Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or X Men.

Hello. Yes, I am still here. I am sooo sorry about the gap in posting. Life is crazy and getting crazier. I was hoping to have this all up by now but everytime I think about posting my day turns chaotic. For any die hards I have left with me, here is the next 2 chapters. Remember, the different typing for the different worlds, bold is telepathic sending, and parenthesis italics is personal thought.

Thank you, Redhead2

Impossible

Chapter 11

Reports had been coming in all day. Jesse sat with a few of the men as they reported the lasted happenings. A few wounded were brought in and Evie was kept busy in the lab. As afternoon drew on the increased activity contributed to the increase in injured. Adam had been called in when a report came in that caused the entire cavern to go into a frustrated panic.

Moments after he'd arrived, Pete was brought in with a gunshot wound to the back. After a quick evaluation Adam began the process of locating and removing the bullet.

Tommy went to make his report after he knew his friend was in good hands. "We were on patrol down by the club. It's crazy down there. A lot of people are going in and out. Pete and I thought we could get in closer and maybe hear some of what was going on. There are groups all over the city looking for us. The word on the street says there's a reward for who ever will dime us out."

Shalimar turned a worried look to her friend.

Jesse smiled and touched her shoulder. "Don't worry. No one will turn us in. He's tried this before. Most people in the city are oblivious to what's going on and our friends wouldn't be tempted by his offers. They know what he's like and won't turn on us."

"Pete decided to try and go in the alley beside the club. Thought he might get to hear something more. He was found and made a run for it. Guards chased him down the block and toward the park. They fired and he went down. With everything else going on, they just left him there. I ran up as soon as they were gone. Paul's group was patrolling the park and heard the shot. They got to us and brought him in."

"Don't worry, Tom." Jesse put a fatherly hand on the boy's shoulder. "The doctors will take care of him. Go rest before you have to go out again, but this time…stay away from the club." His last order was delivered with authority. He watched as the young man nodded and left the table.

"Jesse, this is dangerous. With all the patrols, you're going to be found out."

"I know," he whispered. "We'll just have to…" Jesse stopped and stood as Lisa stumbled into the main cavern. "Lisa!" Jesse bolted to her side taking her from the guard who was trying to help her. She had burn marks on her arms and upper body.

Lisa saw Jesse coming closer. "Jess, thank God," a whisper was all her strength allowed as she fell into his arms and squealed from the pain.

Jesse picked her up as gently as he could and took her quickly into the lab.

Evie assisted with her powers. Together she and Adam tended each one who came in. When she saw Jesse coming in with Lisa she ran to her side as she was placed on a table.

"Jess," Lisa grabbed his shirt as he put her down and began to straighten. She pulled until he was close enough to hear her, knowing that she hadn't the strength to speak plainly. "He…he wants…y.." The pain had finally won. The relief of making it to the caves and warning Jesse, took the last of her determination to keep from passing out. Her hand dropped to her side and her head lolled as her eyes closed.

"Brennan…did this," Shalimar couldn't keep the sadness from her face as she just knew the wounds on her friend were caused deliberately by her husband.

Her pain-filled whisper made Jesse turn. He saw the guilt playing behind the tears in her eyes and knew just what was going through her head. "Hey," Jesse took her shoulders and forced her to turn away from Lisa and look at him. "Yes, he did. Shalimar, this isn't your fault. You can't feel guilty about this."

"But Jess, I know Brennan and what he can do. This is his work. He didn't just let someone beat her. He did this himself…with his powers. I just never really thought he'd be so…"

"No. Now listen to me. You don't know this Brennan. He's not your husband. This man is cruel. He's evil and power obsessed. You don't really know what he is capable of."

"And now I've caused him to want to come looking for you." Shalimar left the med area and moved closer to the fire pit.

Jesse followed but was stopped by a group returning to report in. He listened to the report and gave instruction then walked up behind Shalimar. "He's got people all over the city. It seems he's watching our patrols as we watch him. With everyone coming and going it won't take him long to figure out where we are."

Shalimar turned a panicked look to him. "He's going to try and kill you isn't he?" She began to feel a rock in the pit of her stomach.

"Probably," he whispered.

"I shouldn't have gone in there. I just wanted to get Shawn but now…" Shalimar paced as she ranted.

"No, Shal, listen." Jesse took her arms and led her to a seat by the fire. "The way I see it, this is right. It's time for this to end. I have to face him."

"But I've forced the situation. If I hadn't gone in there, you'd still be…"

"A rebel force hiding in the belly of a mountain!" Jesse stretched his hands in the air. He lowered his voice with his arms. "I don't want to hide anymore, Shal. I want this over. We all do."

"What have I done?" she whispered as she turned away.

"You've given us hope. You've shown us that we can outsmart and out fight him. We can win and we will."

Images flashed through Shalimar's mind as she began to wake. (I'll take you when ever I want you.) Shalimar's head tossed. (Kilmartin can't save you.) She whimpered. (I'll find him and kill him.) A groan escaped her lips. (My son will not be a coward. He'll grow up just like me.) A growl echoed through the lab.

Adam had been alerted the moment she began to move. He called Jesse as he ran toward the lab. The last thing he needed was for her to think this Brennan was really the other. Adam and Jesse made the lab at about the same time and heard her whimpering.

Jesse moved quickly to her side. "Shalimar, wake up. It's ok, you're having a nightmare." He gently took her hand as he coaxed her awake.

"Jess?" she called before her eyes opened.

"I'm here, Shal." He smiled as she opened her eyes.

"Jess, I had the most awful dream…" She took his hand and allowed him to help her sit up. Realizing she was in the lab she gasped and looked into his face. "I'm here? Why? What happened?"

"Shal, now stay calm," Jesse tried.

She began to slide off the bed. "No, it wasn't…I didn't really…" Slowly she turned and fear gripped her as the figure of the man in the other bed met her eyes. "He…he tried to…How did he get…"

"Shal, let me explain. That's not the Brennan you think it is." Jesse stumbled as Shalimar pushed passed him.

Hurrying around the beds she slowed as she neared his. "This isn't…?"

"No, Shal. This is our Brennan."

"What! Then why? Why would he do that to me? I was…" She stopped abruptly and closed her eyes refusing to admit herfears.

"He thought…"

"Thought what?!" She spun around and faced Jesse, her anger plain as day. "Thought he'd have a little fun? Thought he'd see what it'd be like on the other side? Well, I don't think it was all that fun."

"No, Shal. That's not it." Jesse persisted. "He wanted to prove to you that you can stand up to him. You don't have to be afraid. He wanted you to see that you could fight back."

Shalimar's eyes went blank as she stared into her own thoughts. "I fought him. He attacked me and I didn't give in."

"No, Shal. You didn't. You beat him." Jesse stopped as he saw her snap her head around to look at him. The stricken look made him almost gasp. "Shal?"

"Jesse, it wasn't him. Jess, I…"

He saw the tears fill her eyes as she turned back to Brennan's bed. "Shal, it's ok."

"Ok?" she whispered. "How can you say that? I…" A shaky hand stretched out to graze the shoulder of the man she very nearly killed. "If you hadn't come in…I might have…"

"I know." Jesse looked at Brennan then back to Shal when she'd turned. "But he's ok. Evie healed him."

Brennan slowly began to emerge from the deep slumber he'd been in as his body recuperated. Voices around him began to get louder. Images of the recent past began to flash in his mind. Without the full waking realization of what was happening and what was past he began to react to some of the images.

Jesse turned back to his friend on the bed as he heard him begin to mumble. To his side he only half noticed that Shalimar had stepped back in fear. He moved closer to Brennan as he seemed to be reacting to whatever he was imagining. As Brennan's body began to thrash, he reached out to still his shoulders. He could only make out a few words but knew he must be reliving the whole ordeal. "Brennan, hey…wake up. It's ok. She's fine. Shalimar's fine. Wake up."

With a start, Brennan snapped his eyes opened. He panted as Jesse's face came into focus. "Jess?"

"Yeah, Bro."

"Shalimar?"

"She's ok." Jesse looked over his shoulder at the woman behind him. He stepped away as she slowly moved closer.

"Brennan," she whispered through her tears.

"I…I'm sorry," he closed his eyes. His shame forcing him to hide from her the only way he physically could at the moment.

"No, Brennan, Jesse explained." She reached out and gently touched his hand as it lay on his stomach. "I…I understand."

He looked back into her eyes, so soft and forgiving. "Are you ok? I didn't hurt you,…or the baby?" He saw her shake her head but turned to Jesse for reassurance.

"No, Brennan. She's fine. I don't think you landed a single blow." Jesse turned a proud look to the girl at his side. "She wiped the floor with you, though." He smiled at the slight blush that colored Shal's cheeks as she turned her eyes back to the floor.

Adam moved closer when Brennan had begun to wake. Taking this opportunity to interrupt now, he came into his view. "Well, it's about time. I was beginning to think you'd given up on us."

Brennan slowly began to rise. "Adam…can I…?"

"Yeah, Evie took care of you, but you know the routine. Take it easy." He placed a caring hand on his shoulder.

"What about…?" Brennan glanced at Shalimar quickly then back to Adam.

Adam didn't wait for him to finish. He was excited about his news and knew everyone would want to move on it as soon as possible. "I think we have a working plan. Hank's device seems to be in working order and we decided it would be prudent to run a test. We need you for that. Mother Nature doesn't seem interested in giving us another storm so we need you to play her part. Do you feel up to it?"

Brennan stood and raised a hand as coils of electricity danced around his fingers. "Absolutely."

"Good. Let's go to the computer center and we'll go over the plan with everyone."

TBC