Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X, or the characters.
~*~* Chapter 6 *~*~
~*~* Early morning-2:46*~*~
He woke from his slumber to the sound of someone crying. Slowly Brennan got out of bed and grabbed a shirt. The sobs and cries became louder when he walked out to the hallway. He stopped for a minute, listening for which way they were coming from. He stepped up to Shalimar's door and listened again.
Brennan slowly walked in and found Shalimar sobbing in a tight ball on her bed. He moved over to her and took her in his arms, holding her tightly.
She let out a cry of pain and let her tears fall freely from her eyes. Brennan looked down at her concerned. "Shal, what's wrong?"
She whimpered and then looked up at him. "It burns."
"What burns?"
Shalimar opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was another agonizing cry. She pulled away from Brennan, grabbed her head and rocked back and forth.
Brennan took her hands and then pulled her back into his arms. He could feel her body shaking and there was a wet spot on his shirt from all of her tears. "It burns, Brennan. It burns." She whimpered again.
Brennan stood and put his comm. ring to his mouth. "Adam? Adam you awake?"
"I'm here Brennan, what's wrong?"
"Something's wrong with Shal, I'm gonna bring her down to the lab."
"Ok, I'll meet you there."
Brennan slipped an arm under Shalimar's legs and one around her back. He gently picked her up and carried her to the lab.
Adam met them there like he said he would and went to Shalimar as soon as they came in. "What's wrong?" He asked concerned as Brennan gently placed Shalimar in the lab chair. She clung to him not wanting him to let her go.
"I don't know. All she can get out is 'it burns'," he said as he held her close.
"Alright, Shalimar, I need you to tell me what burns," he said and he put a hand on her shoulder.
"Everything,"
Adam looked confused. "Ok, I'm gonna run a scan." He walked over to the computers and set them. Brennan tried to move away but Shalimar wouldn't let him go. Adam turned and looked at the two. "Brennan, could you move away please?"
He lifted his hands in the air as proof to show that he wasn't the one who wouldn't move. Adam shook his head. "Shal, I need you to let Brennan go and lie down."
She just shook her head and gripped Brennan tighter. "Shal, honey, listen to me, I promise I'll come right back as soon as the scan finishes." Brennan said softly.
Shalimar looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
"I promise." He repeated, gently stroking her cheek. Slowly she released him and lay back on the chair. "Good girl." Brennan smiled as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. He stepped back and watched as the yellow stream of light swept over her body a few times.
As soon as the scan finished he stepped back over to her and pulled her back in his arms like he had promised. "So why is she in so much pain?"
Adam looked over the scan and frowned. "Ashlocke must have injected her with a virus that burns your body when you try to use your mutant abilities."
Brennan looked at him confused. "So why are you looking so worried? Can't you just give her something and have that be the end of it?"
"No, I'm going to need time to come up with an antidote. Thing is, we don't have that much time." Worry crossed Brennan's face. "If I don't find an antidote for her soon it's going to start burning out her new mutant DNA," he said as he filled a syringe with pain killers. "and that could kill her."
They both jumped when Shalimar let out a loud cry. "How long does she have until that starts to happen?" Brennan asked as he pulled her closer.
"Well, I can't say exactly, but she's got about another hour...maybe two." He replied as he went over and injected her with the pain killers. "Shalimar, listen to me, you need to try and get some sleep, ok?"
She gave a small nod and then turned to face him. "Do I have to stay here?"
"Yes, I want you here as soon as I finish the antidote." He replied as he walked over to the counter and started working.
She frowned and turned back to Brennan. "Come on baby, some sleep might do you good." He said, taking her arms and untangling them from around him.
"But I don't want you to go." Tears started to fill her eyes again as she grabbed his arm.
"Shalimar..."
"Please," she said quickly, cutting him off.
He sighed, there was no way he could ever tell her no. "Alright."
Shalimar scooted up in the lab chair and let Brennan climb behind her. He gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. "Brennan, don't let me go," she whispered as she snuggled close to him.
"I won't."
She closed her eyes and relaxed in Brennan's strong arms. Within minutes she was asleep.
~*~* 2 hours later *~*~
Brennan sat in the lab chair watching Shalimar sleep on his chest as he tried to sort out his mixed thoughts and emotions. He twirled her soft silky blond hair around his fingers and sighed. No one had said a word for two hours until Adam spoke. "How is she?"
Brennan didn't answer; he was too caught up in his thoughts to even hear Adam. Adam touched his shoulder and shook him a little. "Huh? What?" he said coming back to reality?
"You look like you could use some sleep. Why don't you go back to bed? I'm sure she'll be fine."
"No, I told her I'd stay."
"Alright," he said as he turned back to his work.
Brennan kissed her head and continued to play with her hair. "How is the antidote coming?"
Adam looked over his shoulder at Brennan and smiled. "It should be done soon."
Shalimar started to whimper softly in Brennan's arms. All of a sudden she let out a loud cry of pain. Brennan and Adam both jumped at the unexpected sound. She whimpered harder against Brennan as tears spilt from her eyes.
"Shalimar, what's wrong?" Adam asked as he walked over to her. She let out another cry and buried her head in Brennan's chest. "It burns," she sobbed.
"Ok, I'm almost done. I just need you to hang on a little longer."
"Adam, can't you do something for her?" Brennan asked as he held Shalimar's trembling body close to his.
"I can't give her anymore pain killers," he paused what he was doing for a second and thought. Then he lifted his comm. ring to his mouth and started to speak. "Emma... Emma, are you awake?"
Emma slowly pulled away from Jesse's lips and sighed as she looked into his eyes. "Emma?" She heard again.
"I'm here. Why are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?" She asked pretending that he had just woken her up.
"Shalimar needs your help. She's in a lot of pain and I need you to calm her down."
"What's wrong?"
"I'll explain when you get down here."
"Alright." Emma kissed Jesse and rolled out of bed. She threw on her robe as Jesse grabbed his shirt and put it on. A few minutes later Jesse and Emma walked into the lab. "What's wrong?" Emma asked concerned when she saw Shalimar unconscious on the lab chair with Brennan standing next to her.
"To make a long story short, Ashlocke injected her with a virus that burns out new mutant DNA. I'm working on the antidote now, but she's scared and her heart rate is weakening by the second. Emma, I want you to go into her mind and comfort her, keep her focused on staying with us. If she loses that focus we could lose her sooner and I won't have time to complete the antidote," Adam said as he continued his work.
"Ok." Emma closed her eyes and concentrated on Shalimar.
~*~ Shal's mind ~*~ There was a heavy gray mist that surrounded her. Emma could see Shalimar sitting on the floor curled up in a tight ball, rocking back and forth, with her head in her knees. She heard soft sobs as she walked closer. "Shalimar?" Emma called out.
Shalimar lifted her tear stained face and watched as Emma came and sat next to her. "I'm scared, Em," she said softly as more tears fell from her eyes.
"I know, but everything is gonna be ok." She soothed as she brought the feral into a comforting hug. "Adam is almost finished with the antidote. Don't worry, Shal, you're gonna be fine. We would never let anything happen to you, but you have to concentrate on staying with us. Adam said if you didn't we could lose you."
Shalimar looked up with fear in her eyes. "I don't wanna die, Emma."
"You're not going to die. You just have to stay focused."
Shalimar started to whimper again as tears fell from her eyes.
"Shal?"
"It burns, Emma."
"The pain will go away soon, I promise." Suddenly Emma started to feel like Shalimar was being pulled away from her. She knew exactly what was happening. "Shalimar. Shalimar concentrate on me." Emma was getting worried as her best friend started to slip away from her grip. "Shalimar concentrate!" Emma yelled.
A light appeared behind Shalimar and grew until it was almost blinding the two women. "Shalimar, please, concentrate!" Emma begged. Now she only had Shalimar's hand.
"Emma, I can't." She cried.
"You can, Shalimar! I know you can! Come on! Don't give up!"
With tears in her eyes, Shalimar let go of Emma's hand. "I'm sorry, Emma. Tell them I'll miss them and that... that I love them."
"NO!" Emma fell to her knees as Shalimar disappeared. Adam had just given Shalimar the antidote when Emma snapped back into reality with tears in her eyes. They all stared at her for a minute waiting for her to say anything. She let out a sob as the tears fell. "I lost her."
*****Oh, I've been evil before, but I think that's beyond any evilness I've ever come up with. Don't worry I won't make you wait too long for the next chapter. Please review!*****
~*~* Chapter 6 *~*~
~*~* Early morning-2:46*~*~
He woke from his slumber to the sound of someone crying. Slowly Brennan got out of bed and grabbed a shirt. The sobs and cries became louder when he walked out to the hallway. He stopped for a minute, listening for which way they were coming from. He stepped up to Shalimar's door and listened again.
Brennan slowly walked in and found Shalimar sobbing in a tight ball on her bed. He moved over to her and took her in his arms, holding her tightly.
She let out a cry of pain and let her tears fall freely from her eyes. Brennan looked down at her concerned. "Shal, what's wrong?"
She whimpered and then looked up at him. "It burns."
"What burns?"
Shalimar opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was another agonizing cry. She pulled away from Brennan, grabbed her head and rocked back and forth.
Brennan took her hands and then pulled her back into his arms. He could feel her body shaking and there was a wet spot on his shirt from all of her tears. "It burns, Brennan. It burns." She whimpered again.
Brennan stood and put his comm. ring to his mouth. "Adam? Adam you awake?"
"I'm here Brennan, what's wrong?"
"Something's wrong with Shal, I'm gonna bring her down to the lab."
"Ok, I'll meet you there."
Brennan slipped an arm under Shalimar's legs and one around her back. He gently picked her up and carried her to the lab.
Adam met them there like he said he would and went to Shalimar as soon as they came in. "What's wrong?" He asked concerned as Brennan gently placed Shalimar in the lab chair. She clung to him not wanting him to let her go.
"I don't know. All she can get out is 'it burns'," he said as he held her close.
"Alright, Shalimar, I need you to tell me what burns," he said and he put a hand on her shoulder.
"Everything,"
Adam looked confused. "Ok, I'm gonna run a scan." He walked over to the computers and set them. Brennan tried to move away but Shalimar wouldn't let him go. Adam turned and looked at the two. "Brennan, could you move away please?"
He lifted his hands in the air as proof to show that he wasn't the one who wouldn't move. Adam shook his head. "Shal, I need you to let Brennan go and lie down."
She just shook her head and gripped Brennan tighter. "Shal, honey, listen to me, I promise I'll come right back as soon as the scan finishes." Brennan said softly.
Shalimar looked up at him with tear filled eyes.
"I promise." He repeated, gently stroking her cheek. Slowly she released him and lay back on the chair. "Good girl." Brennan smiled as he leaned down and kissed her forehead. He stepped back and watched as the yellow stream of light swept over her body a few times.
As soon as the scan finished he stepped back over to her and pulled her back in his arms like he had promised. "So why is she in so much pain?"
Adam looked over the scan and frowned. "Ashlocke must have injected her with a virus that burns your body when you try to use your mutant abilities."
Brennan looked at him confused. "So why are you looking so worried? Can't you just give her something and have that be the end of it?"
"No, I'm going to need time to come up with an antidote. Thing is, we don't have that much time." Worry crossed Brennan's face. "If I don't find an antidote for her soon it's going to start burning out her new mutant DNA," he said as he filled a syringe with pain killers. "and that could kill her."
They both jumped when Shalimar let out a loud cry. "How long does she have until that starts to happen?" Brennan asked as he pulled her closer.
"Well, I can't say exactly, but she's got about another hour...maybe two." He replied as he went over and injected her with the pain killers. "Shalimar, listen to me, you need to try and get some sleep, ok?"
She gave a small nod and then turned to face him. "Do I have to stay here?"
"Yes, I want you here as soon as I finish the antidote." He replied as he walked over to the counter and started working.
She frowned and turned back to Brennan. "Come on baby, some sleep might do you good." He said, taking her arms and untangling them from around him.
"But I don't want you to go." Tears started to fill her eyes again as she grabbed his arm.
"Shalimar..."
"Please," she said quickly, cutting him off.
He sighed, there was no way he could ever tell her no. "Alright."
Shalimar scooted up in the lab chair and let Brennan climb behind her. He gently pulled her into his arms and kissed her head. "Brennan, don't let me go," she whispered as she snuggled close to him.
"I won't."
She closed her eyes and relaxed in Brennan's strong arms. Within minutes she was asleep.
~*~* 2 hours later *~*~
Brennan sat in the lab chair watching Shalimar sleep on his chest as he tried to sort out his mixed thoughts and emotions. He twirled her soft silky blond hair around his fingers and sighed. No one had said a word for two hours until Adam spoke. "How is she?"
Brennan didn't answer; he was too caught up in his thoughts to even hear Adam. Adam touched his shoulder and shook him a little. "Huh? What?" he said coming back to reality?
"You look like you could use some sleep. Why don't you go back to bed? I'm sure she'll be fine."
"No, I told her I'd stay."
"Alright," he said as he turned back to his work.
Brennan kissed her head and continued to play with her hair. "How is the antidote coming?"
Adam looked over his shoulder at Brennan and smiled. "It should be done soon."
Shalimar started to whimper softly in Brennan's arms. All of a sudden she let out a loud cry of pain. Brennan and Adam both jumped at the unexpected sound. She whimpered harder against Brennan as tears spilt from her eyes.
"Shalimar, what's wrong?" Adam asked as he walked over to her. She let out another cry and buried her head in Brennan's chest. "It burns," she sobbed.
"Ok, I'm almost done. I just need you to hang on a little longer."
"Adam, can't you do something for her?" Brennan asked as he held Shalimar's trembling body close to his.
"I can't give her anymore pain killers," he paused what he was doing for a second and thought. Then he lifted his comm. ring to his mouth and started to speak. "Emma... Emma, are you awake?"
Emma slowly pulled away from Jesse's lips and sighed as she looked into his eyes. "Emma?" She heard again.
"I'm here. Why are you waking me up at this ungodly hour?" She asked pretending that he had just woken her up.
"Shalimar needs your help. She's in a lot of pain and I need you to calm her down."
"What's wrong?"
"I'll explain when you get down here."
"Alright." Emma kissed Jesse and rolled out of bed. She threw on her robe as Jesse grabbed his shirt and put it on. A few minutes later Jesse and Emma walked into the lab. "What's wrong?" Emma asked concerned when she saw Shalimar unconscious on the lab chair with Brennan standing next to her.
"To make a long story short, Ashlocke injected her with a virus that burns out new mutant DNA. I'm working on the antidote now, but she's scared and her heart rate is weakening by the second. Emma, I want you to go into her mind and comfort her, keep her focused on staying with us. If she loses that focus we could lose her sooner and I won't have time to complete the antidote," Adam said as he continued his work.
"Ok." Emma closed her eyes and concentrated on Shalimar.
~*~ Shal's mind ~*~ There was a heavy gray mist that surrounded her. Emma could see Shalimar sitting on the floor curled up in a tight ball, rocking back and forth, with her head in her knees. She heard soft sobs as she walked closer. "Shalimar?" Emma called out.
Shalimar lifted her tear stained face and watched as Emma came and sat next to her. "I'm scared, Em," she said softly as more tears fell from her eyes.
"I know, but everything is gonna be ok." She soothed as she brought the feral into a comforting hug. "Adam is almost finished with the antidote. Don't worry, Shal, you're gonna be fine. We would never let anything happen to you, but you have to concentrate on staying with us. Adam said if you didn't we could lose you."
Shalimar looked up with fear in her eyes. "I don't wanna die, Emma."
"You're not going to die. You just have to stay focused."
Shalimar started to whimper again as tears fell from her eyes.
"Shal?"
"It burns, Emma."
"The pain will go away soon, I promise." Suddenly Emma started to feel like Shalimar was being pulled away from her. She knew exactly what was happening. "Shalimar. Shalimar concentrate on me." Emma was getting worried as her best friend started to slip away from her grip. "Shalimar concentrate!" Emma yelled.
A light appeared behind Shalimar and grew until it was almost blinding the two women. "Shalimar, please, concentrate!" Emma begged. Now she only had Shalimar's hand.
"Emma, I can't." She cried.
"You can, Shalimar! I know you can! Come on! Don't give up!"
With tears in her eyes, Shalimar let go of Emma's hand. "I'm sorry, Emma. Tell them I'll miss them and that... that I love them."
"NO!" Emma fell to her knees as Shalimar disappeared. Adam had just given Shalimar the antidote when Emma snapped back into reality with tears in her eyes. They all stared at her for a minute waiting for her to say anything. She let out a sob as the tears fell. "I lost her."
*****Oh, I've been evil before, but I think that's beyond any evilness I've ever come up with. Don't worry I won't make you wait too long for the next chapter. Please review!*****
