Title: "Beyond Destiny" Authors: EyeCandy and Fan81981 Disclaimer: We don't own any of the Mutant X characters. How sad. Rating: PG (?) Couple: Emma/Tyler and Emma/? Summary: Takes place after "Destiny's End". Emma deals with Tyler's death. The people who we love, do they ever really leave us?

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In her mind she kept seeing his face, how it looked right before the green gas clouded it over, how it told her everything she needed to know, then he was gone. She was asleep, but even in her dreams she couldn't escape the pain of losing him. A tear fell down the right side of her cheek, joining the many that had collected on her pillow.

Emma tossed in her sleep, unable to find a comfortable position. Her mind was reliving the memory of his death, every emotion she felt that day flowed through her like lava, searing her heart, burning it till nothing remained.

How he had looked, how he had made her feel. How his lips had felt on hers.

She heard him tell her that he loved her. He placed his hand on the glass window that was separating them, what she would have given to touch his hand one last time, to feel its warmth, its realness. She told him that she loved him and then he was gone. The one person that understood her better than she understood herself, the one person she loved with every fiber of her being was gone, and she didn't know how to deal with it.

*~Tyler. . . God Tyler . . . No!!! Please!! ~*

Emma woke up screaming, her body bathed in a cold sweat.

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Brennan paced outside Emma's door, unsure what to do. Suddenly the stillness was shattered by the sound of her scream. Brennan only hesitated for a second before he charged in.

Emma turned at the sound of the door opening and looked at Brennan with uncomprehending eyes.

*~ Why is he here? ~*

Brennan stopped and looked at Emma, what could he say? He had not approved of Emma and Tyler. He had thought it endangered the team and hurt Emma. What could he say to make it better now?

"What are you doing here?" Emma asked, a shade coldly.

Brennan flinched at the tone of her voice; he probably deserved it. But he had to continue.

"I heard you scream. I came in to check on you."

"I am fine. It was a bad dream." Emma's voice was flat.

"Want to talk about it?" Brennan asked hesitantly. Emma did not reply and Brennan imagined that her stare was slightly reproachful. It asked him why he was so concerned now. It asked him why did he bother?

Brennan could not answer Emma's questions.

"Should . . . should I send one of the others in? Maybe you shouldn't be alone tonight."

"I AM alone. No one can change that."

"Emma . . ." Brennan stepped towards her, he had to make it better somehow.

Emma quickly turned away. "I am tired. I want to go back to bed now Brennan. Good night."

It was a dismissal.

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Brennan didn't say anything else, he knew better. Emma wasn't open to anything right now, she was in too much pain. The tall elemental turned and left the room, regretfully closing the door behind him.

*~I can't stand to see her in so much pain . . . she means so much to me~*

Brennan slowly wandered back to his room and shut the door, leaving the feeling of anguish floating thickly in the air.

Emma quickly fell back into a fitful sleep, this time seeing the moment they first met.

Emma and the team where searching a chemical plant for a group eco- terrorists that had been raiding other chemical plants. As Emma walked in to an open area in the plant, she felt a presence, but a different kind of presence. In a flash, she saw herself lovingly touching and kissing this mystery man, as if she knew him intimately. Was it a premonition or just a passing fancy?

Emma couldn't say anything as she saw the man appear in front of her, she knew that he was like her - a Psionic. She could also feel that he really didn't want to be doing this. It was surprising how much she knew him - what he felt, what he hoped, what he feared. It was paralyzing.

Only after the man disappeared around the corner did she alert the others. She had let down her friends for him, even then.

Emma shifted in her sleep, the guilt still fresh enough to disturb her.

The dream shifted to the next time she saw him, at the beach. He had looked so handsome and sexy in just his swim shorts. When he saw her, he promptly introduced himself as Tyler.

*~ Tyler. ~*

Tyler somehow fitted him, it was strong, but it had a happy, carefree ring to it. A feeling Emma now understood as completely appropriate for Tyler. He asked her to come to the party they where having that night, she agreed immediately.

Anything to be closer to him.

Tears formed again in her eyes, and they fell freely again in her sleep. The pain was constant, unending; her tears seemed to flow continuously like the water in the fountain in the meditation room. Emma was drowning and she did not care.

She couldn't escape it, nor did she want to, it made her feel, even if it was a horrible sensation.

Anything to remember, anything to keep him close.

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Brennan stood outside her door, still standing guard even though she had told him to leave. He would not - could not leave her. He could not abandon her again.

If he been more understanding of what she felt for Tyler, if he had bothered to listen instead of lecture - then maybe things would be different now. He was not sure exactly how he could have made a difference, but he knew he was at fault.

He had failed Emma once; he would not do so again.

He would be there for her - her tear stained face flashed before his eyes - even if it killed him.

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