Part 4: by lornein:
Author's Note: I hope you guys are enjoying reading this as much as I am enjoying writing it. And the longer chapters have started, so enjoy!! Cheers!
Brennan woke up and rubbed his eyes. It seemed just minutes when he had flopped down tired on his bed. And now his alarm clock was ringing at it's peak. He could not believe it was ten in the morning already. Brennan got up and looked through the window. It was a gloomy day outside, rain filled clouds had covered most of the sky and the weather was turning worse, he could tell. A chill ran through his body. The chill of the sun less day was adding more vigor to the winter chill of November.
Then Brennan remembered. He remembered last night. Today Shalimar was going to make her decision. Brennan felt nervous instantly. As much as he wanted to know what Shalimar had decided he was also afraid inside that she would reject him.
Brennan decided that he had to know. He quickly headed for the shower to get ready.
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Shalimar entered the lab and as usual saw Adam working there. He was downloading some important information on a back up disk. She smiled at the look of concentration on his face. He looked tired.
"Hi Adam."
"Hello Shalimar. Did you guys have fun last night."
"Yeah we did. Why didn't you join us?" Shalimar said with a smile.
"May be next time Shal. Listen I need you guys to be somewhere for me. Could you get the others over here please." Adam spoke.
"Sure Adam. Is something wrong?" Shalimar was now worried.
"No, absolutely not. It's just a new mutant that's all." Adam said.
"Okay then. I'll go get the others." Shalimar headed up the stairs.
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Shalimar didn't have to go far. She met Emma and Jesse on her way up. They were bickering about their favorite topic, Jason.
"No Jesse I don't think Jason lisps." Emma seemed mad.
"For the record Emma I knew Jason before you did, remember? I'm sure I heard him. Maybe you should check again. Eww how can you kiss someone who lisps."
"I don't know. Maybe I'll check the next time my.." Emma did not get to finish as Jesse stopped her midway:
"Don't you finish that sentence Emma." Jesse laughed out loud.
Shalimar laughed at them. She knew very well what was going on. She was sure that Emma knew too.
"Hey guys could you just stop for a moment please. Adam wants us downstairs." Shalimar said to them.
"And has anyone seen Brennan up and about?" she again asked.
"No I don't think he's up yet." Jesse said.
"Okay I'll go check on him. You guys head to the lab." Shalimar told them.
Shalimar knocked on Brennan's door fully expecting a sleepy groan in return. Instead she was greeted by Brennan, fully clothed.
"Hey Shal." Brennan said a bit nervously.
Shalimar knew that she had to tell him, there was no other way and they could not suppress this matter for ever.
"Can I come in?" Shalimar asked him.
"Yeah sure. I thought you would want to talk." Brennan said.
"Actually I can't stay long Brennan. Adam wants us both to be at the lab. The only reason I am here is that they think you're sleeping in, so I get a little extra time talking with you while they think you are getting ready." Shalimar finished.
As soon as they were both inside, Brennan closed the door and slammed her up against it. His lips were on her and his hands were in her hair.
"So have you decided yet?" He smiled into her hair.
Brennan was a little shocked as he felt Shalimar pull away from him.
He saw tears in her eyes. Then he knew what her decision was.
"Why Shalimar?" Brennan asked in a hurt voice.
"Brennan I really care about you. But I think that us together would not be a good idea. We work together. If this would mess up then it'll ruin both you and me for ever. I don't think that we can be teammates and lovers at the same time. I really do care about you and this is the hardest decision that I have had to make in my life." Shalimar choked on the tears that had started forming in her eyes.
"So you are just ignoring me?" Brennan asked her.
"No Brennan we are friends. But that's all we'll be. Friends and teammates. I am sorry." Shalimar ran out of his room with tears streaming down her face.
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Shalimar sat with the rest of the team in the lab. Brennan had showed up a little later. By the expression on his face, Shalimar could not understand how he felt.
Shalimar's heart was aching. Letting go of Brennan was the hardest decision of her life. She wanted him, she knew that. But there were several reasons why she had ended it before it began. To tell the truth she was scared. She was scared of the consequences if things would not work out with them. She knew that eventually Brennan would get over it, but she feared that she wouldn't. If they broke up she would never recover from the heartbreak. Such were things with Brennan. It was better this way. They were friends and nothing more.
Shalimar didn't dare look into Brennan's eyes. Instead she focused on what Adam was saying.
"Listen you guys, I have some news for you. One of my friends in London is sending over a new mutant over here. She will be staying with us for a month. My friend wants her to gain some experience while working with us. I want Shalimar and Brennan to go pick her up from the address I'll tell you soon. Jesse, Emma I want you two to be ready with the double helix to bring her here." Adam finished.
"Sure Adam. Just give us the description and her name." Jesse said.
"Well I don't know her name but Gordon said that she would find you guys once you get there. She is an elemental too. Electrical , just like Brennan." Adam said.
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An hour later Shalimar and Brennan were at the address Adam told them. Shalimar had tried to joke with Brennan but he seemed dead serious and real professional. It was as if he didn't want to be her friend anymore. Shalimar looked around but there was no sign of any new mutant anywhere.
Suddenly she heard a loud shriek and turned around. She saw that Brennan was already on his way to the source of the sound. She saw a tall girl, forming a ball of electricity in her hands. Brennan was doing the same and now they were closer to each other.
"Brennan be careful." Shalimar shouted at the top of her voice. But she saw something she never expected.
Brennan had pulled the girl into a tight hug. He was stroking her hair. Suddenly they were kissing, very passionately. What the hell!
Shalimar went there immediately. She coughed loudly which made the others pull apart.
"What the hell is this?" Shalimar said.
"Oh hello. I am sorry that I didn't introduce myself. I am Amanda Mason. It was just that I was too excited to see Brennan here." The girl finally spoke up.
"You two know each other?" Shalimar asked Brennan this time.
"Yeah Amanda and I are old friends." Brennan said coldly.
Shalimar looked at Amanda. She was very tall. She had dark shining black hair and cherry red lips. In other words, there was no way that Brennan would have been just friends with her.
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On their way back, things were mostly quiet in the double helix. Brennan and Amanda sat chatting. It also seemed that Emma knew about Amanda.
Emma and Jesse joined them. It was only Shalimar who sat aside in the controls. She was not interested in what Amanda had to say.
When they reached the sanctuary Adam welcomed Amanda and was pleasantly surprised at her previous connections with Brennan. He thought that it would help her to blend in with the team better.
Shalimar just had to know about Brennan and Amanda. She did not know why. So she decided to ask Emma about it.
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The psionic knew what was on Shalimar's mind when she approached her. Emma wanted to tell her too.
"So Shalimar what do you want to know about Amanda?" Emma asked.
"How can you just say… oh just forget it you psionic. Just tell me everything." Shalimar said with a smile.
"Yeah he was involved with her." Emma said with a sigh.
It was then that Shalimar chose to look around. Through his open window She saw Brennan stroking Amanda's hair.
"Oh god what have I done." Shalimar said out loud.
Emma took hold of Shalimar's hands.
"Okay Shal tell me everything and I'll tell you everything I know about her." Emma said.
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That was the end of part 4. tell me if you like it. I plan to continue soon. Bye!!