Title: The Time Has Come
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mutant X characters, and may occasionally include a few of my own as the work progresses. All but the characters in the show are mine.
Feedback: Guys, I really appreciate your feedback and all of the reviews. This is my first fanfic, and it's been interesting to see it unfold. I hope you guys enjoy it. I really look forward to your comments. Thank you Ambrosia, Megara, Chic, Cand, and the rest of you for reading it and taking the time to share your thoughts on it. I hope you guys aren't disappointed with the ending. : )

Chapter 7: Hour Glass

Pacing back and forth, Brennan and Shalimar nearly ran into each other for the third time.

"Argh, watch where you're going!" Brennan snapped, eliciting a growl from Shalimar. Smiling, Brennan quickly backed off.

"Guys, you're not helping anyone." Adam said for the fifth time that hour, their incessant pacing was driving him crazy.

"We're not leaving." Brennan said, matter-of-factly. Grinning, Adam was not at all surprised.

"Listen, Emma's condition is stable. She'll be fine in a couple of hours. Why don't you guys go get some rest, it's been a busy night. I'll let you know when the results on that drug they gave Emma is in." Moving towards Emma to check her vitals once more, Adam made it obvious he wasn't giving either of them a choice. Looking at his back, Brennan and Shalimar stalked off. As Adam moved to say the same thing to Jesse, the younger man just glared. Backing off, Adam returned to his computer and began analyzing the results of the test.

"Argh! That man is so frustrating!" Shalimar growled, not at all happy about being kicked out of the lab, or at her place by her teammate's side being usurped by Jesse. Reaching out to hold her, Brennan gently pulled her to him. The feel of her skin, nice and soft, smooth and tone, next to his made him smile. Looking into her deep brown eyes, he suddenly frowned.

"What is it?" Shalimar asked, surprised by the sudden change in Brennan's mood. Shaking his head, the handsome man with the electric personality smiled sadly.

"It must be killing Jesse. Seeing her like that, so vulnerable, on the verge…" Stopping abruptly, Brennan couldn't force himself to finish the sentence. "I know how I'd feel if that was you in there. It'd kill me." Brennan whispered, enjoying the feel of Shalimar's full lips on his.

"Come on Adam, what's wrong?" Jesse demanded, a few minutes earlier having noticed Adam's extremely agitated state.

"Brennan, Shalimar, meet us in the lab." Adam called out, giving Jesse the telling look that he would have to wait until they got there. Not two minutes passed before the two rushed into the lab. After seeing Emma exactly as they had left her, both looked at Adam questioningly. "It's the drug they gave her. I finally figured out what it is."

"And??" Brennan asked, not at all patiently.

"It's a synthetic drug, especially designed to speed up the mutations in New Mutants." Adam said, getting everyone's attention.

"There is a drug that can do that?" Shalimar asked, not quite believing what she was hearing. As Adam nodded, everyone moved to sit down.

"Is that responsible for Emma's state?" Brennan asked as he walked over and looked at the peaceful expression on Emma's face.

"I don't see how. The important thing right now though is how its going to affect her powers now. I'm worried the catalyst this drug acts as will speed her mutations up even more," Adam said, hesitating to finish his thought.

"If her mutations are sped up…?" Shalimar began, not daring to continue. Walking over to stand around the chair Emma resided in, Adam, Shalimar, and Brennan stared down at the young woman. Lost in their own thoughts, Jesse slowly brought Emma's hand to his lips. Brushing a light kiss across her palm, the silent member of Mutant X allowed a tear to fall. Making its way slowly down Jesse's cheek, the tear fell onto Emma's hand, sealing his gentle kiss.

As the others pondered Emma's fate, Jesse recalled the last message he received from her before she released the psionic pulse. Even in his mind, her words had been soft, gentle, and very caring.

OUTSIDE THE FALCON'S CLAW

"Don't tell me you just left her in there?" Brennan ground out, on the verge of punching Jesse. Glaring at Brennan, Jesse heard Emma's soft voice fill his mind. Jesse, my strength, my weakness, my best friend… I will come back to you… Jesse's head turned quickly after hearing the promise. My love.

A black shockwave expanded out from the club before pulling back in on itself. Brennan, Shalimar, and Jesse began shaking from the effects of it. Looking at the club, Jesse ran inside. Stepping over bodies, he noted the glazed over eyes of each feral before discounting them as unimportant. Reaching Emma, Jesse pulled her to him and held her. Concentrating on her face, Jesse relaxed only when he recognized her slow breathing pattern.

Bending down beside him, Shalimar and Brennan at once asked if Emma was okay. Shaking his head, Jesse explained she was alive but in need of help. To further alleviate their fears, he continued that it would take time for her to re-cooperate the energy she had expended. Brennan picked up a glass that had obviously fallen from Emma's hand.

"That's strange, why would she be drinking something?" As Brennan asked the question, Shalimar reached over and took the glass from his hand. Sniffing the top of it, Shalimar's face crinkled.

                "There's something in it. I think they tried to drug her." Nodding their heads, Shalimar and Brennan agreed to head back in the Audi with the glass so Adam could figure out what it was in case Emma had been drugged. They would also explain to Adam what had happened and help prepare the lab.

Jesse slowly picked Emma up and took her to the Mustang. Gently laying her inside, Jesse wiped her hair out of her face. My love. Buckling Emma's seat belt and driving as carefully as he could, Jesse headed for Sanctuary.

PRESENT

Her tender concern for him had made his breath catch. Emma said she would come back to him, she had in fact promised too. Jesse refused to believe anything else. A promise was a promise, and after her confession of love, he intended to do everything possible to help her keep it.

"Adam, have you taken another blood sample? Maybe you should test it and see what's going on before giving up on her." Jesse said, the stoic but criticism-free tone brought Adam out of his reverie.

"You're right, of course." As Adam began busily moving around the lab to continue his research, Shalimar and Brennan just looked at each other. Jesse's determination was admirable, but neither wanted him to get hurt more so than he already was. After Amanda's death had hit hard, Jesse had allowed himself to open up to Emma even more. The feral and elemental didn't know if he could handle losing two women in his life. Walking over and placing a gentle hand on the young blonde, Brennan began to open his mouth when Jesse cut in with a brusque "Don't say it. Don't even think it." Taken back, Brennan stared dumbfounded at his colleague when Shalimar walked over and gently took his hand in hers. Nodding her head, Shalimar motioned that they should leave him be. Looking back, Brennan almost tried again when Jesse shook his head. Letting out a frustrated sigh, Brennan followed Shalimar out of the lab.