THAT ONE LITTLE THING
By: Sage 360
Brennen with a kid was strange to behold.
And Shalimar Fox was tired of it.
That first morning it was cute. Her mind, not believing Adam was back in the rock, was still processing that very fact. It had compelled her to jump out of bed, shower quickly. Pulling on her usual tight jeans and half there top, she headed out the door and right smack into Brennen.
He was emerging from his own room, shirtless and in large sweat pants. The towel over his shoulder had been interrupting her view, till she realized why it was there. On the curve of his large shoulder, the baby lay sleeping.
It actually wasn't too bad to look at. Him holding a kid just as cute as he was only made her heart flip. The fact that Lexa was the mother completely blew her high. Never the less, Brennen was a good father.
She had walked with him to the lab, now only partially intent on seeing Adam. Her eyes watched the child breathing steadily in her rest. Shalimar had to admit she was cute, down right adorable. And even with all the tension between herself and Ms. Pierce, her growing maternal instincts seemed almost feral. But what got the blonde was the sight of them together. The little trio they now formed. Lexa, Brennen and Amber.
The two, much to her dismay, even looked good together. This kid came from some amazing genes, Adam had seen to that. But the bonding scratched the feral's nerves. And as much as she tried, it wasn't in her to hate an innocent child -just the situation. Especially after that first time she held her.
She had found Lexa sitting on the couch, holding the child, her whole ice-cold demeanor -gone. Shalimar sat on the edge of a near by chair not quite believing she was looking at Brennen's daughter. Her heart broke, knowing that she should have been the one with his child. But she could barely breathe around the man, let alone tell him how she felt. They knew something was there,,,but acting was such a hard thing.
"Did you need something?" Lexa had asked for the second time. Shalimar just twiddled her thumbs, looking down.
"Ah,,,no." Were does a women begin when someone she could so easily hate, shares the most precious thing with the man she loves? "She's cute."
"I'm convinced she's all Brennen." Lexa smirked. "My cheeks were never that chubby."
"She's a few days old. Her features are still coming in."
"I know, but,,,I guess it's something internal, y'know?"
Shalimar plopped down on the couch. Her feral side allowed her to know all too well. Thorne had planned this perfectly. Brennen with a child was one thing, but his kid amongst a group of people so close,,,Thorne knew of he and Shalimar, and more importantly of Lexa joining them. This 'gift' in their lives had been a set up from the very beginning.
"Lex," the blonde's lips curled nearly deviously. "I know that you have the best intentions in mind for you daughter. And I also know that you and Jesse are closer that you admit."
The woman looked up, pale eyes wide at the conversation she knew was coming. "Shalimar, I'm no threat to you and Brennen."
"I know." Damn straight, she thought. "But that's not what I mean. How is he suppose to handle you having a child by his best friend?"
"I didn't exactly have a choice in it. And it's not like we lay down and actually 'created' this baby. And if you want to know how he would take it, ask yourself how you are."
Shalimar knew that wasn't meant to be harsh.
"Shal, I know this creates the strangest situation. Brennen hates me."
"NO," The feral almost questioned if she was lying. "No, he doesn't hate you. The whole situation with Adam and Emma, it's been difficult. You know that."
"I know."
"I know you'll take care with Jesse. He's being there for you, as much as he can be.
"Shalimar," Lexa finally broke down. "Do you want to hold her?"
The feral surprised herself by smiling at the thought. "I'd love to."
Jesse typed away at the computer watching Adam in silence. Helping in the lab was all he could do to keep the happening s of the other day off his mind. Somehow, he knew that there was something not being said by the man -as always the case. Whenever he saw Brennen, or Lexa with that child, Adam's face would pale for a moment. Like he was being defeated by something. True enough the time at Genomax had done enough to his nerves, but this thing he covered almost seemed worse. Jesse was tired, he wanted answers.
"So, Adam." The phrase as natural as it had been now felt so unknown. "How do Thorne and Lexa connect?"
The older man lanced from his workings, watching Jesse with caution. He knew the molecular could be too smart for his own good sometimes. "Well, they did work at Genomax together. Thorne didn't give up much on their past, Lexa will do that in her own time."
"What about you and Lexa, Adam?" how do you know her?"
"What has she told you?"
Jesse's brow rose in regard. Adam watched him now with serious study. The molecular knew he was on to something. "She was Mutant X 1.0, and she lived here for two years. She works for the Dominion, like you had us doing all along."
"Well, she gave you a good start." The man replied before looking back at the screen. Jesse stood, picking up on of Amber's baby shirts, left from earlier that morning.
"Adam, is Lexa your daughter?"
"Jesse, you know I never had children." The man chuckled.
"When, you and Emma were 'lost' at Naxcon, a lot of things came out about you. Things Eckhart proved right before Brennen killed him. Now, I played the optimist. I mean, Shalimar was a wreck and Brennen,,,let's just say he was Brennen. But you owe us answers, Adam. You know you do."
The older man stood to face his 'son'. In the months since Naxcon, Kilmartin had become harder, something stronger than his physical massing could ever be. The eyes that stared at the doctor were reckless, nearly demanding. Jesse had grown into a darker person. "Jesse, Lexa is not my daughter. She is in the way that I consider Shalimar to be. We bonded that we long ago."
"But Lex, left Mutant X to work for the GSA."
"Once, they were one and the same. You know that."
"Adam," Jesse interrupted. "She was here for two years. Considering how long Shalimar and I have been here, we would have noticed her around. She was a kid when she came here."
"Two points." Adam smirked.
"And she had a brother, Leo. Even she doesn't know I'm aware of that."
"Jesse-"
"Shalimar and I replaced them because of something that you won't speak on. She left because of something connected to you."
Adam moved from behind the table, watching the young man. This person that Jesse Kilmartin now was has something he so partially possessed months ago -backbone. "Let her tell her own story, in her own time. As for Thorne, I need to get back to work."
"Why do you look at that child like it's hopeless, Adam?"
"SHIT! JESSE!" The man caught himself after yelling. His frame shook with tremors so that he rattled his desk. "Jesse," he tried again. "Thorne created her as a pawn for his revenge on Brennen."
"And Lexa."
"On them both." The man's face drained again at that. "Please, son. Let me work."
The molecular's eyes widened at that. Adam, in an admission of weakness was never good. Quietly, the baby shirt in his hand fell to the floor. "How long, Adam?"
"Jesse, please-"
The molecular stormed forward, slamming his hands on the desk, his voice dangerously low. "You let us bring that child here, knowing they would get attached to her. You let them bond with her, knowing something they didn't."
"The baby is innocent, Jesse-"
"Fuck that! You let two people you consider your 'children' cling to something they have no control over! Thorne knew we would come for you, and you played along."
"No-"
"NO! No what!? You brought that child here, let my brother and the woman I love become attached to her and said nothing! Now, how long, Adam!"
"Jesse!"
"HOW LONG DOES THAT CHILD HAVE TO LIVE?!"
Adam froze. His tired mind and heart pushed him, limply into a nearby chair. "I don't know."
The molecular nearly phased from breathing so hard. His head pounded with realization and hurt. "What do you need to save her?"
"I don't know yet. The embryo was developed so quickly, that we had little time to do thorough studies. But, I will find a way."
"Damn straight you will."
Adam looked up at the man moving to exit. "Are you going to tell them?"
Jesse's eyes scanned the cavernous area known as Sanctuary. He could see Shalimar holding the little girl, and Lexa smiling. He knew Brennen would be back soon from where ever he was. "Before we came to get you," he started, still not looking towards Adam. "Brennen didn't want to find you. He said we should let go of you, the way you let go of Emma."
"I tried-"
"I know. Adam, you've saved our lives time and time again. And I know you meant to protect this child from Thorne. I won't say anything. At least not now."
Adam exhaled loudly, his heart slowing in his chest. "Thank you, Jesse."
"You better, save her." He finished. "Or else there'll be two deaths on your head."
By: Sage 360
Brennen with a kid was strange to behold.
And Shalimar Fox was tired of it.
That first morning it was cute. Her mind, not believing Adam was back in the rock, was still processing that very fact. It had compelled her to jump out of bed, shower quickly. Pulling on her usual tight jeans and half there top, she headed out the door and right smack into Brennen.
He was emerging from his own room, shirtless and in large sweat pants. The towel over his shoulder had been interrupting her view, till she realized why it was there. On the curve of his large shoulder, the baby lay sleeping.
It actually wasn't too bad to look at. Him holding a kid just as cute as he was only made her heart flip. The fact that Lexa was the mother completely blew her high. Never the less, Brennen was a good father.
She had walked with him to the lab, now only partially intent on seeing Adam. Her eyes watched the child breathing steadily in her rest. Shalimar had to admit she was cute, down right adorable. And even with all the tension between herself and Ms. Pierce, her growing maternal instincts seemed almost feral. But what got the blonde was the sight of them together. The little trio they now formed. Lexa, Brennen and Amber.
The two, much to her dismay, even looked good together. This kid came from some amazing genes, Adam had seen to that. But the bonding scratched the feral's nerves. And as much as she tried, it wasn't in her to hate an innocent child -just the situation. Especially after that first time she held her.
She had found Lexa sitting on the couch, holding the child, her whole ice-cold demeanor -gone. Shalimar sat on the edge of a near by chair not quite believing she was looking at Brennen's daughter. Her heart broke, knowing that she should have been the one with his child. But she could barely breathe around the man, let alone tell him how she felt. They knew something was there,,,but acting was such a hard thing.
"Did you need something?" Lexa had asked for the second time. Shalimar just twiddled her thumbs, looking down.
"Ah,,,no." Were does a women begin when someone she could so easily hate, shares the most precious thing with the man she loves? "She's cute."
"I'm convinced she's all Brennen." Lexa smirked. "My cheeks were never that chubby."
"She's a few days old. Her features are still coming in."
"I know, but,,,I guess it's something internal, y'know?"
Shalimar plopped down on the couch. Her feral side allowed her to know all too well. Thorne had planned this perfectly. Brennen with a child was one thing, but his kid amongst a group of people so close,,,Thorne knew of he and Shalimar, and more importantly of Lexa joining them. This 'gift' in their lives had been a set up from the very beginning.
"Lex," the blonde's lips curled nearly deviously. "I know that you have the best intentions in mind for you daughter. And I also know that you and Jesse are closer that you admit."
The woman looked up, pale eyes wide at the conversation she knew was coming. "Shalimar, I'm no threat to you and Brennen."
"I know." Damn straight, she thought. "But that's not what I mean. How is he suppose to handle you having a child by his best friend?"
"I didn't exactly have a choice in it. And it's not like we lay down and actually 'created' this baby. And if you want to know how he would take it, ask yourself how you are."
Shalimar knew that wasn't meant to be harsh.
"Shal, I know this creates the strangest situation. Brennen hates me."
"NO," The feral almost questioned if she was lying. "No, he doesn't hate you. The whole situation with Adam and Emma, it's been difficult. You know that."
"I know."
"I know you'll take care with Jesse. He's being there for you, as much as he can be.
"Shalimar," Lexa finally broke down. "Do you want to hold her?"
The feral surprised herself by smiling at the thought. "I'd love to."
Jesse typed away at the computer watching Adam in silence. Helping in the lab was all he could do to keep the happening s of the other day off his mind. Somehow, he knew that there was something not being said by the man -as always the case. Whenever he saw Brennen, or Lexa with that child, Adam's face would pale for a moment. Like he was being defeated by something. True enough the time at Genomax had done enough to his nerves, but this thing he covered almost seemed worse. Jesse was tired, he wanted answers.
"So, Adam." The phrase as natural as it had been now felt so unknown. "How do Thorne and Lexa connect?"
The older man lanced from his workings, watching Jesse with caution. He knew the molecular could be too smart for his own good sometimes. "Well, they did work at Genomax together. Thorne didn't give up much on their past, Lexa will do that in her own time."
"What about you and Lexa, Adam?" how do you know her?"
"What has she told you?"
Jesse's brow rose in regard. Adam watched him now with serious study. The molecular knew he was on to something. "She was Mutant X 1.0, and she lived here for two years. She works for the Dominion, like you had us doing all along."
"Well, she gave you a good start." The man replied before looking back at the screen. Jesse stood, picking up on of Amber's baby shirts, left from earlier that morning.
"Adam, is Lexa your daughter?"
"Jesse, you know I never had children." The man chuckled.
"When, you and Emma were 'lost' at Naxcon, a lot of things came out about you. Things Eckhart proved right before Brennen killed him. Now, I played the optimist. I mean, Shalimar was a wreck and Brennen,,,let's just say he was Brennen. But you owe us answers, Adam. You know you do."
The older man stood to face his 'son'. In the months since Naxcon, Kilmartin had become harder, something stronger than his physical massing could ever be. The eyes that stared at the doctor were reckless, nearly demanding. Jesse had grown into a darker person. "Jesse, Lexa is not my daughter. She is in the way that I consider Shalimar to be. We bonded that we long ago."
"But Lex, left Mutant X to work for the GSA."
"Once, they were one and the same. You know that."
"Adam," Jesse interrupted. "She was here for two years. Considering how long Shalimar and I have been here, we would have noticed her around. She was a kid when she came here."
"Two points." Adam smirked.
"And she had a brother, Leo. Even she doesn't know I'm aware of that."
"Jesse-"
"Shalimar and I replaced them because of something that you won't speak on. She left because of something connected to you."
Adam moved from behind the table, watching the young man. This person that Jesse Kilmartin now was has something he so partially possessed months ago -backbone. "Let her tell her own story, in her own time. As for Thorne, I need to get back to work."
"Why do you look at that child like it's hopeless, Adam?"
"SHIT! JESSE!" The man caught himself after yelling. His frame shook with tremors so that he rattled his desk. "Jesse," he tried again. "Thorne created her as a pawn for his revenge on Brennen."
"And Lexa."
"On them both." The man's face drained again at that. "Please, son. Let me work."
The molecular's eyes widened at that. Adam, in an admission of weakness was never good. Quietly, the baby shirt in his hand fell to the floor. "How long, Adam?"
"Jesse, please-"
The molecular stormed forward, slamming his hands on the desk, his voice dangerously low. "You let us bring that child here, knowing they would get attached to her. You let them bond with her, knowing something they didn't."
"The baby is innocent, Jesse-"
"Fuck that! You let two people you consider your 'children' cling to something they have no control over! Thorne knew we would come for you, and you played along."
"No-"
"NO! No what!? You brought that child here, let my brother and the woman I love become attached to her and said nothing! Now, how long, Adam!"
"Jesse!"
"HOW LONG DOES THAT CHILD HAVE TO LIVE?!"
Adam froze. His tired mind and heart pushed him, limply into a nearby chair. "I don't know."
The molecular nearly phased from breathing so hard. His head pounded with realization and hurt. "What do you need to save her?"
"I don't know yet. The embryo was developed so quickly, that we had little time to do thorough studies. But, I will find a way."
"Damn straight you will."
Adam looked up at the man moving to exit. "Are you going to tell them?"
Jesse's eyes scanned the cavernous area known as Sanctuary. He could see Shalimar holding the little girl, and Lexa smiling. He knew Brennen would be back soon from where ever he was. "Before we came to get you," he started, still not looking towards Adam. "Brennen didn't want to find you. He said we should let go of you, the way you let go of Emma."
"I tried-"
"I know. Adam, you've saved our lives time and time again. And I know you meant to protect this child from Thorne. I won't say anything. At least not now."
Adam exhaled loudly, his heart slowing in his chest. "Thank you, Jesse."
"You better, save her." He finished. "Or else there'll be two deaths on your head."