talking about?" Lexa asked as she sat up in the bed and looked around for her red nightdress.

"Lexa, don't hide from me. Your whole manner changed when we read Shalimar's medical file."

Lexa got up and took the top sheet with her as she went into the bathroom.

"Lexa?"

Lexa came back out in a black spaghetti-strapped nightdress. She'd given up finding the red one. Lexa looked at Jesse. "I know it did."

Jesse patted the bed beside him and sat up in bed so they could talk. "So?"

"Jess, I really like where we're at. I don't want to be psycho-analyzed right now."

"Well, am I allowed to talk about us?"

"Could I stop you?"

"Finding out Shalimar is pregnant reminded me that we haven't exactly been consistently careful about birth control. At least I haven't been. Are you protected?"

Lexa froze, not moving, barely even breathing.

"Lexa? Baby talk to me."

"Don't worry about it Jess, I'm not pregnant. In fact we never have to worry about it."

"What do you mean never?"

Lexa got up and paced back and forth in his bedroom. "It means I can't have children. All the experiments Genomex performed on me, have rendered me sterile." Lexa mentally braced herself for Jesse's reaction. Men didn't want to be with half a woman.

Jesse threw the sheets off and grabbing his pajama bottoms slipped them on and came up to stand behind her. "Are you sure?"

"That is what my medical report says. So you can relax there won't be any little Lexa's running around Sanctuary. Also no little Jesse's, at least not with me." Lexa looked at the closed door mentally calculating how long it would take to reach the door and leave the room before Jesse asked her to leave.

"So no little girl with dark pigtail and big blue eyes huh? I would have liked that with you."

It took Lexa several moments, so busy was she in her calculations, to realize Jesse hadn't asked her to leave. "What?"

"I'm not saying let's get married right now. But Lexa what is it?" Jesse was actually worried as he saw tears well up in her eyes. "Did I forget to tell you I love you?"

"You what? But I-"

"Lexa I know you want to take it slow, but if I didn't love you I wouldn't have been willing to try us again."

"Your eyes."

"Excuse me?"

"The little girl with the dark pigtails, she has your eyes. She won't ever exist." Lexa turned into Jesse's arms and hugged him close.

Jesse hugged her back. "So are you going to tell me everything that happened?"

"About two years ago, I thought I was pregnant so I went to Dr. Marcus. He found out I wasn't. He put through a battery of tests and when the results came in he found a lot of scarring around my uterus and fallopian tubes. He told me the that the likelihood of me ever getting pregnant was less then 5% and the chances of me actually being able to carry the baby to term was less than that."

"I'm sorry."

"It's fine. It's my fault I decided to go to Genomex. You know I'll understand if you, um, want to break-" Lexa broke off as Jesse kissed her again.

"You're still stuck with me, you know." Jesse said after he broke off the kiss. "I'm not with you because you may be able to have children. I won't say I'm not disappointed that we won't be able to have kids, because I am. I'd like to have that little girl with you, and maybe a boy too. I'm here because I'm crazy about you. If down the road we want children there are plenty out there that need homes. We can look into it then. So you're just going to have to get used to being with me." "I'm not going anywhere. I like this. I like us."

Jesse held her closer and didn't let go. He was about to draw her back to the bed. When he heard her whisper in his ear. "What was that?"

Lexa drew back and looked him in the eye. She held his face in her hands and repeated, "I love you Jesse."

"I love you too, Lexa." Jesse said as he took her hand and kissed it. He then pulled her toward the bed.

Lexa followed Jesse into bed and put her arms around him. They snuggled under the covers and began anew the discovery of the others bodies.

***************** Back at the Cabin **************************

Shalimar woke up suddenly in the bed and sat up. As she looked around the darkened room she shook her head, "Mommy is going crazy B. I guess it was just a dream that Brennan came after us." Shalimar threw back the covers and went to the kitchen as she was getting hungry again. Shalimar halted outside the door because she smelled steak grilling. Her eyes went feral the scent was familiar, her mind unwilling to completely identify the scent.

"Hey that food smells-" Shalimar abruptly stopped mid-sentence as she saw who was in the kitchen with her. "Brennan."

"Hey babe, Did you have a good nap? Oh are you hungry?" Brennan asked as he put a bowl of salad on the table.

"Brennan. . . you're. . . here."

"Yeah. Shal what's wrong?" Brennan asked as he put down a tray of warm rolls.

"I thought it was a dream, you coming after us. When I woke up in bed alone, I thought I'd just imagined that you came up here." Shalimar said as she wrapped her arms around Brennan's waist.

"I'm not going anywhere Shal," Brennan said as he hugged her back. "We still have a lot to talk about. Now sit down. I made us dinner. Salad, rolls, Baked Potatoes, Steak, and for desert Chocolate cheesecake."

"You cooked all of this? How long have I been asleep?"

"Only about an hour. Microwaves are a big help, so is store bought cheesecake."

Shalimar hugged him close and brought his head down to kiss him. She put everything she had been feeling for the past three weeks. Brennan kissed her back with equal fervor. They broke off the kiss when they heard a stomach rumble.

"B, I refuse to become a pig for you. I'm only eating now because I'm hungry."

"Actually that was my stomach Shal. I haven't eaten much all day. Brennan admitted sheepishly, He walked around the table and held the chair out for her to sit down. "By the way who is B?" Brennan asked as he placed a plate with a medium rare steak and a steaming baked potato in front of her. He went to the refrigerator and brought back butter and sour cream for the potatoes, and sat down to eat.

"It's my nickname for the baby, since I don't know if it's a boy or a girl."

"B, huh?" Brennan asked as he cut into his medium rare steak.

"Yep." Shalimar agreed, putting lots of butter and sour cream on her baked potato. After taking several bites of it and her steak she pause and watched Brennan as he plowed through his food.

Brennan noticed her staring at him, when he looked up, "What?"

"I still can't believe you're here Brennan. I hurt you so badly."

"Uh-uh, we aren't going to start this tonight. We can go over explanations and apologies tomorrow. You need to keep your strength up. You're carrying my baby, and I need you both to be healthy."

"But Brennan. . ."

"But Brennan nothing. Come here." Brennan took Shalimar's hand and had her come sit on his lap. Once she sat down he put one arm around her shoulders and placed his other hand on her belly where the baby lay. "This baby is mine Shalimar, regardless of the biology or genes involved. Just like Connor is my son, this baby will be my son or daughter. I wouldn't be here, if I didn't understand where you had been coming from a week ago. I know in my head why you did everything you did. I won't lie to you and say it didn't rip me apart, because it did. I'm ready to get past that and start our life. If we decide down the road to have children they'll be welcomed with open arms by me and the rest of our family.."

Shalimar buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Adam said once the baby is born we'll probably be able to tell who the father is."

"I don't need a test tell me I'm this child's father. I'll be the one who's there. Walking the floor when they cry, worrying about them when they're sick. I'll be there everyday to show them how much I love them and their mother. Anyone can be a father Shalimar it's a matter of simple biology, being a Dad that's just a matter of showing up everyday and loving your family."

"You're going to be a great dad." Shalimar said as she placed her hand over the one Brennan had on her belly. "I want to say this, I'm so sorry, that I didn't put enough faith in us."

"Shalimar, what hurts me the most is that you thought I was capable of hurting you and a child."

"No I didn't."

"Shalimar yes you did. You thought I was capable of turning off my love for this child."

"Not on purpose. I just thought your feelings might change if we had a child you knew was yours."

"Shalimar, I'd like to have a few kids with them. You're carrying our first. I will still love this little one when or even if you carry our second."

"I guess we really can't escape the past. You're really sure about this? You wan to raise this baby with me? This is your last chance to change your mind."

"Absolutely. Me and B will get along great. Won't we B?"

"Brennan the baby can't hear you yet the book says it's too soon."

"I know."

"What do you mean you know?"

"I bought the book 'What to expect when your expecting' on audio cassette. What do you think I was listening to on the way up here. Besides if this one is anything like her mother, this might be the only time I get to voice my opinion."

"Funny. She? You think it's a girl?"

"Yep. A little miniature of you running around, raising hell, I can't wait."

"I'm surprised. Don't most men want a son?"

"Well I do have Connor. I really don't care. A little you or me we can't go wrong. I'm telling you right now, if we have a little Lexa we're in deep trouble."

"Thank you." Shalimar said kissing Brennan softly on the lips.

"For what?"

"For being you. I'd better go sit in my own seat if I want to finish dinner."

"In a second. Do you really want to do something for me?"

"Yes I do."

"Okay, then you two can marry me." Brennan said taking out the now familiar little black velvet box.

"You aren't serious are you?"

"I heard from a reliable source that when ferals truly choose a life-mate, they never leave them. You and this baby belong with me. Marry me."

"Are you asking me or telling me?"

"Which one is going to get me a positive answer?"

"This one time, both will. We would love to marry you."

Brennan smiled at her as he opened the little black box and took out the single carat princess cut diamond ring that had baguette diamonds on both sides of it. Brennan slid it on the third finger of Shalimar's left hand. They then kissed. "So do you want to set a date?"

"I want to get married before I really start showing"

"Okay."

"I think we could put something simple together in about a month. I could get Emma to start on the details. In fact I might let her plan most of it."

"A month it is."

"Do we have to leave right away?" Shalimar asked as she got up from Brennan's lap and admired her ring. She then went toward her seat so she could finish her dinner.

"From here? No, why?"

"I was hoping we could have sometime together. Just you, me and B. Some Family bonding time. We'll have to tell my father about this." "Shal, don't worry so much. Go on and finish your dinner. How about we stay up here for a week or two. We'll let Emma do the planning and organizing. We can relax and just show up."

"Okay, " agreed Shalimar as she scooped up the last of her steak and baked potato. "Brennan can we have the wedding outside on the beach?"

"But it's cold outside."

"Not that cold. Please?"

"All right."

"Thank you," Shalimar said as she helped herself to a big slice of the cake Brennan had left on the counter. "We'll call Emma in the morning and have her get started. I'll have to shop for a dress. By the way you're wearing a tuxedo. Is Jesse going to be your best man?"

"Yeah, if he'll do it. You planning on asking Emma to be your maid of honor?"

"Yep, I was thinking about asking Lexa to be a bridesmaid. Do you have someone else that can stand up with you?"

"I thought I might ask Adam. Who are you going to ask to give you away?"

"I'm not sure, probably Adam."

"Aren't you going to at least ask your father?"

"Well I thought before we go home, we could stop by Naxcon and tell him our news. That we are getting married, and having a baby with mutant powers. We'll see what happens then."

"That is fine with me." Brennan said as he quickly dug into his huge slice of the cake.

"So now what do we do? It's kind of late."

"Are you tired?" Brennan asked as he rose to take the dishes from the table and put them in the dishwasher.

"Yeah"

"Then go ahead and go to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

Shalimar stood up and stared at his back for a moment wanting to ask him something and then changing her mind, turned and left the kitchen. She decided to just go back to her bedroom, she didn't worry about where Brennan would sleep as there were four other bedrooms in the cabin all upstairs. 'I'm just going to take a shower and go to bed. I'm exhausted.' She thought as she stripped off her clothes and headed toward the shower. A half hour later she was turning off the hair dryer, as her hair was almost dry. She was again wearing her favorite pajamas. It was the top half of one of Brennan's pair of pajamas, that she had snatched a while ago. It wasn't as if he ever wore them.

Shalimar turned off the bathroom light and walked back into the bedroom. She stopped dead in her tracks, in front of the four poster bed, Brennan was in the bed. He was sitting up in the bed with several pillows behind him so he could read his book. He had one knee propped up outside of the blankets. Shalimar smiled, he was wearing the matching bottoms to the pajama top she had borrowed from him.

"Well, well, well, someone's going to be sleeping in my bed."

Brennan looked up from his book at the sound of her voice, "Nice Shirt."

"Why thank you, I like it. The way it sounded at dinner. I thought you'd be using one of the other four bedrooms, instead of sharing mine."

"Is that where you'd like me to sleep tonight?"

Shalimar shook her head. "No I've missed your arms around me at night."

"Then what are you waiting for? Get your behind in this bed."

Shalimar broke into a grin and then took a flying leap into the bed.

"Shalimar be careful, you're carrying my baby in there."

Shalimar just beamed up and kissed him on the cheek and immediately got herself snuggled under the blankets. She got close to Brennan. "Night Bren, I love you." With that she reached over and turned off the light on her side of the bed ans almost immediately fell sound asleep.

Brennan finished the chapter he was on and then rearranging his pillows sank down under the covers. He then reached over and turned off his own light. In the dark it took him a few moments to find Shalimar under the covers. He put his arms around her and chased her into dreamland.

~~~~~~~~~~ Back at Sanctuary ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was quiet all through Sanctuary as everyone slept. In Jesse's bedroom Lexa opened her eyes and craned her neck to see Jesse fast asleep.

She lifted her head head from his chest, and pulled back the covers to slip from beneath them. She looked around the room to slip something on and found the white dress shirt Jesse had worn earlier and slipped it on.

Lexa tiptoed across the floor and opened Jesse's bedroom door then crept down the hall to her own bedroom. She dug out her cell phone and searching through her memory connected a call.

"Hey it's me. I need to see you as soon as possible. Of course it's an emergency or I wouldn't be calling you. Tomorrow? That's perfect. What time? Okay, I'll see you then" Lexa disconnected the call and quickly made her way back to Jesse's bedroom. She quickly shed his shirt and climbed back under the covers. Once she was held in his arms and his heartbeat beat a tempo in her ear, she quickly fell back asleep.