AN: This is a short chapter. There is a reason for this. Author is miffed because either no one is reading this (which is fair enough) or YOU AREN'T BOTHERING TO REVIEW! It's very depressing and - although I won't threaten to stop writing, I'm enjoying this too much - I really would like some feedback. If you think it's terrible TELL ME WHY! Thanks to those who have reviewed and a warning to others - the continued safety of the characters cannot be guaranteed without sufficient feedback. You have been warned!
AN+: slight reference to the imagery used in 'No man left behind', you'll recognise it if you've seen it, if you haven't it won't spoil anything
Chapter 4
Shalimar sat beside the medilab chair where Emma was laid. A soft beeping assured them of her continued survival, and for the moment that rhythmic beat was all she had. There had been no movement from Emma since she had been brought in earlier that day. Shalimar's thoughts drifted as she sat, trying desperately to find some way to accept the inevitable. They drifted to the look on Emma's face when she was concentrating, the confusion when she had first arrived in Sanctuary, the anger in Brennan's face when she had been put in danger, the pain on Jesse's when he had heard what Adam had to say The grin on the face of the new mutant as she reached out to touch her face, knowing what damage it would cause. She felt the anger at that mutant boil up within her. How could she do it? Why?
She was pulled out of her thoughts by movement from Emma. Thinking she was awakening, Shalimar was crushed as she heard the rhythmic beat falter. "Adam." She screamed, praying that this wasn't it. This couldn't be the end. She wasn't ready.
Adam appeared at her side, quickly taking over, looking over the scans and administering medication, doing everything possible to hold Emma in this world. Looking again at one set of readouts he frowned. Surely, it couldn't be
"Shalimar, listen to me. I need you too run to the kitchen for me. I need a glass of milk. Can you do that?" Baffled, Shalimar nodded and dashed out of the room. Left standing at Emma's side Adam breathed a sigh of relief when Emma's heartbeat normalised as Shalimar moved away. Sitting he placed his head in his hands. "Why Shalimar? It could have been anyone, why Shalimar?" Standing and making sure that Emma's condition remained stable, Adam headed out of the room to tell Shalimar what he had discovered.
Onca stood waiting for Shalimar at the door to the club. Rain fell hard; smashing into the ground with a violence that contrasted the dejection and defeat shown on Shalimar's face as she appeared out of the watery mists. Without a word Onca led her to her room, leaving her momentarily to get a towel for her wet hair. When she returned Shalimar had curled her self into the corner of the bed, head against the wall and she was sobbing harshly. Carefully moving into the bed beside her, Onca took her in her arms and held her tightly, rainwater mingling with salty tears on her shoulder.
"Adam?" Jesse looked around the lab door, spotting their mentor at his computer. "Adam, have you seen Shalimar?" Adam looked up from the computer.
"She's" Adam began, stopping startled as he watched a black wave approach lethargically across the room. Before he could speculate, the wave engulfed them both, washing over them in an explosion of anger, hatred, sorrow, pity, grief such darkness it stunned the mind into silence. Adam caught him self on his desk before he fell, Jesse was not so lucky, standing as he was in the middle of the room, and sank to his knees sobbing quietly.
"Jesse, get up." Adam snapped, and then winced knowing he had not snapped on purpose. The emotive wave that had hit them had thrown his emotions completely off balance. "Emma's loosing control of her powers, she's letting things free."
"That was Emma?" Jesse wheezed.
"It's just the beginning. It's going to get worse, Jesse, and it's not likely to get any better."
Adam scrubbed his eyes as he sat up and away from the computer console. The familiar twist of DNA would tell him nothing more tonight. He had sent Jesse away to rest after the experience earlier that day, but all thoughts of his own rest had fled his mind when he had seen the new set of results from Emma's DNA tests. There was something wrong somehow, he knew that, but he couldn't define what it was. Still, maybe after a little sleep If only they had more time. Emma was getting closer and closer to the edge and still there was nothing.
"Adam, Shalimar's gone, her bike and clothes" Adam looked up as Jesse entered. "Do you know where she is? Emma's Emma is not going to last much longer, she needs to be here."
"Jesse, Shalimar had to"
"She's not coming back is she, Adam?" Brennan interrupted loudly as he walked into the lab. "Not in time anyway. She ran away to hide when it got too tough for her." He sneered.
"Adam?" Jesse asked, aghast.
"Jesse, I'm sorry, but let me explain"
"No Adam, you can't apologise for her. Not this time, this is too important." And with that Jesse stormed out of the room, closely followed by Brennan, leaving Adam gaping, still trying desperately to explain.
You may have noticed Jesse and Brennan's slightly unusual behaviour during this chapter. I'd like to blame it on the emotions that are being fed off Emma, but I have to admit to it being my complete lack of brainpower after an astrophysics exam. I did have a brainstorming session with Magneto, Bespectacled Cat and Black Adder (which as a discussion was rather extraordinary in its self) as well as getting helpful suggestions from Rogue, but I gave up. I apologise for this, it is very unprofessional of me, but then I begged for feedback at the start so, what are you gonna do?