Disclaimer:  Mutant X isn't mine. I believe it belongs to Tribune.

Summerlands

Eva

Fire…enormous pain… blackness

***

"Wake up, my love. Wake up."

Emma DeLauro woke up with a shook. "What?"

"Easy… It's okay."

She looked around her. She was lying in a king size bed in a simple decorated bedroom. A soft carpet covered the floor, the walls were a soft blue and the furniture was made from wood. She looked at the man sitting besides her. "Tyler?!"

"It's me." He softly confirmed.

"Where am I?"

"You were killed in a explosion on a mission. We are in the Summerlands."

"I am death?! And my teammates?"

"Shocked and hurt, but physically fine."

Emma relaxed in the bed. "I suppose there is nothing we can do to go back."

"No." Tyler confirmed. "But we can watch our loved ones. And we as psionics have an advantage. We can communicate with them, in dreams or as ghosts…" They were interupted by a baby crying. Tyler stood up quickly. "Wait a moment."

Emma waited patiently and looked as he returned with a child in a pink blanket. When he had sat down, she asked: "Is this your child?"

"No, Emma. This is your daughter, Jade. You can raise her now. Together with me, if you want…"

Emma gently took the little girl in her arms and looked down at her face. Soft, dark hair framed her face. "I need some time to let this all sink in."

"Of course." Tyler kissed her on her forehead, then left, the baby in still her arms.

***

Their wasn't really a concept of time in the Summerlands, but in the real world about month past.

Emma had gotten used to life here. She lived with her soul mate and her little daughter in a house. Everyone knew about her gifts and noone thought strange of her or found her dangerous.

It seemed a perfect world.

But Emma missed her friends terrible. Fiery Shalimar, sweet Jesse, confident Brennan and calm Adam.

She had watched her friends. She had seen how they continued the fight without her and Adam. She had seen how they met the new woman, Lexa. And she had seen how they struggled with their loses.

Brennan and Jesse were coping, but for Shalimar it was far more difficult. Emma understood it. She and Shalimar had always been very close friends, much closer then with any of the guys. Then added the fact that it had the factory of Shalimars father to explode.

Emma knew what she had to do.

***

Shalimar tossed in her sleep. In a dream she walking trough a street, until she arrived with a nice white cabin. For some reason she was drawn to it.

She knocked on the door. She was shocked at who opened the door.

It was Emma…

"Emma?"

Emma smiled. "It's me. Come inside."

Shalimar followed the young woman. Emma was looking good. She was wearing a flowing soft purple summer dress, her hair was falling freely around her head and her eyes held a light that she had never seen before. She followed her to a small sitting room. The walls and the carpet were a soft blue, the furniture white.

When they had sat down, Shalimar asked: "Where are we?"

Emma smiled softly. "We are in the Summerlands. In the afterlife. I saw that were being by guilt. And since I am psionic I could bring you here."

"The Summerlands? Afterlife?"

"Yes, Shalimar. Afterlife."

"And you are happy here? Are you all alone?"

"No, I am not alone. Tyler is here with me. We live together…"

Suddenly they were disturbed by the crying of a baby. Emma excused herself and hurried to the baby room. When she returned Shalimar was staring at her with big eyes.

"A baby?" She whispered.

Emma sat down, rocking the girl. "It's something I never told you. I had been pregnant before I joined Mutant X. My daughter, Jade, was stillborn when I was six months pregnant."

"May I hold her?"

"Of course." Emma handed her the baby and slung an arm around Shalimars shoulder. "Don't feel guilty. I am happy here. I am with my soul mate and my daughter. People know I have powers and they don't fear me. I don't have to fight anymore."

Shalimar looked at her with tears in her eyes. "But…?"

"You haven't lost me. I will be waiting here for all of you. I hope that takes a long time, but I will be waiting. And you can call to me when you need help. I feel it and I can bring you here. But please… let the guilt go…" Emma carefully hugged her friend, not squaching the baby.

"Can I tell Brennan and Jesse?"

"Of course. Tell them I love them and that I miss them.And that I will be waiting for them, but that they can call to me for help." She looked up suddenly. "You have to go."

Emma gently took the baby from her and watched as Shalimar faded away. "I will see you again." She whispered as goodbye.

Shalimar smiled a little. "And I will see you again."

The end