Part 15

~~~

Shalimar slowly drifted back to consciousness. She could feel someone else's body lying close to hers. Opening her eyes she spotted a mess of dark hair to her right. Looking around she was relieved to realize that she was home at sanctuary.

Ignoring the large headache she had she tried to sit up but the pain her ribs was more intense than the one in her head so she decided to forgo sitting up and lay back down. However her movements roused Brennan from his slumber

Wiping the sleep from his eyes Brennan placed a hand on her forehead and kissed it lightly "you scared the hell out of me" he said

Unable to hold back the tears any longer Shalimar broke down "I thought you were dead" she said between sobs "he told me you were dead"

"Shhh its ok" he replied kissing her on the forehead again "you don't have to worry about him anymore"

"Brennan I am so sorry for everything"

"You don't have to be sorry for anything" he said kissing her on the lips.

After breaking the kiss Adam came into the lab "Good to see you're feeling better"

"Yeah well except for the pain in my ribs and the killer headache I am perfect" she replied taking Brennan's hand in hers

Adam watched the two interact and knew that something had changed between them in their time away. He was sure it had something to do with Ortega but he didn't want to say anything because Shalimar would probably be embarrassed that Brennan had told him what went on at the compound.

"So Adam what is the verdict?" Brennan asked with regards to Shalimar's condition

"Few days rest and she will be back on her feet good as new" Adam replied

"It feels good just to have my powers back and that thing out of my neck" she replied rubbing the back of her neck

"Did Christina's people get everything they needed?" Brennan asked

"Yes, some of the men they captured are being very forthcoming with any information they have on the ring and the mutants that have been sold" Adam replied

"Good, I hope Ortega rots in a cell" muttered Shalimar. Noticing Adam and Brennan had both decided to find spots on the floor to stare at she got nervous "he didn't get away did he?" Brennan looked from Shalimar to Adam and quickly left the room. "What is going on?"

"Ortega's dead"

"So why did he run out like that?" Adam's silence spelled it out for her. She tried to get up to follow him but Adam stopped her

"Shalimar you need to rest and I think Brennan needs to be alone"

Shalimar reluctantly lay back down and tried to get some rest but it was hard considering the man she loved was going through the emotional ringer for the second in one week.

~~~

After leaving the lab Brennan tried to get some sleep but every time he closed his eyes all he could see were Ortega and Shalimar. He didn't see them together in bed instead he saw Shalimar getting beat while Ortega smiled as he reveled in their suffering.

Twisting and turning in his bed sweat beads began to form as his dream moved to the corridor where he killed Ortega. Except in his dream he was watching the events unfold and was surprised when Shalimar came and talked to him as he watched himself and Jesse

"Brennan, how could you kill him in cold blood?" dream Shalimar asked

"He was hurting you I……."

"You what, thought I would come running into your arms after you electrocuted him to death? Well guess again Brennan" she spat before walking away

"Shal wait" he said trying to follow her but he couldn't move

"Shal" he said aloud like he said in his dream as he struggled under his sheets. Suddenly he felt someone kissing him very passionately. Kissing back he opened his eyes find Shalimar straddled above him. "Shal what……" he tried to ask but she cut him off with another kiss.

Breaking the kiss she looked deep into his eyes "Don't feel guilty for anything" she whispered before kissing him deeply again

He tried to protest her advancements but he was quickly caught up in the throws of passion. They made love several times and each time she soothed him with words of love the way he had done to her their first time together at the compound.

Afterwards he lay next to her, gently stroking her back. He thought about everything that had happened in the last week especially the blood that was now on his hands. Looking down at Shalimar's sleeping form he found it hard to believe she could forgive him so easily for all he had done and put her through.

Kissing the top of her head he pulled her tightly to him before falling into a dreamless sleep.

~~~

[Few hours later]

Propped up on one elbow Shalimar examined every curve and wrinkle of Brennan's face. She had to admit he looked worn and tired even when asleep. This last week had been hard on both of them and she had yet to ask him why he walked out of the lab earlier. That was the reason she had come to his room but when she heard him calling out her name, obviously having a bad dream, she tried to show as best she could that she didn't blame him for anything that happened in the last week.

If she was going to be totally truthful with herself she came to his room to be sure he was really alive and she hadn't dreamt him being with her in the lab. Through all the crap she had been through in her life she had never been as heartbroken as she was when Ortega told her he was dead.

Looking over at the clock she questioned whether she should stay or get back to the lab before Adam realized she was missing and had a coronary. Deciding to at least drop by the lab she quietly got out of the bed, so not to wake him, got dressed and went to the lab.

As she neared the lab she mentally kicked herself when she saw Adam already in there working.  Taking a deep breathe she walked into the lab ready to face the riot act she knew he was going to read her about leaving the lab in her condition; if only he knew what she had done in her condition last night.

"Hey Adam and before you start I know I shouldn't have left the lab but I really needed to see Brennan"

"I figured as much. How is he?"

"He's sleeping" she replied trying to hide her smile

"Good. Why don't you go get some too? You look like you could use it" he replied with a smile of his own

"So you're not mad I left the lab?"

"Of course I am mad but I also understand why you did it. Now go get some sleep before I change my mind"

He didn't need to tell her twice she was practically out the door by the time he finished his sentence.

~~~

Extending his hand he was surprised to find the other side of the bed empty. Sitting up he looked around his small room for any evidence that she might still be there. Feeling the sting of disappointment begin to rise in his gut he lay back down in his bed tightly closing his eyes.

After laying there for a moment he heard the knob on his door begin to turn and the door creak open. Turning his head towards the door he was pleasantly surprised when Shalimar entered

"Hey I didn't wake you did I?' she asked closing the door behind her

Smiling and patting the bed beside him "no but I was a little disappointed when I woke up and you were gone"

"Sorry about that I wanted to go see Adam before he freaked that I wasn't in the lab when got there this morning" she replied climbing into the bed next to him "and you looked so cute sleeping I didn't have the heart to wake you" she said before giving him a quick kiss on the lips

"For a second there I though maybe you hated me or blamed me" he confessed as he laid back down

"Hey I thought I told you that I didn't blame you"

"I know you did but when you weren't here I thought maybe you were mad"

"Well I am not mad and I don't hate you. In fact it is very much the opposite" she replied smiling. Noticing he wasn't fully reassured her smile faded "what's wrong?"

"It was me, I killed him" he muttered

"I had a feeling, especially when you bolted from the lab yesterday"

"I just kept shocking him even after I knew he was dead. It was like everything that happened and everything he had done just made me so angry and…….." he paused trying to control his sobs "I've never lost control like that before and it scared the hell out of me. I mean there have been times when I lost but………..I'm afraid of hurting you"

Pulling him into a hug she rubbed his back while he cried "listen to me, we all lose control sometimes and no one can expect you to completely block out your emotions all the time. And as for me, you haven't been able to hurt me yet so I think I can handle it"

"It's just I have never killed anyone in cold blood before and I was afraid you would hate me because of it"

Pulling out of the hug she took his head in her hands "you don't listen very well do you? I told you I could never hate you and as far as I am concerned that bastard got what he deserved. Ok, you hear me I don't hate you. I love you" she made sure to put a heavy emphasis on the last three words in order to make him understand.

He nodded in reply as they lay back down on the bed and went back to sleep in each others arms. Both content that they had found a love that could withstand any obstacle that life would undoubtedly put in their way.

~~~

The End

~~~

Well that is it. I hope you guys enjoyed it. I am working on a new fic but like I said before it won't be ready before I leave for Vegas……so you guys will just have to wait. R&R before you leave.