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! Just got out of the hospital and still thinking of what to name my babies… hehehe!

Thanks to:

Enorm87: thanks for the greetings. Don't worry about Emma too much. She is, after all the star of this fic. LOL

Aur: It's alright. At least you are still reading me and I love you  for that. *smiles*.

Eli283: thanks for the compliment and don't worry I will bring emma and jesse back.

Me: who every you are, thanks.

Theblondeone07: LOL…like I said, I will put them back together…soon.

Goldstranger: I know what you mean but fret not for Emma will shine soon…LOL.

Molecular Psionic: thanks is all that I could say write now.

M.B. Wade: LOL! You make me laugh. I also thought that shalimar was really meant for gabriel, but that was before. I'm with you. I don't know what I hate about Lexa but I still hate her—her character I mean.

Bjvision: Phuhh! You keep on reading my mind.  Are you a telepath or something like that! * grins then smiles *

Here's the chapter R&R. thanks Mwuahh!

Underestimated

            ~Thought ~

            Memory

            /Sounds/

            "Conversation"

Chapter 29

The same afternoon, after the whole incident at the dojo…after Shalimar lied to Emma, the psionic locked herself inside the confinement of her room just to avoid bumping into Jesse at anytime. She just uncomfortably lied on her own bed, under her covers trying to dizzy herself with sleeping.

She willed herself not to think about Jesse but to no avail. She wanted to remove him from her mind but she just can't. Every time she tried, the pain just deepens, rendering her powerless over the matter.

Emma lied there talking to herself ***how dare he? Did he not know that I would found out? What was he thinking? Why did he lie to me? Why did you lie to me Jesse? Am I that shallow that you got over me that easy? What does Shalimar have that I don't? I trusted you when you told me to trust you. God, I could have given you my life. This is so unfair. I don't deserve this.***

Tears seemed to stream endlessly from Emma's emeralds and it brought her guards to weaken. She could feel the emotions of every one in the sanctuary and it didn't take too long for her to realize that she was not only dealing with her own feelings but of the feelings of every one else in the Sanctuary—feelings, which she could not even identify whose. Love—an emotion that is so strong, stress—an emotion she guessed that is Adam's, faith—an emotion that is so sweet, disappointment—an emotion that threatens her faith and hate—an emotion that threatens all her senses. Now, she was spending her time fighting over for her sanity.

**********

Jesse was sitting in the Sanctuary's lounge watching Brennan mussel over the punching bag while doing his daily dose of afternoon mayhem. The molecular was waiting for Emma to come out of her room after she walked out on him and Shalimar but it's almost dinner and Emma had been stuck in her room, he supposed. ~Is Emma upset of what Shalimar told her? ~ Jesse thought but he shook his head. ~It's impossible. I've already told her about that and she said it's okay. Why then should she be upset? ~ Jesse was quite confused.

"Hey Jesse!" Jesse heard Brennan called out. Brennan was observing how Jesse was silent for a while that is why he decided to call his attention while he was wiping the sweat from his body to finally finish his workout. "Are you all right?" he asked Jesse.

Jesse turned to Brennan. He thought for a while if he should tell Brennan about it. Jesse knows that he could just be feeling a little bit paranoid about the situation and that Brennan is not the best person to give advice when it comes to heart matters but 'hey' and 'what-the-heck' so Jesse sighed and started. "If you were Emma would you still be mad after Shalimar and I told her about…you know…what happened?"

Brennan knitted his brows and he smirked at Jesse. "Well, she was okay when you told her, right?" he asked as he believed that Emma already know what had happened that moment.

Jesse looked up and tried recalling what was Emma's reaction and then he faced Brennan again, nodding towards him with a 'yes' sign.

Brennan snorted from his nose and he raised his shoulder. "…then I don't see any reason why Emma would still be mad. Why? Did Shalimar talked to her?" he asked as he continued wiping himself off.

"Yeah." Jesse answered and then he allowed his head to rest on the headrest of the sofa. Brennan sat beside his friend after slipping into a clean shirt and then he tossed the towel away from them. They were both silent for a moment. Brennan was still thinking what made Jesse so silent and Jesse was thinking of Emma.

Brennan thought that Jesse was being vague but he kept thinking of what Shalimar has been acting lately. Brennan noticed that the feral seemed to choose hiding in her room when she was supposed to do couple of exercises…but then again, Brennan gave Shalimar a benefit of the doubt.

"So…" Brennan willed Jesse to continue with his story.

"So…What?" Jesse seemed to be at a lost. He flinched when he heard Brennan's voice again.

"So, what happened? … I mean after Shalimar told her." Brennan faced Jesse and was determine to help his friend.

Jesse looked away and then he sighed. "Emma hasn't left her room after they had talked. I can't help but think of otherwise." There was the undeniable bitterness in Jesse's voice. He can't afford to lose Emma again. He does not think that he could make it.

Brennan placed a comforting hand on Jesse's shoulder. "Don't think like that, man. Maybe Emma fell asleep. Maybe she's cleaning her room. We don't really know if she's mad so give yourself a favor and stop torturing you wits." He gave Jesse a friendly nudge and Jesse forced a little smile.

"Yeah! Maybe!" Jesse said finally. Freeing himself of the thought for a while and letting out a sigh that he unconsciously been keeping. "Thanks man!" she elbowed Brennan.

"Hey! That's what family is for. We are family, Jess. Don't you ever forget that." Brennan leaned backwards to the couch and he placed his hands behind his neck to relax.

Both were silent of a moment while trying to relax when they heard a voice so suddenly from the Sanctuary's kitchen extension.

"Dinner time!"

It was the feral's voice from the kitchen. Shalimar is the scheduled cook for the evening and the group is thankful that it was not Jesse. Well, sometimes they like it if it's Jesse's turn but not if they want a decent meal. As we all know, Jesse really can't cook.

Brennan and Jesse both turned to the direction of the feral's voice and then faced each other again.

"Race you to the dinning!"  Brennan dared. They stared at each other for another moment and when Brennan got the signal from Jesse, both the molecular and the elemental raced their way to the sanctuary's dining room at a snap of a finger.

********

Emma heard Shalimar calling out and she finally decided to go out of her room and join the team. She pushed herself up from her bed and sat up wiping her tears away. She stood up and walked over to her mirror. ~I can't do out like this ~ she told herself when she saw how swollen her eyes are. She took her towel and headed to her bathroom.

She turn on the faucet and started washing her face while she was thinking. ~ how could I face Shalimar and Jesse? ~ she really didn't know. Tears were attempting to come again but her system refused to make it flow. She lifted her head from the sink and faced the mirror.  I could do this! She told herself.

Meanwhile the group was waiting for Adam and Emma. Shalimar did all the cooking since it was her turn and also Emma was having her time alone in her room so no one is there to help her. Brennan was tempted to eat ahead but Shalimar told him to wait. Of course, afraid for his life, Brennan had no choice but to wait.

 Few seconds more and Emma showed up in the kitchen wearing her hair in a tight ponytail. She forced a smile towards everyone and sat down on her usual seat—beside Brennan and at Jesse's opposite.

Brennan threw a glance at Emma and at Jesse. He was waiting eagerly for Jesse to start a conversation but Jesse was being extra silent that time and he seemed to be in no near of speaking so Brennan took an extra move and signaling to Jesse with a light kick underneath the table. Jesse stirred, as he was surprised.

Both man converse with their rich facial expression and Emma was getting their messages but she chose to pretend that she is not paying attention to anything.

Shalimar called Emma's attention with a light poke from underneath the table. Shalimar mouthed a 'are you alright?' phrase to her and Emma nodded. She was really feeling bad and jealous at Shalimar but at the same time, she was really thankful that she was still concern about her.

Jesse finally looked at Emma and decided to strike a conversation. "Hi Ems." He said to her.

Emma tried to be polite and threw back a hello. She was rubbing her hands, as she was really nervous of doing something stupid. He hates Jesse for lying to her but she admires the way he kept his promise to Shalimar that he would leave the feral alone after their last lovemaking. She unconsciously placed her hand on the table.

"Are you okay?" Jesse again, reaching out for her hand but she pulled it away and smiled. "Yeah! Of course I'm fine." Emma replied. "Why did you asked that?" the psionic inquired.

"Well, you were awfully quiet the whole afternoon and…"

"I was just resting." Emma cut in Jesse's sentence.

"I thought you were…"

"I'm fine." She interrupted him again. Jesse stopped and nodded towards her. Suddenly, everyone became quiet as the tension begun building in the Sanctuary's Dinning room.

Adam came and noticed the unusual silence among his genetic children. "Okay!" he begun. "What's with the quietness?"  he asked while pulling a seat and comfortable settling on it.

Emma was the first to react on Adam's comment. "We were just thinking." She knew her answer was a lame one because Adam would be asking her what they were thinking about and she was not mistaken.

"What were you thinking about?" Adam then asked, just like what Emma foresaw.

"You know…about going out…on a group's night out." Shalimar helped Emma on reasoning out and Emma thanked her with a glance.

"Oh!" Adam believed them. "Okay!"  he then said. Everyone turned to him and all of them were even more quiet. Adam was cringed his forehead and he paused before he had something in his mouth.

"What 'okay'?" Emma asked. Her hands were all sweaty and she was afraid that Adam would really let them out for the night and as if fate was its way, Adam did agreed.

"Okay! You could go out tonight." Adam said before he continued eating his meal.

Brennan smiled contented and he started eating as well. He was thinking of dancing with Shalimar the whole night. He was really thinking of dancing till they drop.

"B—bu—but…but…but!" Emma stammered as she tried to pull herself out of the 'Group's-Night-Out' plan, which was not really a plan, but Adam smiled at her.

"No! It's alright Emma. You really need a night out." Adam extended a fatherly pat on Emma's shoulder and Emma just forced a tired smile.

"That's cool!" Shalimar said almost predictably and she winked at Emma. Emma smiled back at her as she tried projecting her happy-self.

Emma helped herself with her food as she was thinking of how she could survive the night without bothering the group. She could feel her  heart breaking but she was proud enough to even show a mark of pain.

Shalimar was smiling inside her as she was thinking of another evil plan for Emma. ~I'm sorry, dear. But you have to go! ~ she thought.

~Don't think too loud. ~

Shalimar felt Gabriel's presence. ~darling! ~

~Emma is fragile right now. Broadcast a little louder and she'll sense you. ~ Gabriel warned the feral in her wits.

~sorry! ~ Shalimar apologized

~don't worry darling, I have a plan! ~ Gabriel told Shalimar before he left her wits.

Shalimar smiled again inside as she put small helping of food in her mouth. She chewed it slowly while she glanced at Emma. Will this be good-bye?

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

***Lyza***

okay! I was busy thinking of what to name my baby… hehehe! I was thinking of Emma Allyza Halliwell, if it's a baby girl (of course in honor of Emma) or Alexon Jesse Halliwell, if it's a baby boy (after Jesse). What do you think….I mean about the story and the names… hit me back okay! Keep reviewing…