Disclaimer: none of them are mine (oh wait …Emily is!)
Chapter 17
The Dojo
Adam was trying to fix the dojo, but he just couldn't concentrate. His mind was on Emma and Emily. *If I had never made Gabriel in the first place, Emma wouldn't have had his child. Emily's cute and a baby would be fun, but I know that just the idea of Ashlock being the father instead of Jesse is bothering Emma. But then again, every time she looks at Emily she seems okay. Maybe it won't be so bad. After all, a kid will make this place more lively.* His mind began to wander off thinking about how he was going to watch her when Emma went on missions with the team.
Emma's Bathroom
Emma stepped out of the shower, dried her hair with her towel and then wrapped it around her body. She put on some make-up, and then headed towards her room.
From outside her room, she heard Shalimar purring as she talked to Emily, "Who's the cutest baby? You are!"
"Put her down Shal, Emma might kill you if you don't let Emily have her nap," Brennan warned.
Stepping into the room Emma said, "Put her back in the crib! She's supposed to be sleeping." Walking up to Shalimar, she took Emily and carried her over to the crib. Laying Emily gently down on the blankets, she said, "Go to sleep now."
Emily's eyes closed, and she began to breathe deeply. Emma did a double take at her daughter. *She doesn't look as little as she did before. I'll talk to Adam when I get up.*
Jesse sat silently on Emma's bed from the moment Emma stepped into the room. She was only wearing a towel, and her semi-dried hair was all messed up in a sexy kind of way. He couldn't speak; it was like she stole his tongue.
Shalimar looked at Jesse's lovesick face and said, "I think we should leave and let Emma change. She's probably exhausted, and deserves some sleep."
Brennan nodded and headed out of the room, but Jesse was glued to her bed. Shalimar had to pull him up and drag him out of the room. Emma didn't seem to notice Jesse's reaction to her, she was too exhausted. Quickly she changed into grey pajama pants and a white tank top. Then she climbed into bed and fell asleep.
Emily's dream
Emma looked around her and noticed how familiar the place was. It was the Strand. *Please, I can't take anymore of this place. Wait a second this can't be my dream.* Different waves of emotions hit her; fear, anger, and love. *Where's all this coming from?*
Cautiously Emma walked down the hall, until she came to Gabriel's bedroom. Pushing open the door, she entered the room. Her eyes fell on a girl, about 16, that looked like she could be Emma's twin. *I'm an only child. Who is she? Oh my God, this must be Emily's dream.*
Stepping closer, she saw Gabriel. His face was full of fear; he was anything but happy to see his daughter.
Emily took a step towards him, "What? Not happy to see me? I wouldn't be happy to see me either if I were you. I know what kind of monster you are, and I'm here to stop you, forever."
"How can you kill me? It's not possible," Ashlock tried to sound brave, but he was trying not to freak out.
"If I hit you with enough energy, you'll die; from the inside out." She held her hands a foot apart, like he would usually do. A big energy ball formed in the middle, but it was black.
"Energy can't kill."
"Mine can. It's negative energy, with all of my powers in it too. It packs a nice punch."
"It would kill you too."
"At least you won't be here anymore, to bother my family, or anybody else."
"I'm a part of your family. I'm your father."
A look of disgust crossed her face, "As far as I'm concerned you're not my father. My family is Mutant X and I'll die to save them from you." The black energy ball was two times bigger than a basketball.
Emily entered Ashlock's mind, making him think that he couldn't move. Then she discharged the energy ball from her hands, it hit Ashlock in the chest. He was knocked backwards by the blast; his body fell limp on the ground.
Emma turned to look at Emily, who screamed out in pain. "I'm sorry mother, but I was the only one who could stop him. I was the only one who could do it. It was my destiny." Her breathing became labored, and then she collapsed on the ground.
Emma ran to her, and searched for a pulse; but she found none. Quickly overcome with grief she was ripped out of the dream.
Present
Quickly Emma shot up in bed. She couldn't believe what she just had seen. *Emily is going to die, and she warned me.* Getting up to, she walked over to the crib. *I have to make sure she's still there.* Looking into the crib, she couldn't believe her eyes.
Emily looked about three years old. *Oh my God. It's going to be real. I wonder when? I'd better get Shalimar.*
Quietly stepping out of the room, she left the door wide open. Emma started to walk towards Shalimar's room, when Shalimar called out to her, "You looking for me?"
Emma turned around, "Yeah, could you do some quick, and I mean like quick shopping for me?"
"Sure. What do you need?"
"Clothes. Just get tons of different sizes for a kid. And hurry."
"Why?"
"I'll show you," pulling Shalimar into her room. They walked over to the crib.
Shalimar's eyes almost fell out of her head, "She's getting awfully big."
"I know. She needs some clothes. Please hurry."
Shalimar nodded and headed out of the room.
Emma looked at Emily again, she seemed restless. All of the sudden she started to scream, "Mommy! They're crawling on me! Get them off!"
Emma wrapped a blanket around Emily and picked her up. "What's crawling on you sweetie?"
"Spiders," Emily's voice waivered.
"Want to take a bath and wash them off?"
Emily gave Emma a big smile, "Uh-huh."
Emma carried her to the bathroom. And filled the tub with warm water. She set Emily in the tub, who then sat down and started splashing around in the water, squealing with joy.
"Let's get you washed off now." Emma washed her and then grabbed her shampoo. "Close your eyes." Emily did as she was told, and Emma began to wash your hair.
"It smells good Mommy. What is it?"
"Passion fruit shampoo." Emma carefully rinsed out the shampoo covering Emily's eyes with one hand and pouring a cup of water with her other hand. That way, it wouldn't burn Emily's eyes. "All done. Time to come out."
"No! Can't I stay in here until Aunt Shalimar comes back with my clothes? Please? I like the water." Emily looked up at Emma with big puppy dog eyes.
Emma laughed, "Okay. But how did you know where she went?"
"I can feel her, all them, in my head. They all think I'm cute and fun," Emily had the biggest smile on her face.
"That's because you are. Do you want some bubbles?"
"Yeah!" Emily's eyes sparkled at the sound of that.
Emma poured some bubble bath into the water, and bubbles filled the tub. She stood there watching Emily play around in the water for ten minutes.
Then there was a knock at the door, "It's Shalimar. Can I come in?"
"No!" Emily didn't want to leave the water, she was having too much fun.
"You can come in Shal."
Shalimar opened the door, and saw Emily in the tub filled with bubbles. "I brought some clothes for you."
"But I want to stay in here," Emily whined.
"Sweetie, you can play in the water later. You need to come out now."
Emily let out a tiny sigh, "Okay. I'll get out."
Emma lifted her out of the tub, and dried her off with a towel. Then she grabbed the bags that Shalimar bought and let Emily pick out what she wanted to wear.
"Hmmm. I'll wear this and this." She held up a pair of blue jeans and a black shirt. Emma helped her get dressed and all three of them walked out of the bathroom together.
They walked back to Emma's room, and when they opened the door, they saw Jesse sitting on the bed. His hands covered his face, but they could tell that he had been crying.
Emily was hiding behind Emma, holding on to one of her legs. She was wondering why he was sad, so she decided to take a peak in his mind.
"Jess, what's the matter?" Concern filled Emma's voice.
Shalimar walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, "You okay?"
Before he could answer either of their questions, Emily ran out from behind Emma and ran towards him. "Don't be sad, here I am!"
Jesse looked up and almost fell off the bed. Three feet in front of him stood a tiny Emma, who he guessed must have been Emily. A big smile appeared on his face and he scooped her up in his arms, "I thought you climbed out and got lost. You really scared me there kiddo."
"I was sleeping but then I had a bad dream." Emily climbed up into his lap, and sat there holding his hand, and looking at the ring. "Spiders were crawling all over me, but Mommy helped me washed them off. Now the spiders are all gone and I smell good."
*Emma, how did she grow that fast?*
*I don't know Jess. It might have something to do with her power but I don't know. I was going to talk to Adam about it.*
Emily glanced up at Jesse and then over to Emma, "I can hear you guys, so you might as well talk."
"Sorry kiddo, we won't do that again," Jesse planted a kiss on her head.
"Shouldn't we talk to Adam? Before she grows again?"
"I won't turn eight until tomorrow."
They all looked at her questioningly. "You know why you grow this fast?"
"Uh-huh. I have to make myself grow to kill the monster. That way he won't hurt Aunt Shalimar, Uncle Brennan, Adam, Jesse, Mommy, or anyone else."
Emma went pale as Emily spoke those words. *That dream must have been, what she needs to do. I just wish that's what it was, a dream.*
"Don't be sad Mommy. Be happy like me." Emily crawled off of Jesse's lap, and ran to Emma. "Pick me up please?"
Emma picked her up and smiled, "I love you."
Emily kissed her cheek and gave her a hug. "I love you too. It'll be okay. Can we go see Adam and Uncle Brennan now? They will be so surprised to see how big I got!"
"Okay. Let's go see them. Adam, Brennan. Can you meet me, Shalimar, and Jesse in the rec room?"
"Yeah, we'll be right there," Brennan said over the comm link.
"Let's go," Emma set Emily down and the four of them headed for the rec room.
Emily tugged on Jesse's pants, "Can you give me a ride?"
"Okay," He kneeled down and she climbed on his back.
"Be careful," Emma said with concern.
"Don't worry, he won't drop me. Now go forward," Emily instructed.
"Anything you say your highness," he began to head towards the rec room.
When Adam, and Brennan saw them coming down the hall, Brennan asked, "Who's Jesse carrying?"
"I don't know, but we'll find out in a second."
Emily whispered to Jesse, "Put me down."
Jesse stopped and knelt on the ground. Emily climbed down and ran towards the couch where Adam and Brennan were sitting. "Hi Adam! Hi Uncle Brennan!" Emily climbed up on the couch and sat between the two.
Adam and Brennan exchanged glances and then looked up at Emma. "How'd she grow like that," Adam asked.
Emma sat down and told them, everything including the dream. They all sat there in silence, not knowing what to say. Everyone was feeling sad, so Emily decided to lighten the mood, "Can I have some ice cream?"
A/N: Next time…Emily's eight and shows off her powers. Ashlock starts bugging Emma again, and Emily's not happy about that. Read, review and enjoy