Disclaimer-see Chapter One
A/N: This chapter is rated PG-13 for violence/death. Please be aware if you are sensitive to the death of a minor character.
A/N II: I wrote this chapter several weeks ago and have been debating on whether or not to keep it as is. After the advice of some great friends, I'm posting it as I originally wrote it. I have to admit I am a nervous wreck about posting this chapter, so please review and let me know what you think! Thank you.
While All Was Still-Chapter Twelve
A feral's sense of smell is sharp and multi-faceted, and Shalimar pushed her nose into Brennan's shoulder, picking apart the layers of scent that rolled off him in waves. She could not only smell what he had for breakfast, she could tell the different ingredients that were used to prepare the meal. She skimmed past the clingy smell of Laura's perfume and tightened her fingers on his shoulders as she found Liza in the mix. She pulled back a moment later.
"She loves animals."
Brennan's brows shot up.
Shalimar grinned. "I can tell from when she hugged you, the scent of different animals is strong on her, especially cats."
Brennan's hand rested on her cheek for a moment, eyes shining with pride. "You're amazing, Shal."
Laura let loose a loud snicker.
Shalimar ignored her, eyes glowing golden and concentrating for a moment before flashing back to normal. "She's this way."
They walked for quite a while before stopping in front of a large Great House surrounded by several outbuildings and rolling orchards. The wind blew strong, and clouds were slowly forming overhead, hinting of a coming storm. For now, though, the sun still shone through, and pale yellow rays lit up a small sign.
"A Nature Park?" Brennan read aloud. "Why would David bring her here?"
"Maybe he's trying to gain her trust," Shalimar mused out loud. "What better way than to show her things she loves."
Brennan nodded, "Animals."
They strolled through the Great House briefly, but soon passed through to the grounds beyond. Parrots and macaws battled squirrel monkeys for dominant sound. The crowd was busy and Shalimar strained to find Liza in the confusion of sight and sound. Laura sighed impatiently.
"This is a waste of time!" she complained loudly, "I don't see how this will get me my money. We don't even know for sure if she's here." She stamped a delicate foot. Brennan cringed, wondering how he could ever have found her remotely attractive. Shalimar sensed his mood and couldn't help but shoot him a smug grin.
"Why don't we split up?" Laura suggested. "I'll go this way and-"
"Absolutely not," Brennan interrupted her. "As painful as it may be, it's still our job to protect you. We're not splitting up."
"Fine," she huffed, "then let's hurry up and find her." She gestured at Shalimar, "Well, do your-your thing, you know, track her."
Shalimar frowned at her then turned back to Brennan, placing a hand on his arm. "It's hard to tell here, but I did smell cats on Liza. Maybe they're her favorite."
Walking past several varieties of fruit trees, they found the large cat enclosure, just as Brennan heard his name being called.
"Brennan!" A little voice yelled jubilantly.
They whipped around in time to see Liza clutching tight to David's hand as he approached. Shalimar caught Brennan's eyes and nodded toward a group of men roughly flanking around them. She pushed Laura slightly behind her, but the woman refused to stay. Instead she elbowed her way back in front and naively approached David, stopping a few feet from him.
David's eyes stared past her and landed on Shalimar. "I take it we won't be having drinks tonight after all?"
She allowed him a small smile in return. "Sorry, David, I changed my mind."
His eyes darkened as they focused on Brennan. "Your loss."
"I don't think so," she squared her shoulders.
Liza's head bounced back and forth during the conversation, her little eyes puckered in confusion. "Brennan, look," she called to him again, tugging on David's hand. "Daddy came for me. You did help." She smiled proudly, lips trembling slightly when no one smiled back.
Brennan didn't dare take his eyes off the men forming a tight circle as he forced his voice into a light tone. "That's great, sweetie."
"Why don't you come over here and talk to me?" Shalimar entreated her, stepping closer to Brennan.
"No!" David clamped a rough hand on her tiny shoulder. "Stay here."
Her little eyes drew together as she bit her trembling lip. "Daddy?"
"Shut up!" He gritted his teeth, drawing a loud breath through them. He pulled her back with him and gestured to the group of men. "I promised you one mutant, and I give you three." As the group of men closed the gap, forming a complete circle, he laughed. "Say goodbye to Brennan now, Liza,"
Shalimar crouched down into a ready squat as Brennan formed a tesla coil. "Now might be a good time to try out your powers" he called to Laura, who stood frozen in front of them.
Both groups paused, silent for a moment, and then all sprang into action at once. Laura whimpered and dropped into a fetal position as fighting broke out around her. Shalimar flew over her and jump-kicked a man about to strike Laura over the head. She landed on top of him and quickly framed his head, slamming it into the ground and knocking him unconscious before flipping over his body and launching towards another oncoming figure. Electricity crackled in the air as Brennan threw coil after coil as fast as he could. He grunted as fists struck him from behind and dropped to one knee, throwing up his arms to stop the next blow and clamped onto the arm, bracing his feet on the ground and throwing the man over his back. Another foot came out of nowhere and struck him, and he yelled in anger, whipping around and throwing more electricity. The fight only lasted a few tense minutes, and when Brennan finally allowed himself to stop, lungs heaving for air, he heard Laura's mewling howl.
"She's gone!"
He closed his eyes in frustration, bowing his head as Shalimar came rushing up, resting her hands on his chest.
"Brennan, you ok?"
"Yeah," he sighed, hand rubbing the back of his neck, kicking his foot into the dust, "Let's go find her."
"Sounds good to me," Shalimar's eyes sparkled up at him, still alive from adrenaline, "Let's end this thing." Together, they turned around and regarded Laura, who hadn't moved from her huddled position, banging her fists in fear and anger on the ground. Shalimar quirked a brow, "Not so ladylike anymore are we?" she couldn't help but comment as Laura blew disheveled curls out of her dirty face and glared up at her.
Brennan laughed outright as he bent down to help her up. "Come on," he grunted, pulling her to her feet, "Let's go."
Shalimar stalked David with a determination that Brennan recognized as pure feral. He smirked as David's eyes widened in fear when they rounded upon him and quickly took him down. He called for back-up on his comlink, and in a little while, Lexa and Jesse were landing the helix behind the park.
Lexa came running up to them, veering straight towards Laura. She came to a panting stop in front of her. "Where's Leo?" she quietly asked, staring her in the eye.
Laura shrugged dismissively, "Like I care."
"You better care," Lexa's voice remained dangerously calm.
"I haven't seen him," Laura stared defiantly back.
"Lexa," Jesse came up behind her. "You can do this later. Right now, let's get David and the rest of his group out of here." He paused as she hesitated. "Preferably before they all wake up," he prodded.
She sighed and turned back around, following Jesse after a final glance back over her shoulder at Laura.
Liza clung to Brennan, staring curiously at Laura as she came up and kneeled before her.
"Do you want me to show you the animals?" she alluringly inquired.
Liza reached toward her face in wonder. "You have my eyes," she whispered, letting go of Brennan and studying Laura.
"I do," Laura agreed, visibly shaken for a moment at the similarity. She took her hand, standing back up, "I'm your real mother."
Liza smiled shyly at her, and then turned solemnly toward Brennan, tugging a chubby hand on his pant leg. He knelt back down beside her. "Brennan help me," she beamed at him in confident faith, "Just like you promised." His heart melted, and he folded the little girl into his arms.
Laura tugged on her a moment later. "Come with mama now," she instructed, eyes softening for a moment as they rested on the girl. She turned towards Shalimar in triumph. "A good little girl, and I get the money," she gloated over her shoulder, leading Liza away.
"Whoa," Brennan soothed, clasping Shalimar's shoulder as she took a step forward. "There's nothing we can do about that Shal. She is her mother, regardless of how much we loathe her motives."
"I hate that woman," Shalimar grumbled, eyes staring at their retreating figures.
"What do you say we get off this island," he wrapped both arms around her waist, nuzzling her neck, "Go back to the ship," he moved up to kiss her ear, "And enjoy the last few days aboard, humm?" he whispered.
She shivered as his warm breath tickled her ear, twisting in his grasp and twining her arms around his neck, pulling his head down. "I'd say yes," she murmured against his mouth, nibbling on his bottom lip.
"Yeah, ok, we'll just take care of the bad guys then," Jesse hollered sarcastically after them from where he stood with a glowering David.
Lexa rolled her eyes as Brennan lifted a hand in acknowledgement before tightening his grip around Shalimar. "Come on Jess, as usual, it's up to us." Her complaints trailed away as they herded the group toward town.
"You know," Shalimar teasingly tugged his lip with her teeth, "For once, this case ended rather anti-climatically." She released his bottom lip and moved up to the top one. "No one was hurt, and it all ended fairly easily."
"Shalimar," Brennan rasped at her, "Stop talking." He captured her lips in a thorough kiss, moaning as she readily responded. A hardy gust blew against them, whipping their clothes tight in the wind. Shalimar shivered as fat drops of rain splattered from darkening clouds, and pulled back with a sudden gasp as the apprehension that had plagued her throughout the week hit her strong in the stomach.
"Liza," she whispered, eyes huge as she stared up at Brennan. "We have to find her."
Puzzled, Brennan nodded, but didn't question her as she tugged him down the path. Two steps later, a loud reprimand came floating back on the wind. "And just where do you think you're going?"
Liza's voice floated trembly back, "I just wanna see the kitty!"
"Not right now you're not. It's raining, let's go."
Brennan and Shalimar exchanged glances and rounded the corner in time to see the child stomping a tiny foot. "I wanna go!"
"I'll take her," Brennan offered as Liza noticed him and lit up.
"No!" Laura whipped around and crossed her arms, stalking back toward them. "You stay away, she's mine."
Shalimar's eyes suddenly widened in awareness. "Liza!"
But the little girl was gone over the enclosure.
They heard the snarl just seconds before the long, anguished scream.
"Liza!" Laura cried, lunging for the animal enclosure. Brennan was off the path and over the fence before he knew it, stumbling in shock as a cougar raced through the enclosure for a wooded area, powerful legs flying. Liza hung from his mighty jaws, caught between his teeth, her little arms and legs flailing backward, bouncing off stumps and brush. Laura raced screaming after them, sobbing.
"Get out of the way," Brennan yelled, charging a tesla coil, sighting a shaking hand at the back of the cougar's skull, clenching his teeth in pain as raindrops clashed with electricity. He didn't know when he let loose, but the cat somersaulted, landing in a heap ten feet further away. Liza flew headlong into the ground and was still.
By the time they got to her, blood pooled the ground. Brennan fought the others off and lifted the child into his arms and raced back for the path.
"Somebody! Get a doctor!" He cried, wind searing the breath from his lungs. "Shalimar, help me," he commanded once he reached the path, conscious that a small crowd had formed around them, that another little girl stood gaping by his side, and that his clothes were hot and wet with blood. He lay Liza on the ground and yanked his shirt over his head, tossing it to Shalimar who placed it under the frail head. Her throat had been torn open, blood spurted from the jugular. He set his fingers over the wound, feeling for the vein.
"Oh God," he moaned. There, at the base of her jaw, he could feel the feeble hammering. He pressed down, fingers trembling. He saw the pathetic little feet, one shoe still on, a bony angle poking out the top, the other foot all bare and blue. "Shalimar, rub her feet and hands, Oh God," he groaned, shaking when the child's eyes flew open.
"Mama!" she gurgled.
"Baby! Darling! Mama's here!" Laura fell to her knees beside her, sobs wrenching from her chest. "I'm sorry, so sorry! Mama's here now!"
Then a doctor was there, leaning over Brennan, feeling for her pulse. Gently he probed around Brennan's hand where his fingers still pressed the jugular.
"No," Brennan whispered when the doctor reached up and folded the child's eyes shut, shaking his head regretfully.
"She's gone."
Laura fell over her child, weeping, screaming. "I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry."
Brennan could not let her go. Shalimar was there beside him; pulling him away. Dazed, he looked up into her blanched face. He could no longer feel hammering under his fingers. Slowly he released his pressure. She was dead.
He let Shalimar lead him down the path a little ways, where he stood retching into the bushes, dripping the little girl's blood from his fingers. Laura pushed past.
"Laura?" But she ran on into the enclosure. "Laura!"
Laura did not stop until she came to a heap by the dead animal. "No!" she cried, face to the raining sky, hands limply at her side, "My life! Not hers! Mine!"
Brennan did not know he had any strength left, but somehow he reached Laura and pulled the anguished woman into his arms, dropping with her to the ground, knees sinking into the muddy earth Shalimar came up and knelt down with them, wrapping her arms around them. The heavens opened and rain came down in pounding sheets, drenching them as they wept into the wet, silent wood.
