"She isn't showing up Adam, what do you want us to do?" Brennan's curt voice came through the com ring, clearly relaying his impatience.
Looking at his watch, Adam estimated forty-five minutes had gone by since the appointed pick up- if she wasn't there now, it was unlikely she would show up. However, Brennan and Jesse needed time to cool off from each other and Adam was more then willing to grasp any opportunity to keep Brennan preoccupied.
"Why don't you wait for another thirty minutes and call in. If she doesn't show up, start canvassing the neighborhood and see if there's anyone around who might know where she is."
"Fine." Brennan didn't seem too pleased with his lost afternoon, and abruptly broke their connection.
Sighing deeply, Adam rubbed his brow with his fingertips wondering how a bad situation suddenly skyrocketed into worse.
For some time he had been aware of Jesse's bludgeoning feelings for Emma, somewhat wary of the inevitable confrontation that would have to take place when Brennan finally saw what was clear to Adam and Shalimar. Though it was much harder to glean Brennan's ambivalent feelings for the empath, there was no doubt in Adam's mind that the overprotective elemental would find Jesse's attraction threatening to the bond he shared with Emma.
While this he all knew, he had hoped it would present itself as a problem much later in the future. The palpable tension already in the air from the threat of Gabriel was enough to suffocate a human and now the with the group's stability slowly cracking- wearily Adam closed his eyes.
And they still didn't know.
When he walked into the computer room earlier that day to search for Jesse, he nearly had an aneurysm as he saw that familiar face peering up at him from the computer. Unthinkingly with several strokes, he began to delete the information scrawled on the screen, glancing around him for a moment to make sure he was alone.
There were some things they didn't need to know. Crushing down the small nagging voice in him asking who he was to decide, he continued his self appointed mission with a trace of regret.
Bringing his mind back to the present, he idly looked around his surroundings. Lately it seemed like all his reflections were mingled with regret. Briefly he wondered if this was how he would look back at his life on his deathbed. His sigh reflected the weariness in his soul.
What was he supposed to do?
There was this indefinable connection between Emma and Gabriel, something important that Adam couldn't quite place teeming in the corner of his mind, teasing him into insanity.
For all his brilliance, Adam could not come up with the next move. He was playing blind and for the first time in his life, he felt inept, only able to hope his actions didn't destroy them all.
***
"What do you think Adam needs her for?" Shalimar asked conversationally as they both sat at the table, Brennan sitting mute, his hands crossed impatiently into his chest. "Hey there-" she playfully snapped her fingers in front of his face, trying to draw him back into the real world.
"What?"
The tone of his voice caused the feral to bristle in annoyance. Fine- if he was going to be an ass she didn't have to sit there and take it. Glaring at him, she stood up and ambled to a stool at the bar.
Sliding in the plush seat, after several moments, she was concentrating on the resounding clicks of her fingernails tapping vigorously against smooth polished wood. God she was bored. The inaction was making the feral in her restless and she wanted nothing more then to run into some bad guys and have a little fun.
That and Brennan was currently really bad company. Discreetly glancing at him, her sharp eyes could see the blue-green veins furiously popping out of his tense wrists. He really needed to lighten up, one more minute stuck with his 'sourness' and she was going to deck him.
Why wouldn't he be happy for Jesse and Emma? If she hadn't known him so well and for so long, she would have immediately chalked up his blinding annoyance at the two for jealously. Yet somehow, her instincts were telling her it was something deeper. And Shalimar always trusted her instincts.
There must have been a reason Brennan and Emma were drawn to each other in that bar that night and she was willing to bet it had little to do with romantic interest.
"Buy you a drink?"
Shalimar rolled her eyes at the unasked interruption of her private thoughts, swiveling in her chair to contemplate the patron hitting on her. Her eyes glittered gold.
"Or not..." he mumbled before moving on.
***
He was loosing control.
There was nothing he could do, nothing he could think to do that would protect her from the madness of Gabriel. The very thought of Gabriel contaminated his mind like a disease. It was all he could think, feel, breathe. What would he do next? How would he strike?
He saw Emma through the eyes of his enemy. She was so soft, so fragile.
He knew he wasn't strong enough to stop Gabriel. Not strong enough to stop Gabriel from tearing through her like paper. Not strong enough to stop Gabriel from breaking her. Not strong enough to protect her.
Every power he would ever develop Gabriel had already mastered. Powers he had yet to imagine...
Unfocused on all the people around him, he began to teeter on despair. He was losing her. Through his head shot an image so clear he could nearly count the strands of her hair. Laughter, love, a boy with blonde hair.
He already lost her.
***
Emma sat alone in her room staring at an invisible spot on his flawless wall. She could still feel Adam's feelings of insecurity and it shook her core of beliefs to see the full extent of his hidden doubts.
She hadn't meant to spy but when she walked by him in the lab after dropping off Jesse in his room, for a moment, his face was so unguarded and filled with such indescribable sorrow that she instinctively reached out for a hit.
His turbulent emotions sent her reeling and she stumbled back to her room, unable to face the man she had previously seen as an impenetrable fortress. The feelings were so fierce and so many she could barely dig herself out of his pit of despair.
She leaned the back of her head against her head board. The pressure she felt crushing her chest made her want to cry out in pain.
With Gabriel, you couldn't hesitate.
Emma sucked in a deep breath of air, the unbearable burden of knowledge leaving her breathless.
She knew what she had to do.
***
She was so beautiful.
"Emma," her name was a content sigh from Jesse's lips, mumbled in his sleep.
***
She watched him sleep, her heart breaking as she heard him call out her name. "Jesse," she sighed in response. Lifting the corner of his sheet, she slipped in under next to him, resting her cheek against his back to draw out some of his bodyheat. She was so cold.
Emma felt him shudder under her icy touch. He shifted away from her, still asleep. In that moment he pulled away from her, she had never felt so alone. She didn't belong here- Emma began to move away, freezing when she felt her wrist light afire.
His fingers curled around her hand, guiding her back into his bed. Another hand wrapped around her waist, easing her against his body.
Without a word she yielded into his control, accepting his warmth. Burrowing herself against him, her head resting on his pillow, she closed her eyes in bittersweet content. She could die in these arms she thought as her conscious mind began to drift away.
***
As far as her mind could reach, she felt only him. She didn't bother to turn before greeting him. "Gabriel."
She could hear the delighted smile in his voice, "Emma. I've been waiting for you."
***
Looking at his watch, Adam estimated forty-five minutes had gone by since the appointed pick up- if she wasn't there now, it was unlikely she would show up. However, Brennan and Jesse needed time to cool off from each other and Adam was more then willing to grasp any opportunity to keep Brennan preoccupied.
"Why don't you wait for another thirty minutes and call in. If she doesn't show up, start canvassing the neighborhood and see if there's anyone around who might know where she is."
"Fine." Brennan didn't seem too pleased with his lost afternoon, and abruptly broke their connection.
Sighing deeply, Adam rubbed his brow with his fingertips wondering how a bad situation suddenly skyrocketed into worse.
For some time he had been aware of Jesse's bludgeoning feelings for Emma, somewhat wary of the inevitable confrontation that would have to take place when Brennan finally saw what was clear to Adam and Shalimar. Though it was much harder to glean Brennan's ambivalent feelings for the empath, there was no doubt in Adam's mind that the overprotective elemental would find Jesse's attraction threatening to the bond he shared with Emma.
While this he all knew, he had hoped it would present itself as a problem much later in the future. The palpable tension already in the air from the threat of Gabriel was enough to suffocate a human and now the with the group's stability slowly cracking- wearily Adam closed his eyes.
And they still didn't know.
When he walked into the computer room earlier that day to search for Jesse, he nearly had an aneurysm as he saw that familiar face peering up at him from the computer. Unthinkingly with several strokes, he began to delete the information scrawled on the screen, glancing around him for a moment to make sure he was alone.
There were some things they didn't need to know. Crushing down the small nagging voice in him asking who he was to decide, he continued his self appointed mission with a trace of regret.
Bringing his mind back to the present, he idly looked around his surroundings. Lately it seemed like all his reflections were mingled with regret. Briefly he wondered if this was how he would look back at his life on his deathbed. His sigh reflected the weariness in his soul.
What was he supposed to do?
There was this indefinable connection between Emma and Gabriel, something important that Adam couldn't quite place teeming in the corner of his mind, teasing him into insanity.
For all his brilliance, Adam could not come up with the next move. He was playing blind and for the first time in his life, he felt inept, only able to hope his actions didn't destroy them all.
***
"What do you think Adam needs her for?" Shalimar asked conversationally as they both sat at the table, Brennan sitting mute, his hands crossed impatiently into his chest. "Hey there-" she playfully snapped her fingers in front of his face, trying to draw him back into the real world.
"What?"
The tone of his voice caused the feral to bristle in annoyance. Fine- if he was going to be an ass she didn't have to sit there and take it. Glaring at him, she stood up and ambled to a stool at the bar.
Sliding in the plush seat, after several moments, she was concentrating on the resounding clicks of her fingernails tapping vigorously against smooth polished wood. God she was bored. The inaction was making the feral in her restless and she wanted nothing more then to run into some bad guys and have a little fun.
That and Brennan was currently really bad company. Discreetly glancing at him, her sharp eyes could see the blue-green veins furiously popping out of his tense wrists. He really needed to lighten up, one more minute stuck with his 'sourness' and she was going to deck him.
Why wouldn't he be happy for Jesse and Emma? If she hadn't known him so well and for so long, she would have immediately chalked up his blinding annoyance at the two for jealously. Yet somehow, her instincts were telling her it was something deeper. And Shalimar always trusted her instincts.
There must have been a reason Brennan and Emma were drawn to each other in that bar that night and she was willing to bet it had little to do with romantic interest.
"Buy you a drink?"
Shalimar rolled her eyes at the unasked interruption of her private thoughts, swiveling in her chair to contemplate the patron hitting on her. Her eyes glittered gold.
"Or not..." he mumbled before moving on.
***
He was loosing control.
There was nothing he could do, nothing he could think to do that would protect her from the madness of Gabriel. The very thought of Gabriel contaminated his mind like a disease. It was all he could think, feel, breathe. What would he do next? How would he strike?
He saw Emma through the eyes of his enemy. She was so soft, so fragile.
He knew he wasn't strong enough to stop Gabriel. Not strong enough to stop Gabriel from tearing through her like paper. Not strong enough to stop Gabriel from breaking her. Not strong enough to protect her.
Every power he would ever develop Gabriel had already mastered. Powers he had yet to imagine...
Unfocused on all the people around him, he began to teeter on despair. He was losing her. Through his head shot an image so clear he could nearly count the strands of her hair. Laughter, love, a boy with blonde hair.
He already lost her.
***
Emma sat alone in her room staring at an invisible spot on his flawless wall. She could still feel Adam's feelings of insecurity and it shook her core of beliefs to see the full extent of his hidden doubts.
She hadn't meant to spy but when she walked by him in the lab after dropping off Jesse in his room, for a moment, his face was so unguarded and filled with such indescribable sorrow that she instinctively reached out for a hit.
His turbulent emotions sent her reeling and she stumbled back to her room, unable to face the man she had previously seen as an impenetrable fortress. The feelings were so fierce and so many she could barely dig herself out of his pit of despair.
She leaned the back of her head against her head board. The pressure she felt crushing her chest made her want to cry out in pain.
With Gabriel, you couldn't hesitate.
Emma sucked in a deep breath of air, the unbearable burden of knowledge leaving her breathless.
She knew what she had to do.
***
She was so beautiful.
"Emma," her name was a content sigh from Jesse's lips, mumbled in his sleep.
***
She watched him sleep, her heart breaking as she heard him call out her name. "Jesse," she sighed in response. Lifting the corner of his sheet, she slipped in under next to him, resting her cheek against his back to draw out some of his bodyheat. She was so cold.
Emma felt him shudder under her icy touch. He shifted away from her, still asleep. In that moment he pulled away from her, she had never felt so alone. She didn't belong here- Emma began to move away, freezing when she felt her wrist light afire.
His fingers curled around her hand, guiding her back into his bed. Another hand wrapped around her waist, easing her against his body.
Without a word she yielded into his control, accepting his warmth. Burrowing herself against him, her head resting on his pillow, she closed her eyes in bittersweet content. She could die in these arms she thought as her conscious mind began to drift away.
***
As far as her mind could reach, she felt only him. She didn't bother to turn before greeting him. "Gabriel."
She could hear the delighted smile in his voice, "Emma. I've been waiting for you."
***