Author's Notes: You know I currently have like five stories left unfinished? I'm such a flake. Sorry, again, for the short chapter…more up soon.
Part Three: Stranger
Emma heard it approaching before she saw it.
"Ohgodohgodohgodohgodohgodohgod," Emma murmured, listening as the sirens died down.
"Adam!" She bellowed into her COM link. "What's going on?"
"Everyone, stop that ambulance!" Adam ordered, the calm in his voice wearing thin.
Turning, Emma saw Jesse caught in a crowd of dazed spectators. His eyes somber and grim as they found hers. Shalimar, uncharacteristically shoving anyone who got in her way aside, was quickly closing in on him. At least they're safe, for now, Emma thought. Squeezing her eyes shut, she felt for him.
Almost instantly she could feel the void being filled with anger, frustration, outrage and an undercurrent of fear. But mostly, she felt pain. Excruciating pain that blindsided her and was shoving her out of Brennan's mind.
"Stop!" She screamed. The hand on her shoulder thrust her back into the physical world. It was Adam. But she already knew what he had come to tell her.
"Brennan's gone."
* * *
"Miss? I'm sorry, but you'll have to wake up now," An unfamiliar voice called to Emma from the depth of her unrest.
"Wha? What?" She replied, groggily, not yet realizing that she had fallen asleep on the pew.
"Service will be commencing in another hour or so."
Craning her stiff neck, she looked into the kind blue eyes of a tall man in a dark suit with a white collar.
"I'm…I'm so sorry Father." Emma answered, embarrassed. Quickly gathering her belongings, she darted up.
"No need to hurry. All are welcome here…preferably awake, of course." The man explained with a chuckle.
Emma smiled half-heartedly at the attempt at a joke. "Thank you…but, I should be going. My friends are probably looking for me now." Turning, Emma took a step forward to leave. To her surprise, a body was suddenly there, blocking her way.
"Something must have brought you here last night…if you didn't go to your friends then, why now?" The stately man asked, his tone pressing, but tactful. A strange feeling washed over Emma. The way he spoke, it was almost as if…he knew her somehow.
Emma shook her head. "I…I'm sorry, I can't. I can't tell you." Turning, she tried to maneuver around the man, but a hand now shot out and clutched her arm.
"Emma, I'm here, if you ever care to talk about it. You're safe here…in this," he made a gesture to include the entire room, "sanctuary."
The hand dropped from her arm and Emma held it to her chest protectively. Nodding, she made her way to the large doors and threw them open, fleeing into the light of the high noonday sun. It took her another half a minute to wonder how the priest had known her name.
* * *
Shalimar watched solemnly as their passengers disembarked, a caravan of dark, foreboding faces. 'God,' she thought, scratching her head. 'I feel like we're on a fairy ride to hell.'
"I know how you feel."
Shalimar's face contorted oddly; it took Emma a second or two to realize she was smiling the first real smile since yesterday night.
"And just where have you been?" Shalimar asked in a motherly fashion.
"Out." She replied, teasingly. "So this is the motherhouse?" Emma asked, taking her first real look around since she arrived several minutes ago with Adam on her heels.
"Yeah…the original 'Sanctuary.'" Shalimar remarked and stared off as if reminiscing.
"It was?" Emma asked, looking around. The place was built like a fortress, ten layers of solid titanium steel all around the 2000 feet deep underground lair. "I like our place better. It's roomier."
Shalimar almost broke out into a real grin now. "That sounds like something Bren would have said." The minute the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them, watching Emma's eyes fall to the floor in silence.
"He's okay, Em." She assured her, snaking an arm around her shoulder.
"How are you so sure when I can't even feel him?" Emma whispered, taking Shalimar's offered hand. Not being able to think of a good answer to her question, Shalimar squeezed her hand tighter.