~~~

Brennan and Shalimar merely remained silent and it was then that Emma was certain something between them had changed. Even though they were in deep comas she could feel Brennan's anger and despair along with Shalimar's sadness.

"Look" started Emma breaking the silence "I have to go but I'll come back after we get Holland"

"So none of this is real? Everything we have gone through here hasn't really happened?" disappointingly asked Shalimar looking directly at Brennan

"Yes but the emotional stress you experience here is evident in the real world" With Shalimar's question and her reply she was sure that something definitely happened between them. However, she wasn't sure that if and when they woke up they would be able to get past it. All she could do was hope as she broke link and returned to the real world.

~~~

[Sanctuary]

Emma gasped as the link was broken and her mind was returned to the real world.

"Well what did he say?" Jesse anxiously asked

"More like what did they say" she replied "Their bodies aren't the only things that are linked their minds are linked as well" she paused giving them time to let her words sink in "They are in some sort of reality that I can't tell whose mind has created"

"So they are experiencing the same thing?" asked Adam

"Yes"

"If that is the case then we need to move fast because the longer they stay like this the harder it will be to separate them. I've also noticed that they are becoming one entity and if Shalimar's body dies then her mind could be trapped within Brennan's or they could both die from the stress"

"You don't get it Adam. I told them about Shal's condition and I could sense from Brennan that he would rather remain in coma then lose her"

"Alright so I need you two to hurry and get Holland back here before it comes to that"

Emma and Jesse quickly leave for the Helix and head for Genomex while Adam continues to monitor Brennan and Shalimar

~~~

[Brennan and Shalimar's mind]

Brennan and Shalimar had not said a word to the other since Emma dropped the bomb on them. Finally Brennan couldn't take it anymore and he loudly broke the silence.

"It's not going to happen" was all he said as he punch the nearby wall "I would rather die than live without you" he said quietly to wall but loud enough for her to hear

"And I would willingly die if it means that you could live"

"No"

"Brennan listen…."

"NO. DO YOU HEAR ME IT IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN" he yelled before storming out of the safe house

Shalimar watched him go and then flopped down on the same mattress they had made love on. But it wasn't real and there was a possibility that it would be. She simply lay there sobbing to herself at how stubborn he could be sometimes. That made her cry more because it was one of things she loved most about him. Her first instinct was to protect and that was all she wanted to do especially when it came to him

After leaving the safe house Brennan simply stood outside the door and scolded himself for leaving things with her the way he did. He tried hard not to cry as he listened to her muffled sobs through the door. What made it worse was remembering the conversation he had with her father the day before she woke up:

***

Flashback

He was sitting at the edge of the meditation pond when he heard heavy unfamiliar footsteps come up behind him. He smirked to himself because he realized that by describing people by their footsteps made him sound just like her. When the footsteps stopped he didn't turn around, he didn't care to.

"You care about my daughter very much don't you?"

"Yes" he whispered back so low he almost thought he didn't say it out loud

"Take care of her. God knows I didn't" was all the man said before walking away and disappearing from Sanctuary

End Flashback

***

"I'm sorry" he whispered to no one in particular as he slid down the door and placed his head between his legs.

~~~

TBC…….Hope you guys are enjoying the story. The reviews have dwindled a little and I will attribute that to the fact that ff.net has been screwy this past week. So I hope to see some of your reviews, good or bad, in my inbox!!