Disclaimer: Although a girl can wish, I in no way shape or form own Mutant X or any of the characters.

Part Three: Blood

Frustrated, Jesse hit the counter. It had been five hours and due to the storm interference, he'd been unable to trace their coordinates. About ready to give up and just go look for them himself, he hit the jack pot. After hollering for Adam and Emma, Jesse began.

"I've traced their last position to about an hour from here. They were last flying through Canada and using the most logical path back to Sanctuary I can extrapolate their course. We just have to get there."

"That's great Jesse. Is everything ready to go?" Jesse nodded and looked to Emma who nodded before looking at her hands. She was worried about those two. Shalimar had said Brennan was injured and she didn't know how to fly the plane that well.

"Let's go then."

~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Brennan. Remember what I said, stay awake." They had been awake all night talking about random things but at least he'd stayed awake.

"Shal I can't. I . . . can't. . .breathe. I hurt all over." Brennan looked at her for the first time all night and she could see the pain in his eyes. It killed her to see him like this, he wasn't weak, but he wouldn't last much longer.

"I know Brennan, believe me I know," Shalimar said wincing. Her own pain had been slowly growing through the night.

"I've talked all night Shal, you talk to me now. I can't anymore."

Just as Shalimar was about to begin, she heard a sound coming from outside the cave. She knew what it was, it was a cougar and she could smell it. "Brennan stay here, we've got company."

Shalimar moved to the mouth of the cave when the cougar jumped her from the side. Normally, she could have taken the animal down easy, but do to the bruising and cuts, she was having a hard time. The animal got in a few good swipes, especially along her arm, before she could defend herself. Although she had kicked it numerous times including a few hits to the head and snout, it wasn't giving up. At one point it latched on to her stomach, leaving a large wound in it's place and just as it was lunging for her a third time, she saw the electricity come flying out of the cave and hit the animal. Brennan had killed it; he had saved her.

Seeing the animal was dead, Shalimar stumbled back into the cave and fell to the ground beside Brennan. "Shal, are you okay? Can you move?"

"I'm fine, I just need to sit here for a little while before I do anything else."

Her injuries pulled Brennan away from the pain he was feeling. Although he was weak from the injuries and using his powers, he still managed to pull her near him and cover her with a blanket. He vowed to stay awake while she slept; he knew she would want that.

" Shal, come one. You'll be okay. You can't fade on me. I won't make it, I love you." Brennan said before his pain forced him to stop. 'What a pair we make. Both injured and stuck in a cave. This is great.' Brennan thought looking at Shalimar.

Shalimar felt Brennan move her to the cave wall and while she couldn't move, she was awake. She heard what he said and could feel him wince as he moved her. 'Why did I have to get hurt? We can't both stay here like this.'

An hour and a half later Shalimar managed to get up and stumble to the first-aid kit. "Be careful Shal, you're about as stable on your feet as I am."

The time since the accident, had made it easier for Brennan to stay awake and talk to Shalimar. He didn't know if it was because he was getting better or if it was his own sheer will. He knew that if he didn't stay awake, neither would Shalimar.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Shalimar turned her back to him as she bandaged her bite and a few of the more serious cuts. She then slowly lifted her shirt to examine her stomach, trying not to show Brennan but he saw anyway.

"Did the cougar do that to you Shal?"

"No, it was from the crash earlier." Shalimar looked at him. "It's fine, it's just some bruising and a few scratches."

"Come on back over here and sit down. We need to stay warm." Brennan said encouraging Shalimar to come sit by him.

She knew that the majority of the burns were on his left side, along with his broken arm so she moved slowly to his right side and sat down. When he put his arm around her shoulders, she just pulled the blanket up around them tighter.

"You know, I heard what you said." Shalimar looked at Brennan waiting for his reaction.

"And what was that?"

Shalimar tried to speak but was suddenly overcome with a coughing fit that had her kneeling over on the ground holding one hand to her stomach and the other to her mouth. When she was done and pulled her hand away, Brennan saw blood.