Disclaimer: Tell me any avid fan of Mutant X that doesn't know I don't own them. LOL. I don't know how powerful these characters are and I don't even know if they are really like this. All of the actions mentioned below are just my imagination.

Authors Note: Hi everyone. I guess you already got tired with my past the same notes. Well, I really thought that was supposed to be that way. Anyways, I'd like to thank you all for staying with me this far. Forgive my grammar; English is not my mother tongue. LOL.

Special thanks to:

Haley: thanks for reading and for posting your review.

Emma0211: You don't have to worry. LOL. You just have to stick around longer. HEHEHE!

Shannon: thanks for the compliment, it meant a lot to me.

Minef: thanks for reading chapter one. Your post came a bit late so I did have time to mention you in the past special thanks section. Anyways, thanks.

me: I feel honored that you gave your time to read my work. As I said before I will try my best to submit with all of your suggestions.

darkang: LOL* up to now I'm not sure whom to pair Emma with. I'm still planning to mess with their pairings, for me it means pairing Emma with Jesse then with Brennan; pairing Shalimar with Brennan then with Jesse; then I will decided on the last part whom they'll end up with. I'm still not sure. It's just a plan though.

emma1: thanks for posting your review for the chapter 3. it means a lot to me. *smiles from ear to ear.

Cat: I can't promise. LOL. But don't worry, I'm a Jesse/Emma shipper myself but I won't deny that I was once a Brennan/Emma shipper. LOL. Thanks for bearing with me this far.

Ladiraid: you are my favorite reader so far. Thanks for posting reviews in a very different way. Thanks for the help too (I mean, you know, the editing.) LOL. I'll be waiting for your official post-like you promised. HEHEHE! Thanks a lot.

Hehehe. This is the beginning where I try to mess up with their friendship. LOL. Please continue to post your reviews. Have a nice day! Enjoy!

Underestimated

~Thought ~

Memory

/Sounds/



"Conversation"

Chapter 5

The following day, Shalimar went to Jesse's room to check on him just as soon as she woke up. She went in the room expecting to see him still asleep but she found nobody in the room. The sheets, as always, were well arranged. She thought Jesse might have left early. He admired how Jesse could keep his room clean. For a straight man, he seems to be well organized, so much unlike Brennan.

Shalimar decided to go straight to the dojo where she supposed Emma was but she found no Emma. Instead, she found Brennan in the middle of his daily session. She didn't want to bother him so she settled on the couch and watched him closely. He admired Brennan's body, its tautness, its built.

~He's a real heart breaker. ~ Shalimar thought to herself. Shalimar wondered why Brennan still had no girlfriend. Well, knowing Brennan, her mind suggested some answer. Brennan sees women as an object like the way she sees other men. He loves women for the sake of them being women like the way she loves men for the sake of them being men. Brennan is used to being looked upon. Girls tend to hover around him like men used to hover around her. Come to think of it there are so many things that are common with them.

Shalimar smile as she watches his sweats drips from his muscular body. Her hand inched to touch his body; her feral senses tingling in excitement; a smile decorated her facial expression. She was a bit startled when she heard Brennan calling her.

"Shal! Do you want to spar?" Brennan climb down the dojo and walked straight to where Shalimar was.

Shalimar didn't answer back at once. She was just left without words and the air suddenly become hot on her.

"Shalimar? Are you all right?" Brennan shook her on the shoulder and it snapped her back in the reality.

"Oh ... Yeah ..." she paused and allowed herself to fully come back to her senses before she continued. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking you if you would like to spar with me." Brennan threw himself beside Shalimar pulled her to him, wiping his sweat against her skin, messing with her.

"Brennan!" Shalimar screamed. "You're all sweaty. Yuck. Yuck." She pushed him away but it made Brennan fool around more.

"I know I'm sweaty. That's why I'm hugging you." Brennan laughed. His laughter was sweet in her ears. Now Brennan is not only wiping his sweats on her but he is also tickling her.

"Stop it Bren." She begged him but it didn't stop him he continued tickling her until they finally fell on the floor. Shalimar was struggling to stop him but she failed so she finally decided to tickle him back. They were rolling on the floor when Shalimar saw Jesse pass through the hallway to the kitchen ... still in sleeping attire.

Brennan stopped when he saw Shalimar's blank expression. "What?"

"Is that Jesse?" Shalimar pointed at the man who is walking in the kitchen.

"Yes. Why?"

Shalimar stood up and left Brennan. She run toward the kitchen where Jesse was headed.

"Jesse?" she called softly and found him preparing breakfast ... for two ... on a tray.

Jesse faced her and smiled. "Good morning Shal." He turned again to what he was doing. "You're up early again."

But Shalimar didn't seem to hear him as she was thinking of something else. With her forehead cringe, she asked him: "Where have you been Jesse?"

"Sleeping in..."

"In your room?" Shalimar cut his sentence.

Jesse looked at her. "Yes?!" the sound of his voice was unsure.

"Jesse, I passed by your room before I went in the dojo ... you were not there. in fact your bed looks like it hadn't been slept in."

Jesse didn't answer. He didn't know what to say; he didn't know what to do. He didn't want to give a wrong impression on Shalimar. As his best friend, he wanted to tell Shalimar what had happened but he didn't what to rob Emma the opportunity to tell their friends herself and besides, he wasn't really sure what happened that night.

Shalimar's eyes fell on the tray. "Why are you preparing breakfast in bed?"

"."

There was silence in the kitchen. Suddenly, Shalimar's eyes widened. "Jesse? Where is Emma?"

Jesse hesitated but he answered shortly. "She's still sleeping in."

"And you're bringing this to her." Shalimar referred to the tray of food.

Jesse just nodded. Shalimar eyed him and grinned. "Did you sleep with her last night?"

Jesse didn't replied. He knew Shalimar would ask that sooner or later.

"Come on Jess, I'm your friend. You could tell me."

"It's not like what you are thinking Shal," Jesse finally defended.

"I was not thinking anything." Shalimar was now smiling at him, willing to annoy Jesse.

"Shalimar, we didn't do anything. I just gave her a massage that's all."

"Then why were you smiling when I found you here?"

"."

Jesse smiled again, this time he was not hiding it from Shalimar.

"Come on, Jesse. I'm dying to know."

"All right. But you have to promise me you're not gonna tell anyone. I wasn't really sure what it meant for her."

"Okay I promise." Shalimar raised her right hand and swore. "Tell me what happened."

"."

Jesse paused for a while, he smiled again then continued. "We ... err ... kissed?!"

Shalimar's jaw dropped. "You what?"

"."

"."

Both mutants started laughing. "She kissed you?" Shalimar asked again.

"Well..."

"That's good Jess. Did you tell her yet?" Shalimar pulled a stool and sat on it while waiting for Jesse's reply.

"Tell her what?"

"That you love her!" Shalimar still wore a smile on her face. Jesse didn't answer or react. He just stood there staring at Shalimar, cringing his forehead.

"Is ... is ... is that needed?"

"Ahh!" Shalimar's mouth was left open. "You mean you didn't tell her."

Jesse shook his head and looked down to the try. "I didn't know that I have to tell her, besides, I still don't know if she's over him."

"But you slept with her."

"Well ... I ... I slept in her room ... in her bed but that all. Nothing happened." Jesse explained nervously to Shalimar. Shalimar just laughed at him and playfully hit him on the shoulder.

"It's okay Jess, you don't have to explain anything to me. Just go and get that breakfast on her bed before she wakes up and find you not beside her." Shalimar stood up and wink.

"Thanks Shal. I'd really better go." Jesse kissed her on her forehead and started pacing to the door when he suddenly stopped and faced Shalimar. "You too, better go back to Brennan so you could continue you 'little-making-out-session'" he grinned.

Shalimar's eyes widened and her jaws dropped. "Where not making out Jesse." She defended.

"I know." He smiled. "But you might wanna 'score' on him while I score with Emma." He winked.

Shalimar was left laughing in the kitchen while Jesse walked back to Emma's room with the tray.

***

Emma turned around and reached out to the other side of her bed but she didn't found Jesse there. She unwillingly opened her eyes and sensed if Jesse was in the room but she sensed him there. She tried sitting up when she felt a soft hand on her shoulder.

"Stay in bed Ems. It's better if you sleep all day."

Emma smiled just hearing the voice. Her eyes are still blurred from sleep but she didn't have to see the owner of the voice to know that it's Jesse. She took Jesse's hand and pressed it against her cheeks and sighed. "I thought you left me last night."

"I told you I'd stay, right?" Jesse smiled at her eyes and he sat beside her.

"I'm happy you stayed Jess." She held his face between her palms and gently stroke his cheeks with her thumb. She smiled into his eyes then she looked down at the tray beside them. "You brought me breakfast."

"I guess I did." Jesse replied, looking at the tray too.

Emma pulled her hands from Jesse's cheeks and reached for the tray. "Let see ... hmmm. You brought coffee, toast, butter, and ... you didn't bring a bread knife." Emma said while looking around for the knife.

Jesse lifted the plates and the coffee mugs. "I think I left it in the kitchen. Wait here while I'll get them, okay?"

Emma nodded as Jesse stood up. Jesse was about to leave when Emma pulled him and gave him a long sweet kiss.

"What was that?" he asked with a grin on his face.

"You didn't liked it?" she put on a sad face but failed to convince Jesse so she smiled instead.

"I will if you tell me what it is." He was willing her to be annoyed.

"Okay. It was a ..." she thought for a while and grinned. "it's a 'go get the knife' kiss and I'll tell you more when you come back.

Jesse had to laugh and she joined him not long enough. "Okay. I'm gonna go now. You just stay on your bed." He winked.

As soon as Jesse got out, a wry voice spoke in her mind.

~You are really good in blocking me out when you're with your male friends huh. ~

~Cole! ~ Emma replied. ~Good morning! ~ she smiled.

~Good morning, girl. I was trying to get through with you this morning to tell you to have your morning jogging but your mind is well guarded. ~ Cole confessed.

~Oh my god. I forgot that I should have jogged. ~ Emma's eyes widened.

~It's all right. ~ Cole calmed her. ~You seemed to have been massaged last night. ~

~ I was! ~ she admitted.

~It's impossible Emma. You left here quite late. No massage parlors are open that time. ~ Cole shook his head and Emma felt him cringing in his head.

~I didn't have to leave my place Cole. I have a friend that knows how to pamper a bruised body. ~ Emma grinned.

~all right. Well, that is only one of the reasons I was looking for you. The other one is about a mental exercise. ~

~what is that? ~ Emma asked, placing the tray on the side table near her.

~It is included in the program that you signed in. ~

~oh. ~ Emma sighed. ~What do I do? ~

~Well, you just have to stay there while I bring your mind away. ~

~is this going to take long coz I'm quite starved. ~

~It'll take about an hour or two but it would be better if you don't eat anything before mind exercises or you will puking after the session. ~ Cole grinned in her mind and it made her laugh.

~Okay, if you take my mind away, a friend of mine will feel the parting. ~

~Yeah? Well it's not a problem though. ~

~But I have to tell Bren... ~

***

Shalimar and Brennan end up sparring in the dojo. They were using their evolved powers against each other to develop new techniques. Shalimar was throwing punches to Brennan and he was busy averting it when he felt something was torn away from him. It hurt him so much that he had no time to avoid Shalimar's last punch.

"Oh Brennan." Shalimar covered her mouth with her two hands, seeing Brennan not moving on the floor. "Brennan, I'm so sorry, I thought you were ready to turn away from it. I ... Bren ..." she waved her hands right at his face but Brennan was looking beyond it. "Brennan, are you all right? Brennan! Answer me!" she was now shaking him hard.

"Emma!" was all Brennan could say.

"What?" Shalimar was a bit confused when she heard Brennan. She didn't take her eyes off him when he finally came back from wherever he was.

"Emma, she's ... she's ... I can't explain. We have to go to her." he stood up abruptly, still holding his chest.

"Brennan!" Shalimar screamed as she run after her. "You're not making much sense."

"I know Shal, but I know that something is wrong."

As they were rushing to Emma's room, they met Jesse on the hallway.

"Hey Shal," Jesse looked surprised with their facial expression.

"Jesse, what happened to Emma?" Shalimar asked.

"Happened? She's eating her breakfast in her room." Jesse answered.

"You sure?" Brennan was not convinced. He was feeling weird and he knew it had to be Emma. Jesse looked at Brennan and he thought Brennan's bond with Emma is telling him something. He didn't say anything anymore. He just run to Emma's door and found Emma still on her bed.

"Emma?" Jesse shook her a little but he got no response. Shalimar entered the room with Brennan and she sat beside Emma, waving her hands at Emma's face.

"Emma!" she called but she got no reaction. She looked at Brennan who was still holding on to his chest. "We have to take her to Adam. She finally suggested."

Brennan moved to carry Emma but Jesse was about to do the say.

"I got her." Jesse said.

"No Jesse, I'll take her." Brennan replied.

Both mutants looked at each other fiercely, fighting with their eyes, glare after glare. Shalimar looked at the two boys and knew how Emma was special for each of them but this was not the time fight about simple things like who would have to carry Emma. Shalimar shook her head and she took the opportunity to carry Emma in her arm. Jesse and Brennan turned to Shalimar when they saw her carrying Emma to the lab.

"Adam!" Shalimar hollered. "Adam!"

Adam appeared from the lab. "What happened?" he asked, taking Emma in his arms.

"I'm not sure, you should ask Brennan."

"I'll ask him later. Get the scanner ready." Adam ordered as he laid Emma on the med bed. "How's her pulse?"

"Normal Adam," Shalimar replied.

"Her brain waves are highly active." Adam announced.

"What does that mean?" Jesse asked as he and Brennan entered the lab.

Adam and Shalimar looked at the two mutants. "Emma seems physically all right. However, her mind must be working so hard." Adam explained.

"Is that bad for her?" Jesse asked again.

"I can't say. Normally, psionics undergo this trance-like phase where their minds have to part the physical body and go somewhere." Adam calmly said. "My guess is that Emma is under a certain trance that only she could explain." Adam then looked at Brennan. "Shalimar said you were the one who knew what happened to Emma."

"I'm not sure Adam. Shalimar and I were working-out in the dojo. Now normally I would have this complete feeling everything I reach out to Emma by sense because she sort of answer me everytime but this time, she was not responding and what's more is that I felt something was torn out from me." Brennan tried to explain when Adam saw him clutching chest.

"Does that hurt?" Adam referred to his chest.

"A little." Brennan replied.

"Maybe we should scan you too." Adam walked to the other med bed and prepared it for scanning. "Come here Brennan."

Brennan obeyed Adam and he walked towards him. "Is she going to be all right Adam?"

"If she don't stay like this for more than a day, she'll be fine."

This was not helpful for anyone. They can't help but to worry about Emma who was really just going under a trance.

***

"Adam, it's been hours." Shalimar worriedly scratch her head.

"Relax Shal, I think she's slowly coming back." Adam assured.

"Are you sure?" Jesse run to Emma's side when he heard Adam's answered.

"Yes Jesse." Adam answered and he turned to Shalimar. "You better get Brennan from the rec room. I believe that Emma might take away the pain that Brennan is feeling right now."

Shalimar nodded and left the lab. As soon as she was gone, Emma suddenly threw herself, opening her eyes.

"Brennan!" she uttered.

Jesse was quite shocked and he unconsciously backed away from her. ~She called for Brennan. Not for me. But... But she kissed me... I thought... ~ Jesse shook his head. He sat at the stool behind the med bed where Emma couldn't get a glimpse of him. ~There must be an explanation for that. ~

"Brennan!" Emma repeated and she looked around. "I hurt him." She looked around again and she finally realized where she was. "What am I doing here? What happened to me?"

"We were hoping you'd tell us."

Emma heard Shalimar asked from the lab's entrance with Brennan. "Brennan! Are you okay? I'm sorry I didn't mean to hurt you."

Brennan forehead cringed. "You knew you hurt me?"

"Yes." She tried to stand up.

"Oh no Ems, you have to stay in bed." Adam had her on the shoulder.

Emma turned to Adam and smiled. "You don't have to worry, Adam. I'm fine!" she smiled again before she walked to Brennan. "Let me undo what I've done." She said as she took his face between her hands and looked at his eyes sending him light psi-blast. "Now, is that better?"

Brennan nodded and smiled at her, still feeling the touch of her hand against his cheeks. If she will be holding him everytime she hurts him, Brennan could allow her to hurt him every hour of every day.

Jesse saw everything that was happening and he can't help but be hurt. Just few hours ago, this beautiful lady was kissing him. Now, this same lady is looking into the eyes of another man.

Shalimar looked at the psionic and the elemental that are in front of her. The mutants seems so oblivious to there surrounding, so busy staring at each other. Shalimar's heart is breaking at the scene. She hated this feeling but she knew she couldn't take Brennan away from Emma nor Emma away from Brennan. It also didn't matter if Emma is in love with another man for their bond will always connect them. It's hard to fall for someone who could never be yours. Shalimar could cry for the pain that she is now feeling but her feral part refuse to let the tears show.

MUTANT-X-MUTANT-X-MUTANT-X-MUTANT-X-MUTANT-X-MUTANT-

***Lyza***

I know you must think I'm tormenting the characters. LOL. I'm sorry. I really don't know what to do really. So, what do you think? Please continue posting your reviews. Hope you've enjoyed this chapter. See you soon.