Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters from Mutant X.

Author's Note: Sorry it's taken me a bit longer than usual to update, but I had a touch of writer's block. Plus, I didn't have much time to work on it as I'm in the process of putting the finishing touches on my other story, "Firefly." It's nearly finished, if you're interested, and I can promise angst and twists up to the very end! As for Animal Instincts, I've now gotten over the writer's block and I'm much clearer as to the direction it's going to be taking. Thanks for your patience.

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Chapter 6

Adam had ushered Jesse and Shal out as he worked on Brennan's extensive injuries with Emma. He was worried. Brennan had lost vast amounts of blood and no matter how fast he replaced it, it didn't seem to make any difference. He was also worried about Emma. Not that she was excessively squeamish, but even he had felt sick to his stomach when he realised he could see nearly all of Brennan's ribs through the deep gashes on his chest. * And let's not even mention his throat, * he thought to himself.

Brennan's throat had been practically non-existent when he'd first come into Sanctuary. Slowly, though, and after many hours of hard work with swabs, needle and thread, he had more or less managed to suture him back together.

Finally, he and Emma put down their instruments with a sigh of relief.

"Well, that's about all we can do," Adam sighed.

As he and Emma exchanged a glance, Adam noticed that Emma looked very pale and drawn. "Why don't you go and lie down for a while," he suggested, but she merely shook her head as she dragged a chair over to the bed and sat there, holding Brennan's limp hand in her own. Adam furrowed his forehead worriedly, but decided to leave it at that. She would have to deal with this in her own time and in her own way.

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Meanwhile Jesse and Shalimar were busy working on the present dilemma from a different angle.

"What about the police records from the UK?" asked Shalimar. "Surely there must be something there that can help us?" There was silence yet again as Jesse typed out his requirements and the screen flashed as it worked. A list of murders perpetrated around the UK appeared on the screen, reflecting its cold white light onto the two faces.

"These," Shal pointed with her finger on the screen. Following her lead, Jesse highlighted the ones she'd pointed out and isolated them.

"What about them?" he asked, frustrated with himself. They had been at it for over four hours now and there was still nothing to show for their troubles.

Shalimar sighed and shook her head. "Still nothing." She got up irately and paced around the room. "Why aren't we getting anything?" she yelled.

Jesse pushed himself away from the screen and stretched his arms. "Maybe we're working too hard at this. We should take a break."

Shal pushed past Jesse and bent over the screen once again. "There must be something we're missing. And I'm not stopping until we find it. Brennan's lying in there, he could be dying, and I can't do anything about it."

"Shal," Jesse said softly as he slipped his arms around her waist. "Take it easy. We're doing the best we can. Maybe there's nothing to find." He gently pulled her back down into the chair and stroked her hair soothingly. She instinctively closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. * Damn him, * she thought. * He knows exactly what to do to take my mind off the problems. * She leaned back further, leaning against his shoulder and letting him stroke away her frustration. She felt him kiss her bare neck and purred in pleasure.

She wriggled in complaint as his hand stopped its caressing path down her back, but he remained still. As she turned to see what the matter was, she saw a look of intense concentration on his face as he scanned the information on the screen over and over again.

"Shal, do you see what I see?" he asked distractedly.

She turned to look at the screen curiously. "What?"

"The murders, they occur within a week of each other, and then stop for three weeks."

"They occur in cycles," she repeated, suddenly realising what he meant.

"Monthly cycles," Jesse corrected. "If I didn't know better, I'd say she was a werewolf."

"Exactly what I was thinking," came Adam's voice as he entered. "I had my suspicions, but I had to check the details."

"She can't be," Shalimar protested. "Werewolves don't exist."

"According to the vast majority of the population, mutants don't exist," he explained. "Doesn't mean it can't be true. I did a bit of work on the DNA sample we collected, and she is a canine feral. The only difference between you and her, Shalimar, is that she transforms all the way into her animal state. It also appears that a primal instinct calls her to transform every full moon."

"Isn't there a myth that a person can become a werewolf by being bitten by one?" asked Jesse, realising the repercussions for his teammate.

"Or scratched, yes," Adam answered. "But all her victims have died from her bites. Brennan is the first to survive, so I have no means to predict how he's going to be affected by it. All we can do is monitor him and see what happens."

"There's nothing we can do?" asked Shalimar angrily.

"Believe me Shalimar, there's nothing I hate more than having to wait something out without evidence to back me up," he replied with a grimace as he strode out.

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As Adam strode back towards Brennan and Emma, he felt the old resentful emotions surfacing. He tried to smother them hurriedly, knowing they were inappropriate, not least because the focus of the emotions was still lying unconscious. He understood that Emma had strong feelings for all the team members, but why was she so adamant that she wanted to sit with Brennan?

He couldn't face going back and seeing Emma, pale and tired, sitting with Bren regardless, so he made a detour and ended up at the waterfall. He sat there, listening to the trickling water, trying to justify his strong emotions, and failing.

He was so immersed in his own emotional nightmare that he didn't hear the quiet footfall coming up behind him. A soft pair of hands rested gently on his shoulders and startled him into spinning round.

"Relax, Adam," Emma whispered. "Brennan's still unconscious."

"Well, at least he's no worse," he managed to mumble.

"You look like you could use a rest," she told him sternly.

He shook his head irritably. "I'm fine, Emma. It's you who needs to take it easy. Brennan will be fine without you for a few hours."

Emma recoiled slightly at the emotion in his voice. She wouldn't have thought that there was any bad feeling between Brennan and Adam, so why had she heard traces of resentment as he spoke? Again, she was sorely tempted to read him. * After all, it could be something I could help him with, * she justified to herself.

He turned to face her just as she was trying to decide whether to go ahead or not. "I've got to go check on Brennan," he said, avoiding her eyes.

She kept her hold on his shoulders for a second as she fought the almost irresistible urge to read him. She could feel an overwhelming sense of loss and bitterness radiating off him, and wanted to know more.

"Adam, are you sure you're all right?" she asked yet again.

He bit his lip. He desperately wished he could tell her how he felt, but he knew deep down that it would be unwise. He would be risking the cohesion of the team, and he knew he couldn't do that after all the years he had put into it. Apart from the fact, of course, that it would push Emma further away from him and alienate the others from him. At least this way, he could keep an eye on Emma and protect her in his own small way.

He put his hand on hers and risked a look into the eyes he would be willing to loose himself in. "Stress," he joked with a rueful grin. "I'll be fine."

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Does that explanation of a werewolf in mutant terms make sense to you? Does anyone have any ideas as to how to perfect it? R&R please, I'm willing to rectify, change or insert anything I may have missed or gotten wrong.