THAT ONE LITTLE THING
By: Sage360
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!
They all had been quiet when returning to Sanctuary. The moment had been all too blunt: Adam was gone-again. Despite his ethical dilemmas, there had been a strange peace of mind that came back with the man. The Mutant X squad though cynical, managed to relish in it briefly- all except for Lexa.
Just hours out of the Helix (And a much needed shower), she found herself in the oddest of all places - Emma's memorial. Manicured nails traced the name of the woman she'd just missed knowing in life, repeating the same with Adam's crossed out title as well. The woman couldn't figure what had propelled her to it, except the blank space below her 'father's' name. It was the space meant for her daughter.
Having forgotten to bring out a jacket, she folded her arms against the cold wind. And with closed eyes, she finally said good-bye to Amber. Her child was in a better place, with Emma there to protect her.
Finally descending from the rocky slope, her dark sundress caught the palest shade of sunlight, making the woman seem more innocent than her harsh years would indicate. And through his damp blonde locks, azure eyes gazed on her in quiet contemplation. If she needed to talk, she'd come to him. He walked away from the window, and headed to his room. It was only a matter of time.
But Lexa couldn't enter Sanctuary, not just yet. Absent steps took her down towards the jagged coast, past the tan bluffs of Storm King.
Shalimar was waiting.
Still in her leather duster, the feral didn't have to look to see her teammate. "He's not coming back, is he?" she asked referring to Adam.
"I doubt it." She exhaled. "Adam's chasing his own demons now." The brunette didn't miss the sniffle from the feral's nose. Everything in her said hold back- of course that didn't work.
"I want to hate you so much." Shalimar admitted. "So much,,, but I can't. I keep thinking how I would be in your shoes; how you would feel in mine." The blonde head lowered, her waves fluttering wildly in the wind. "I'm scared at how easy it is to understand."
"Shalimar," the brunette exhaled. Her damn walls collapsed easily, too easily for her cynical side. "Shal, I'm sorry." She surprised herself and the feral by draping a slender arm around her shoulder. Shalimar surprised her by hugging back. "I've always held back my feelings. And with losing," Her lips trembled at the admittance. " With losing my daughter, it seemed easiest to lash out at you."
"Wow," The smaller woman smirked. "Lexa Pierce admits she's wrong? Pigs are flying somewhere."
"Enjoy it while you can. You won't see it too often."
The women were silent fro several minutes, still embraced on the cliff. Though strange, it seemed inevitable all at the same time. By association, Adam indirectly made them sisters. And both knew that siblings got along buy not getting along. Not much needed to change.
"Well," the feral finally pulled back. "I am sorry for your loss. I did love Amber."
"I know you did." Lexa admitted. "You wouldn't have gone to Genomax if you didn't." Shalimar silently admitted that part of her wanted to see Thorne pay for his actions, but even in her feral aggressions, she would have never held her rage in the composure that Lexa did. The kitty in her didn't allow for such patience. "It's getting cold."
"Um,,,yeah." Shalimar replied. "We should go inside." With that she moved to walk away, leaving Lexa alone with her thoughts- and ideas on where she'd end up next.
Even though stretched out on his bed, he wasn't sleeping. And his nerves could feel the presence in his room. Been around Shal too long, he thought groggily. But that 'presence' was closing in, and dangerous in the most desirable of ways. It stood at the edge of his bed, waiting to be acknowledged.
Without looking, Jesse reached a hand from behind his head towards Lexa. She complied easily, crawling over the tan covers to curl at his side. They fit a little too easily into each other's arms, giving way to initiating warmth, undeniable by any of their senses. Her voice was a whisper on the curve of his neck. "I knew you were awake."
The man grinned and with still-closed eyes, tightened his arm around her. "Psychic, are we?"
"Nope, just a woman. And women are always right."
"No male bashing in my bed." He chuckled at her. The chills of the weather began to fade from her skin, due to his fingers absently stroking her arm. The woman closed her eyes, finding a perfect peace in the feel of him.
"Thanks, for everything,,," She whispered. "I know this was tough on you."
"No tougher than it was on Shalimar." He admitted. But it had been tough. Seeing her with Brennen's child created a streak in him not felt since their fights at Hillview (Hard Times, Season Two). He'd wanted to crush someone - anyone into pieces. That made him thankful for delivering Thorne's fatal blow.
"Will you ever reconcile with Adam?"
"Will you?" He returned, finally opening his eyes. "I couldn't say, and it depends on if we ever see him again."
"I told Shalimar that I doubted if he'd come back."
"He won't." Jesse replied. "But those are two different things. We will see him again, in his own time." Part of him held on to it. Deep down, the molecular knew that his 'father' was out there, watching them, and ready to make things right. It was his children who quite weren't.
"Jess."
His eyes turned down to Lexa, watching as she stared at him. For the first time, he saw the protected innocence in them. It was something she held onto with all she had. "Yeah."
"You enjoyed killing Thorne."
"You are psychic." His lips curled, nearly causing the man to look feral. "I didn't enjoy it, like you mean. One of us would have done it." Now both pairs of eyes connected, casting their signature blues at each other. Jesse's fingers had a mind of their own, and began stroking the midnight hair. "Protecting the team only gave me the excuse to do it."
Lexa knew that by 'team' he meant her. She readjusted, curling back into his muscular arm. And somehow, between her fingers stroking his stubbled jaw, and their lips finally meeting, Lexa Pierce came to terms with her struggles. In the arms of this one man, she could endure anything.
But enduring water was what made Brenneen weak.
He couldn't say how long he'd been in the shower, but the cold water had long since kicked in. He'd been numb, lost in the racing of his actions. The past few hours allotted him a lifetime of struggle, all because of one little thing. Amber Mulwray.
He pulled from the shower, and not caring to dry off, wrapped a large towel around his waist. Pushing a hand through his wet hair, he walked back into his room, coming face to face with Shalimar.
She had been waiting for him, and stood near the doorway, wrapped in a long black Kimono and fresh from her own shower. No matter how torn he was, the man in him couldn't help but to look at her.
And he was just as stunning to her. Tall, sculpted and tan, Brennen cast the most entrancing sight. The water rolled from his shoulders in sporadic drops, nearly driving her insane. Stop being horny, she cursed at herself. He just lost his kid!
Brennen sat down on the edge of his bed, and resting elbows to knees, hands covered his face in a tired exhale. Shalimar could see the stress running in his curved shoulders and finally stepped forward, moving till she was directly in front of him. But she had to wait. As much as she wanted to touch him, hold him, and destroy his fears, he had to reach out to her first.
It didn't take long at all.
With one slow gesture, Brennen took her hand, and pulled the feral to him. She exhaled as long arms wrapped around her waist, or more so her hips. His head, wet hair and all leaned into her chest, completing the needy embrace. Shalimar folded, lacing his shoulders with her small limbs, she leaned her head onto his. "I'm sorry,,," she whispered.
"Me too." He replied. "I didn't know how much this hurt you."
"My feelings were shallow." She admitted. And it was true. But they were honest and thus, justified.
"You couldn't help how you felt, Shal. I can understand that."
Her lips brushed the back of his head. "But I still hurt you. As much as you mean to me,,, I held so much hate. And she was innocent."
"I know you cared. How many times did you sit up with me when Amber cried? Or when I first had to change her?" She couldn't help but giggle when remembering the child ruining one of Brennen's favorite shirts. He was near tears, and she, from laughing so hard, fell off the bed. Shalimar closed her eyes at the memories. "I can see how violated you felt."
"No, just jealous." She replied. " And honest at the worst possible time. Brennen, I loved Amber like she was my own. It was the situation I hated." Her fingers brushed the dampening hair in thought. "I guess Thorne planned it that way."
"Thorne,,," The elemental mumbled. His eyes had told him Jesse killed the man, but his mind still didn't register. "I get sick of people playing God with us. Thorne, Eckhart-"
"Adam."
Brennen pulled back slightly, looking up at the woman, before his head returned to her chest. "Yeah, Adam."
"Brennen, for what its worth, he did what he could."
"I know." He whispered. But the sight of his daughter hooked up to the monitor would never leave him. Not till his dying day. "Shal, I didn't mean to push you away, when we were in the hallway with Lex. I just thought it'd be better if I was with her." Now, he was looking up at her. The brown of his eyes were wide pools of honesty. Shalimar pressed her forehead to his.
"You were right. I just felt,,,rejected. Especially after what happened between us." She could see the smile he barely attempted to hide, at remembering their encounter. "It was just the emotions." Brennen pulled her into his lap, the fabric of her robe catching more of the dampness from his body. Shalimar wrapped an arm around him, letting his head lean on her shoulder. "Are we okay, Brennen?" she asked.
"You and me? Yeah, we're good. IF you're not mad at me."
"You'll make it up in the dojo." She grinned before their lips met. The woman knew that he'd grieve in his own time and way. "I owe you an ass- kicking anyway."
His brow curled dangerously before flinging the blonde back onto his bed. Shalimar looked up, seeing the danger in his eyes, and too easily gave in. "I'll make it up to you right now,,,"
By: Sage360
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews!
They all had been quiet when returning to Sanctuary. The moment had been all too blunt: Adam was gone-again. Despite his ethical dilemmas, there had been a strange peace of mind that came back with the man. The Mutant X squad though cynical, managed to relish in it briefly- all except for Lexa.
Just hours out of the Helix (And a much needed shower), she found herself in the oddest of all places - Emma's memorial. Manicured nails traced the name of the woman she'd just missed knowing in life, repeating the same with Adam's crossed out title as well. The woman couldn't figure what had propelled her to it, except the blank space below her 'father's' name. It was the space meant for her daughter.
Having forgotten to bring out a jacket, she folded her arms against the cold wind. And with closed eyes, she finally said good-bye to Amber. Her child was in a better place, with Emma there to protect her.
Finally descending from the rocky slope, her dark sundress caught the palest shade of sunlight, making the woman seem more innocent than her harsh years would indicate. And through his damp blonde locks, azure eyes gazed on her in quiet contemplation. If she needed to talk, she'd come to him. He walked away from the window, and headed to his room. It was only a matter of time.
But Lexa couldn't enter Sanctuary, not just yet. Absent steps took her down towards the jagged coast, past the tan bluffs of Storm King.
Shalimar was waiting.
Still in her leather duster, the feral didn't have to look to see her teammate. "He's not coming back, is he?" she asked referring to Adam.
"I doubt it." She exhaled. "Adam's chasing his own demons now." The brunette didn't miss the sniffle from the feral's nose. Everything in her said hold back- of course that didn't work.
"I want to hate you so much." Shalimar admitted. "So much,,, but I can't. I keep thinking how I would be in your shoes; how you would feel in mine." The blonde head lowered, her waves fluttering wildly in the wind. "I'm scared at how easy it is to understand."
"Shalimar," the brunette exhaled. Her damn walls collapsed easily, too easily for her cynical side. "Shal, I'm sorry." She surprised herself and the feral by draping a slender arm around her shoulder. Shalimar surprised her by hugging back. "I've always held back my feelings. And with losing," Her lips trembled at the admittance. " With losing my daughter, it seemed easiest to lash out at you."
"Wow," The smaller woman smirked. "Lexa Pierce admits she's wrong? Pigs are flying somewhere."
"Enjoy it while you can. You won't see it too often."
The women were silent fro several minutes, still embraced on the cliff. Though strange, it seemed inevitable all at the same time. By association, Adam indirectly made them sisters. And both knew that siblings got along buy not getting along. Not much needed to change.
"Well," the feral finally pulled back. "I am sorry for your loss. I did love Amber."
"I know you did." Lexa admitted. "You wouldn't have gone to Genomax if you didn't." Shalimar silently admitted that part of her wanted to see Thorne pay for his actions, but even in her feral aggressions, she would have never held her rage in the composure that Lexa did. The kitty in her didn't allow for such patience. "It's getting cold."
"Um,,,yeah." Shalimar replied. "We should go inside." With that she moved to walk away, leaving Lexa alone with her thoughts- and ideas on where she'd end up next.
Even though stretched out on his bed, he wasn't sleeping. And his nerves could feel the presence in his room. Been around Shal too long, he thought groggily. But that 'presence' was closing in, and dangerous in the most desirable of ways. It stood at the edge of his bed, waiting to be acknowledged.
Without looking, Jesse reached a hand from behind his head towards Lexa. She complied easily, crawling over the tan covers to curl at his side. They fit a little too easily into each other's arms, giving way to initiating warmth, undeniable by any of their senses. Her voice was a whisper on the curve of his neck. "I knew you were awake."
The man grinned and with still-closed eyes, tightened his arm around her. "Psychic, are we?"
"Nope, just a woman. And women are always right."
"No male bashing in my bed." He chuckled at her. The chills of the weather began to fade from her skin, due to his fingers absently stroking her arm. The woman closed her eyes, finding a perfect peace in the feel of him.
"Thanks, for everything,,," She whispered. "I know this was tough on you."
"No tougher than it was on Shalimar." He admitted. But it had been tough. Seeing her with Brennen's child created a streak in him not felt since their fights at Hillview (Hard Times, Season Two). He'd wanted to crush someone - anyone into pieces. That made him thankful for delivering Thorne's fatal blow.
"Will you ever reconcile with Adam?"
"Will you?" He returned, finally opening his eyes. "I couldn't say, and it depends on if we ever see him again."
"I told Shalimar that I doubted if he'd come back."
"He won't." Jesse replied. "But those are two different things. We will see him again, in his own time." Part of him held on to it. Deep down, the molecular knew that his 'father' was out there, watching them, and ready to make things right. It was his children who quite weren't.
"Jess."
His eyes turned down to Lexa, watching as she stared at him. For the first time, he saw the protected innocence in them. It was something she held onto with all she had. "Yeah."
"You enjoyed killing Thorne."
"You are psychic." His lips curled, nearly causing the man to look feral. "I didn't enjoy it, like you mean. One of us would have done it." Now both pairs of eyes connected, casting their signature blues at each other. Jesse's fingers had a mind of their own, and began stroking the midnight hair. "Protecting the team only gave me the excuse to do it."
Lexa knew that by 'team' he meant her. She readjusted, curling back into his muscular arm. And somehow, between her fingers stroking his stubbled jaw, and their lips finally meeting, Lexa Pierce came to terms with her struggles. In the arms of this one man, she could endure anything.
But enduring water was what made Brenneen weak.
He couldn't say how long he'd been in the shower, but the cold water had long since kicked in. He'd been numb, lost in the racing of his actions. The past few hours allotted him a lifetime of struggle, all because of one little thing. Amber Mulwray.
He pulled from the shower, and not caring to dry off, wrapped a large towel around his waist. Pushing a hand through his wet hair, he walked back into his room, coming face to face with Shalimar.
She had been waiting for him, and stood near the doorway, wrapped in a long black Kimono and fresh from her own shower. No matter how torn he was, the man in him couldn't help but to look at her.
And he was just as stunning to her. Tall, sculpted and tan, Brennen cast the most entrancing sight. The water rolled from his shoulders in sporadic drops, nearly driving her insane. Stop being horny, she cursed at herself. He just lost his kid!
Brennen sat down on the edge of his bed, and resting elbows to knees, hands covered his face in a tired exhale. Shalimar could see the stress running in his curved shoulders and finally stepped forward, moving till she was directly in front of him. But she had to wait. As much as she wanted to touch him, hold him, and destroy his fears, he had to reach out to her first.
It didn't take long at all.
With one slow gesture, Brennen took her hand, and pulled the feral to him. She exhaled as long arms wrapped around her waist, or more so her hips. His head, wet hair and all leaned into her chest, completing the needy embrace. Shalimar folded, lacing his shoulders with her small limbs, she leaned her head onto his. "I'm sorry,,," she whispered.
"Me too." He replied. "I didn't know how much this hurt you."
"My feelings were shallow." She admitted. And it was true. But they were honest and thus, justified.
"You couldn't help how you felt, Shal. I can understand that."
Her lips brushed the back of his head. "But I still hurt you. As much as you mean to me,,, I held so much hate. And she was innocent."
"I know you cared. How many times did you sit up with me when Amber cried? Or when I first had to change her?" She couldn't help but giggle when remembering the child ruining one of Brennen's favorite shirts. He was near tears, and she, from laughing so hard, fell off the bed. Shalimar closed her eyes at the memories. "I can see how violated you felt."
"No, just jealous." She replied. " And honest at the worst possible time. Brennen, I loved Amber like she was my own. It was the situation I hated." Her fingers brushed the dampening hair in thought. "I guess Thorne planned it that way."
"Thorne,,," The elemental mumbled. His eyes had told him Jesse killed the man, but his mind still didn't register. "I get sick of people playing God with us. Thorne, Eckhart-"
"Adam."
Brennen pulled back slightly, looking up at the woman, before his head returned to her chest. "Yeah, Adam."
"Brennen, for what its worth, he did what he could."
"I know." He whispered. But the sight of his daughter hooked up to the monitor would never leave him. Not till his dying day. "Shal, I didn't mean to push you away, when we were in the hallway with Lex. I just thought it'd be better if I was with her." Now, he was looking up at her. The brown of his eyes were wide pools of honesty. Shalimar pressed her forehead to his.
"You were right. I just felt,,,rejected. Especially after what happened between us." She could see the smile he barely attempted to hide, at remembering their encounter. "It was just the emotions." Brennen pulled her into his lap, the fabric of her robe catching more of the dampness from his body. Shalimar wrapped an arm around him, letting his head lean on her shoulder. "Are we okay, Brennen?" she asked.
"You and me? Yeah, we're good. IF you're not mad at me."
"You'll make it up in the dojo." She grinned before their lips met. The woman knew that he'd grieve in his own time and way. "I owe you an ass- kicking anyway."
His brow curled dangerously before flinging the blonde back onto his bed. Shalimar looked up, seeing the danger in his eyes, and too easily gave in. "I'll make it up to you right now,,,"