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: Hey! Sorry for posting real late. Did you miss me? LOL. I'm still trying to grasp on the news that Lauren Lee would be leaving MX. Argh!!! That's real bad... Anyway, her leaving the team wouldn't change the fact the she was the most powerful, secretive mutant MX ever had..

This chapter would focus on Shalimar and Emma. I really believe that Emma is necessary for Shalimar…for some reasons. Anyways, thanks for sticking around longer.

If you have any suggestions, please feel free to email me at resplendents1@yahoo.com or at Lyza@iamyours.com

Special thanks to:

Eli1283: What could i say? I love them both as well. LOL. sorry for not updating sooner.. my computer went into a complete shutdown and i couldn't access my files... Hahaha!!! I'm happy it's working now!

Aur: thanks for the review. I'm really very sorry for not writing so much about Brennan and Shalimar. You see this fic is a Emma-centric with a mixture of everything (E/J pairing, E/B pairing, S/J pairing, S/B pairing.) I'll try my best to develop a chapter for you, maybe at the middle part. I'm not sure yet. LOL. thanks for hanging out with me, hope you stick around longer…

Pagan: thank you for your support. I'm sorry, I didn't know you are a Brennan and Emma fan. This story is a real Jesse and Emma fic but fret not for you there would be a chapter for you. LOL. Thanks for the review and please continue reviewing.

Emma 453: Yeah, poor Shalimar but don't worry she will have his man in the end.

Goldstranger: Ha ha ha! You're right, I've written Brennan just to be a complete ass that he is. LOL. (Oh my god… please don't sue me. This is just an opinion) anyways, I happy you kept on posting your reviews.

So here we go again……..

Underestimated

~Thought ~

Memory

/Sounds/

"Conversation"

Chapter 10



Emma sat silently at the dojo, trying to concentrate. Her month long self-defense lesson is over and like she promised Jesse, she has to quit.



~Meg! ~ Emma called with her mind. ~Meg! Can you hear me? ~



~Hey! Good morning Emma! ~ Meg finally called back.



~I've been trying to call you for about an hour now. Have you just waked up? ~



~ha ha ha! No. I was doing my jogging rounds and I was using my walkman. I'm sorry. Do you need anything? ~



Emma smiled. ~No, not really, I just…well… today is the last day my payment could cover, right? ~ Emma felt Meg nod.



Meg nodded and smiled. ~You could start your new lesson tomorrow and pay us later. You've been a good client Emma and… ~



~No, Meg. I mean, ~ Emma sighed.



~Is something wrong? ~ Meg asked with the intention.



~I really don't know how to tell you this Meg…~



~You're quitting? ~ Meg cut in Emma's sentence.



There was a long pause before Emma could answer. ~Yes. ~



~Why? ~ Meg had to stop whatever she was doing as she tried to concentrate to what Emma was saying. Emma didn't have to answer for Meg could see images from Emma's mind. ~Is he your boyfriend? ~ Meg suddenly asked?



~What? Who? ~ Emma was a bit surprised.



Meg started to chuckle. ~Honestly I'm not sure. Your mind is sending me two images. The other one is a molecular and the other is an elemental. ~



Emma blushed and she started to raise her guards higher.



~Okay! I know when I'm not wanted ~ Meg joked. ~But seriously, why are you quitting? You are schedule to spar against the lowest ranking mutant fighter we have. This is your chance to prove yourself. ~ Meg asked Emma again.



~I'll tell you later Meg. I have company. ~ With that, the psionic conversation was cut off.



"Good morning beautiful!" Jesse walked up the steps of the dojo and kissed Emma on her temple.



"Good morning!" she replied.



"Are you done with your jogging rounds?" he asked her as he hands her a towel.



"Yes. I was doing my mind exercise when you came."



"Oh! I disturbed you then." Jesse worriedly asked as he stood up preparing to leave.



Emma took his hand and pulled him back to her side. "No, you are always right in time." She stated, closing the space between them, giving him a kiss.



The two mutants broke their contact when they heard someone coming. "Good morning Jesse, Emma." Adam nodded to the molecular then to the psionic. "I was just finished checking the result of Shalimar's scan." Adam handed some pieces of paper to Emma.



"Is this what I think it is?" Emma cringed her forehead as she stood up and stepped down the stair.



"I'm afraid so. Shalimar has been highly emotional these past few weeks. My guess is that her feral nature is not allowing her to release whatever it is that is hurting her." Adam explained.



"Is there anything that we could do?" Jesse asked with concern for his best friend.



"You, Brennan and I…we could not do anything. But Emma could do something."



Emma nodded. "Tell me what to do Adam and I'll do it."







***

"Stop pacing Cole! If you don't cut it out, you'll be making a large hole in my office." Meg grinned.



"I can't. This feeling is killing me Meg." Cole massaged his temple.



"Cole, it isn't proper to date our clients." She laughed at her brother as she sat on the comfort of her couch.



"She's… she's wonderful. She's awesome and… and…"



"And she has a boyfriend." Meg said, willing to annoy Cole.



"You think she's really with him?" Cole asked Meg.



"With whom, the elemental? The one you met in the bar? Or the molecular? The one Emma slept with?" Meg answered, as she still messed with Cole's feeling. Cole didn't say a word. Meg's last phrase had caught his attention. The smile on Meg's face faded when she saw Cole's face blanched.



"Meg, I want to know if she's with anyone." Cole was serious this time.



Meg could see that and she let out a loud sigh. "I wouldn't know. You wouldn't know…unless you ask her." Meg suggested.



Cole stopped from pacing and looked at Meg. He sat beside his sister and nodded as he joined his hands together. "Yes, I'll ask her. I'll ask her as soon as she come to class next week…"



"I don't think that is a good plan." Meg shook her head. "Emma contacted me hours ago. She's quitting."



"She's what?" Cole yelled in surprise. "She's quitting? Why?"



"I'm not sure Cole."



Meg was interrupted when Cole stood up again. "I'm contacting her." he inhaled then exhaled aloud.



~. ~



No one is answering him back.



~Emma! ~



~. ~



Still no reply, he opened his eyes and whined. "I can't reach her."



"Maybe she's doing something important and she needed to block out psionics like us."



"What do you mean?"



"What I meant is that I can't contact her too." Meg shook Cole on the shoulder. "Bro! Relax. I'll try and set up a date ok."



Cole nodded and he hugged his sister tightly. "Thanks sis."





***

Emma searched for Shalimar everywhere but still failed to find her. As she retreat to her room she found Shalimar just before the feral enters her room.



"Shalimar!"



"Ems!"



"Hi! I was looking for you everywhere!" the psionic walked towards her feral friend.



"You were? Why?" Shalimar pulled her door closed again and faced Emma with a smile.



"Oh, nothing. I thought maybe I could borrow some of your time." Emma shyly beamed. "I mean, to have a small talk…maybe."



"Sure. Come inside." Shalimar invited Emma in her room and the psionic gladly came in.



Emma's eyes traveled around Shalimar's room when her eyes caught a photo placed just at the side table of her bed. ~Brennan? ~ She couldn't believe her eyes. Emma blinked when Shalimar put the picture down, trying to hide it. Emma held her breath and took her eyes off the photo and pretended to look at the other part of the room. ~Okay! She thought I didn't see it. ~ She told herself.



"So, what do you want to talk about?" Shalimar threw herself on her bed and signaled Emma to sit at the chair to face her.



"You have a nice room here Shal. When did you started rearranging it?" Emma curiously asked as she walked towards the chair.



"Months ago. I wanted to show you but…" a grin decorated her lips. "…You were very busy with Jesse."



Emma blushed. "I was not…I mean…" she giggled. "…Was I really that busy?"



"You bet you were." Shalimar laughed and it wasn't long until Emma joined her. Emma was about to tell her something but when their eyes met, they both started another rounds of laughter. After about a minute of laughter Shalimar threw her a question. "But seriously. Are you and Jesse…you know…together?"



Emma didn't answer; instead, she bit her lips and raised her brows. She was hoping to get a laugh from Shalimar but she hoped wrong. Shalimar's smile slowly faded.



"I'm happy for you." Shalimar softly said.



Emma took Shalimar's hand into hers and looked into her eyes. "Shalimar. Is there something wrong?"



"Wha…wrong? No! Nothing's wrong." Shalimar tried to fake a smile but failed big time.



"Come on Shal. I don't need to be a psionic to know that there is a problem." Emma tried to assure Shalimar when suddenly the feral's eyes turned yellowish green.



"You still don't get do you." Shalimar jump off her bed and accidentally pushed Emma away.



"Shal…"



"Don't you 'Shalimar' me." Shalimar hissed in rage.



"Tell me what's wrong…" Emma begged as she helped herself up after Shalimar accidentally knock her down. "Let me help you."



"What's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. This…" Shalimar fiercely pointed to her heart, pressing her index finger onto her chest. "This is wrong. This feeling is wrong."



Emma could sense series of emotion from Shalimar: rage, jealousy, care, love… but all are just bits of a puzzle she couldn't figure out. ~Why is Shalimar so angry? Why is she jealous? ~ Emma didn't understand.



The psionic didn't say a word but she concentrated her power to the feral and swiftly entered her mind.



Shalimar felt a slight sting in her head when Emma entered her mind and she immediately felt her presence once Emma was in. This didn't make her happy, rather, the feral freaked out and her eyes turned feral again. Shalimar jumped on top of Emma, knocking the psionic for the second time.



"Get out of my head psi-girl!" she hollered, grabbing Emma by her shirt as the frantic psionic look back to her in fear. When her eyes met Emma's fearful emeralds, her human heart sank and her mind started questioning her. ~Emma is your friend. She only wanted to help. Why are you doing this to her? ~ A voice inside her condemned her deeds. She released Emma and threw herself opposite her, leaning on the bed.



Emma was too frightened to say anything. For a moment, she thought that Shalimar was going to kill her. Emma sensed a tear coming from Shalimar but when she looked at the feral she didn't see any tear. ~Why? ~



The answer came across her mind when she got another hit from Shalimar's wits. Shalimar's feral nature prevents her from crying. Half of her mind wanted to cry but half of it convinced her body that she is tough therefore she should not cry. She was about to come near the feral when Shalimar suddenly broke the silence.



"I need to know if you're already serious with Jesse."



~Jesse? ~ Emma thought. ~Could it be? Could she still be in love with Jesse? ~ The question hanged in Emma's mind.



"Because Brennan is still hoping that you two still have a chance." Shalimar softly uttered.



"Brennan?" Emma thought aloud. ~Yes, Brennan. How can I be so blind? ~ She went back in the seclusion of her mind. "But…but…aren't you two dating?" Emma eventually asked.



"Dating? God!" she run her fingers into her golden locks and sighed heavily. "I could sell my soul just to get him to date me." She laughed but it sounded more like bitter sobs. "What are you? Blind?" Shalimar hissed. "Can't you see? Brennan is hopelessly in love with you." Shalimar's heart cracked in her own sentence.



"You're probably mistaken Shal. Brennan could never be in love with me. He's crazy about you." Emma reached out for Shalimar's shoulder but the feral pushed her hands away.



"Yeah right!" Shalimar cynically replied.



"Shal, I've seen you two fool around and I've sensed you when you kissed. If Brennan is in-love, then he's probably in love with you. He's so much attracted to you." Emma took Shalimar's hands and smiled at her, still trying to convince her otherwise.



"He's attracted to me because I'm a feral. Not because he loves me." Shalimar's eyes fell into the ground as she let the psionic seat beside her…well almost.



Emma beamed and willed the feral to look at her. "Come on Shal. You should hear him talk about you."



"And you should see the look in his eyes when he heard you and Jesse making out in your room a month ago."



"."



The smile on Emma's face slowly faded. "He knows?" was all that she could say.



"He knows?" Shalimar echoed. "He know? …" she let out a cynical laugh as she stood up. "What, is that the best you can do? Of course he knew." Shalimar yelled at her.



~That explains why he's been avoiding me. ~ Emma thought. "I don't know what to say." Emma uttered then she sensed a crying emotion from Shalimar again but failed to see a single tear in her eyes. "Shal," Emma stood up. "Tell me what you want me to do." She willed her. "Tell me."



Shalimar looked into her friend's eyes with fear and distrust.



"Trust me Shal. Let me help you."



Shal sighed. ~Yes, I'll trust you. ~ She thought. She took Emma's hands and looked into her eyes. "I need to let this out Emma. This is killing me. I need to cry. Make me cry…help me!" she begged.



Emma smiled and let Shalimar sit on her bed as she, herself, sat beside her. Without another word, she concentrated all of her powers to her and sent her a small psi-blast. Moments later she could see tears coming from the ferals eyes.



Shalimar finally broke down on Emma's shoulder. "Oh Emma!" she sobbed.



"It's okay. I'm here." Emma put her arms around her friend as she rocked the feral's body back and forth.



"I'm sorry for hurting you Emma. I didn't mean it." Shalimar continued sobbing on Emma's shoulder.



"It's alright. I know that you didn't mean it."



Shalimar broke down on Emma's shoulder with out hesitation. She needed this. She could feel her loads weighing less. She released it all; the pain, the rage, the jealousy, the love…all.





******

After a few minutes of crying, Shalimar's sob slowly faded and she finally smiled. She pushed herself up so as to see Emma's face. "I'm so sorry girl," she beamed.



"It's all right." Emma handed her a box of tissue paper she saw in the room.



Shalimar wiped away her tears and looked at Emma again. "Thank you," she uttered.



"For what?"



"For helping me cry." Shalimar replied with a smile.



Emma smiled back but her smile slowly faded. "I'm sorry."



"For what?" Shalimar cringed her for head.



"Brennan!" was all Emma could say.



"It's not really your fault Emma." Shalimar shyly looked at the floor. Now, she regretted the words she threw on Emma when she was still mad. "Don't mind what I've said before. I was not really myself."



There was silence in the room as the psionic and the feral searched for the right words to say.



"There is one thing I would like to ask from you Emma." Shalimar broke the silence.



"Yes?"



"If it's not too much to ask, can you and Jesse make your … affair … relationship … formal? I mean… if you two made it official, maybe Brennan would not hope so much from you." Shalimar bashfully requested.



Emma didn't answer at once then eventually smiled. "Sure."



Shalimar looked at her again. "Thanks a lot."



"But you do know that I have to ask Jesse about it first." Emma assured herself.



"Yes, of course." Shalimar replied.



"."



"."



Both went dead silent…then laughter filled the room as Shalimar teased Emma about her reaction when she freaked out, and as Emma mocked Shalimar about her facial expression when she was freaking out. The once gloomy atmosphere in the feral's room was now replaced by happy and light mood…thanks to the psionic—Emma…











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

***Lyza***



The next chapter would be a confrontation between Brennan and Jesse. Let's hear what Brennan has to say…LOL. Please review.