Emma rubbed her eyes as she turned over in her bed. She brushed her damp fingers against her shirt to remove her tears from them. She reached her hand across to the pillow next to her to notice it was still damp with the tears she'd shed while crying herself to sleep.
Emma's head pounded with all the things she wanted to tell Shalimar. She wished she could sit down and talk everything out with her and tell her all the things she'd come to feel these last couple days and the things she'd always felt and never revealed. She felt a panic as she wondered what would happen if she never got that chance. What if Shalimar didn't ever get better? What if she hated her for the rest of her life? The thought of her suffering inside her mind for the rest of her life broke Emma's heart and she felt the tears drip their way down her soft cheek once again and moisten the newly dried sheets beneath.
Emma twisted in her bed and tried to find a dry spot to rest her face, which was now red from crying. She fluffed her pillow and flipped it over so she might enjoy the softness instead of the wetness. She turned to her side and rested her cheek on it and noticed it still smelled like Shalimar. The feral had been in her bed nearly every day this month and had spent the night in it most of them as well. Emma couldn't think of a night with the feral by her side that wasn't at least ten times better than any night she'd ever spent anywhere else. When she was gone she often found herself waking in the night and aching for her to the point she'd almost call her name out into the darkness.
Shalimar had always been her strength and her comfort. She'd always been there to help her and cheer her up no matter how bad she herself was feeling. She always seemed to put other's well being before her own. Emma's tears fell harder as she accused herself of not being able to do the same for her friend now. This was when Shalimar needed her most and Emma hated herself for not knowing how to help her friend. She already considered herself responsible for Shalimar's current state being the complicated relationship they shared, their kiss that meant more than what they were ready for, and the feelings she picked up from the feral and now that she couldn't even help on top of it, Emma wasn't sure she herself could even deal with the sadness and guilt.
It only took a few minutes for Emma's pillow to become as wet as the other one and she found her cheek cold with the pain she'd sobbed all over her bed once again. Emma turned over onto her back and starred blankly at the ceiling allowing her tears to take a different trail down her face and wet her hair. Emma pushed the strands that feel across her eyes out of her face and felt the dampness of her tears on her cheek as she did so.
Emma heard a knocking at her door but wasn't inclined enough to open it and wasn't too concerned with who was there as she was sure it was probably more bad news.
"Emma, you ok?" Brennan's voice came through the door in a concerned tone.
Emma sat in silence for a moment trying to hold her tears back so he couldn't hear them.
"Yeah," she finally managed to answer somewhat shaky. "I'll be ok, thanks," she lied though was sure her voice had given her away.
"Ok," Brennan answered softly through the door. She could tell in his voice that he didn't believe her but he probably knew better than to pry when she wanted her privacy. "If you need anything just tell me or Jesse ok."
"Ok."
Emma knew he could hear the pain in her voice and was sorry she wasn't as good at concealing it as he was though she'd heard some of the similar pain in his own words. She listened as he turned and began to walk back down the hall.
Emma felt the pain of her heart stinging beyond her will. The pain of her wounds that Shalimar had given her also had flared up and her whole body now felt tense and achy. She sighed among her sobs and tried to concentrate on something other than her heart breaking pain. She'd came into her room to get some sleep but couldn't seem to shut her mind down with all the worries and doubts that were running through it.
Back in the lab Adam stood looking over his computer screen and began to slightly grin. He looked back to Shalimar and ripped the print out of her chart and left the lab.
Adam smiled as he headed into the living room to see Brennan and Jesse reclined in the chairs and playing video games. He walked up behind them and made a face as to question their actions.
"What are you two doing?" Adam asked.
"Just playing some games," Jesse answered. "Trying to get our minds off of everything that's going on."
"Oh. Well, I think I may have a solution for Shalimar's problems."
"Really? Let's hear it," Brennan said eagerly as both he and Jesse put down their controllers and turned to give Adam their full, undivided attention.
Emma turned over in her bed as she became more and more restless. The more she thought about Shalimar the sadder she became. She wasn't sure her broken heart could sink any lower in her chest and she finally stood from her bed and headed over to the door. She paused as she reached it, taking a few moments to whip all her tears and dry her face. She knew it would be obvious to anyone who saw her that she'd been crying but didn't care. The only thing she cared about was checking on the well being of her best friend whose pain was calling to her from the lab.
The call of her feral friends pain was so unbearable as Emma made her way down the hall. When she finally reached the lab her head was throbbing as was her heart at trying to balance out the feelings the feral provoked inside her. Emma's heart broke further as she stepped into the lab and gazed upon the twitching feral. She stepped closer to the feral and noticed her struggling with her restraints. She headed over to stand beside her and saw how she was fighting her wrist restraints so fiercely it had caused large bruises and some cuts to appear.
Emma felt the intense pain of her friend and couldn't take it. She turned around to remove some medical wraps and ointment from the first aid cabinet behind her so she could patch her wounds and wrap them to prevent further rubbing against the metal restraints. She turned back to the still restless Shalimar and pulled the small freestanding table over beside them along with Adam's computer chair. Emma sat herself down and prepared to assist her friend.
"Shal," she began very softly. "Can you hear me?"
Shalimar didn't respond. Emma realized the feral wasn't even aware she was there. She wasn't trying to kick her or yelling at her and hadn't made any eye contact with the psionic yet either convincing Emma she didn't even realize she was there with her.
Shalimar began to slow her twitching and Emma wondered it if was safe to tend to her wounds. She contemplated giving her another tranq shot but knew Adam would probably disagree with her decision. She looked over the feral who was much more calm now and still didn't seem too aware of her presence. Emma decided she'd have to release the restraints on her arms in order to help her. She swirled around to the control board and looked back to Shalimar before releasing her arms.
Emma turned back around and began to tend to the wounds on the feral's right wrist. She thought the least she could do was make her comfortable while she suffered. She gently rubbed the ointment over the large, purple bruises that covered the feral's wrist and whipped down the cuts with water from the large water bottle beside the chair. She unraveled the bandage and slowly and gently wrapped it around the feral's wrist. Her own wounded wrist rubbed slightly against Shalimar's as she wrapped it tighter.
Emma slid herself over to the feral's other arm and began to give it the same treatment. When she was able to wrap the wrist the feral began to twitch more violently once again and she swung her arms up into the air slightly, then with more force. Emma grabbed her arm quickly and set it back down and tried to wrap her other wrist before she became too out of control. Before the psionic could bandage the ferals wrist, Shalimar flung her arms up smacking her hard across the face and causing Emma to nearly fall out of her chair. Emma quickly jumped to her feet and attempted to hold her hands down but the stronger feral fought against her and threw her hard against the wall. Shalimar reached down to the opened water bottle and threw it forward causing it to spill out over the control board. The sparks flew in the lab and Shalimar's leg restraints quickly released their hold on her.
Shalimar quickly jumped to her feet and tackled a now standing Emma, taking her off guard as the two both tumbled to the hard floor. Emma looked up to notice Shalimar's eyes didn't seem to reveal her as she clawed and swung at Emma recklessly. Emma felt the pain wash over her in waves as the feral struck her, each time harder than the last.
"You might be onto something there, Adam," Brennan said as she looked to Jesse who displaced an agreeing face.
"Now all we need to do is test it," Adam said.
The lights flashed all over Sanctuary and the guys turned as the sounds of Emma screaming from the lab caught their attention. They rushed back to the lab and saw Emma and Shalimar attacking each other on the floor.
Emma was finally able to muster enough energy to throw a psionic blast at the attacking feral though it was so small and weak it didn't really effect her only further angered her.
Jesse rushed over to try and pull Shalimar off Emma and found it harder than it appeared, as Shalimar fiercely kicked him for his efforts, leaving a large boot print across his face. He turned back to Shalimar and before he could reach for her again saw her hit with an electric bolt from Brennan. He turned back to see the disappointed look the elemental held at using his powers on one of his best friends but noticed the feral now lie motionless on the floor. He rushed to her side and lifted her head feeling thankful she was alive but upset she'd been so much more hurt. He looked back to Emma to notice she too was now motionless on the floor.
"Let's get them on the tables," Adam said.
Brennan headed over to lift the psionic from the floor and placed her on one of the tables and strapped her into place. He turned to help Jesse do the same with Shalimar and they placed her on the adjacent table and strapped her down as well.
Adam looked over his lab and knew it would take a while before it was running back up at full power once again.
"Jesse, I'm gonna need you to help me fix the power here and the lab as soon as possible," Adam informed.
"Yeah, no problem, Adam," Jesse agreed.
"She's having trouble breathing, Adam," Brennan said as he stood over Emma. He looked back to Shalimar to notice she was having the same difficulties as well.
Adam quickly headed over and hooked Shalimar up to the breathing assistant and monitors. Brennan did the same for Emma and Adam assisted him.
"I want you to watch them," Adam informed. "Jesse, I need your help fixing the power situation. It's draining every minute we leave it at this low a state."
Jesse nodded and the two headed back to the control board to begin working.
Brennan pulled up the computer chair and placed it between Emma and Shalimar so he could sit between them both and keep a close watch over them. He hung his head in his hands and pushed his fingers through his short hair. He couldn't remember the last time he felt so worried and so scared for his friends. He loved them both so much he hated seeing either of them in such pain especially when they'd caused it in each other. It didn't seem like it could be happening. He felt like every second he wasn't thinking of ways to help them he was letting them down somehow.
Brennan stood to his feet hating the thought of sitting around and waiting for something to happen. Jesse and Adam had been running from lab to lab trying to fix the power situation and every second he'd sat there seemed like forever. Brennan looked down at the two women who both lie there unconscious. He gently looked down to Emma as he noticed her eyelids flickering slightly and took her hand, clasping it within his own. He whipped the blood from her hand and pushed a smear off her cheek, realizing there was still much to remove. He could almost feel the pain they were both going through and combined with his own it was quickly becoming too much to take. He turned as Adam quickly headed into the lab.
"We have a problem," Adam said not wasting a moment.
"What?" Brennan did nothing to hide the worried look on his face.
Jesse looked up from the computer behind him and knew what was coming wasn't going to be another bright idea.
"I'm afraid the power situation is more of a problem then I'd anticipated," Adam began, his voice lower and sadder than either of them could ever remember.
"What do you mean?" Brennan asked.
"Emma's in a coma. Her body and her mind aren't doing well. Shalimar's state has since become slightly worse," he continued and paused to take a breath. "They both need to stay hooked up to the respirators and monitors but…"
"But what?" Jesse quickly demanded.
"There's only enough power to run the supports for one of them."
"What are you saying, Adam?" Brennan asked not sure if he even wanted to hear the answer and fearing he might already know what it was.
Adam sighed long and hard and finally brought his gaze back up to meet with Brennan's.
"In order to save one of them we'll have to unhook the other."
Brennan and Jesse felt their hearts sink and break in their chests at the words and stood still, shocked and in silence not knowing what to do or say next.