Chapter 4

Aralyn squeezed Nat's hand tightly. She had tears welling up but had to push them back when Emma came up behind her.

"Did Jess find Adam yet?" Aralyn managed to ask. Emma shook her head.

"No but he won't give up 'till he does," she said, "has he done anything in the past ten minutes?" It was Aralyn's turn to shake her head.

"Uh-uh. Nothing, just lay there sleeping."

"Well, I did all I can so we'll see what happens from there," Emma assured her. She wrapped an arm around her and Aralyn snuggled closer to her, as a child would to a mother.

"Hey guys I think I may have found where Adam may be." Jesse's voice rang all over Sanctuary.

Shalimar, who had been comforting Cecile, sighed a deep sigh. They had come to the conclusion that there was no point in putting Cecile on the dojo, since she was just acting out of love for her nephew.

Brennan who was training in the dojo turned it off quickly and went to go see Jesse. Aralyn and Emma had beat him to him however.

"Looks like the girls won," Emma cheered.

"Yeah yeah," Brennan smirked, "we weren't doing a race were we?"

"I dunno," Emma shrugged, "I guess it seemed fitting at the time."

"Well just you wait 'till we have a real race," Brennan grinned. Jesse cleared his throat loudly and they were quiet.

"Now Adam was sighted at the beach not far from here," Jesse reported, "about a half an hour ago."

"Well, where'd he go after that?" Emma wondered.

"I have no idea," Jesse said, "but you never know. This information turned up, so maybe more will."

"And maybe we'll just have to wait until he comes back," Brennan added. Aralyn remained silent and absorbed it all in. Then an idea came to her. Maybe they could still find him.

"Emma could try to find him," she suggested.

"That's a good idea," Emma said.

"Yeah," Jesse agreed, "good thinking there Aralyn."

"Oh good you're going to find him then," Shalimar said from behind them. She smiled sweetly and put her hands behind her back.

"I thought you were supposed to be with Cecile," Jesse assumed.

"She...she uh needed some rest," Shalimar smiled, "so I let her be. But I'll go check on her. Ta ta."

"Oookay," Brennan said, "she's in a good mood suddenly."

"No kidding," Jesse said, "oh well. Come on Em try it and see if it works."

Emma closed her eyes and stood there for a second. A couple minutes went by before she opened them.

"I found him," she said, her tone not to happy.

"Okay where?" Aralyn asked eagerly.

"See the thing is....." Emma trailed off, looking anxious.

"Come on Em, tell us," Aralyn pleaded. The two young men looked eager too.

"Okay," Emma sighed, "I found him at Genomex, and he didn't go there by force."

Everyone stared at her, completely shocked. But they were going to be even more shocked.

"Adam, well isn't this a surprise," Eckhart said, "what is it that you want?"

"I need to come back here and work for a bit," Adam said, trying hard to turn around and leave right there and then.

"Is that so." Eckhart was intrigued to know more. "And why should I let you back here? Just answer me that."

Adam knew it was going to come to that simple question. Why was he there really? Was he there to protect his team? Or was he there to protect his son? But from who? He had sworn to all new mutants that he would protect them from Ekchart and the GSA. Was it it be to protect Nat from himself? That questio was so simple yet so difficult.

"That is a question that I can not answer," he decided.

Really? The famous Adam Kane at a loss for words?" Eckhart whistled, "what makes you think I even want you back?"

"I don't," Adam admitted, "but no harm in trying."

"Well I can let you come and work here for a price," Eckhart continued, "you tell me where Sanctuary is hidden and I'll see if I decide to let you back."

That's just great. Was Adam really that desperate to get back with the GSA? Was he willing to give up Sanctuary and Mutant X for his way? Did he really want to put Nat and the rest in jepordy? Again there was a whole ton of questions that Adam could not answer.

"I can't do it," Adam shook his head.

"No? Well I would have thought so," Eckhart said, sounding disappointed. He looked disappointed too.

"I'm sorry Eckhart," Adam said, "I just can't give up the very team I created....and...and my son. I can't possibly give up my only son."

"I understand Adam," Eckhart said, "but do you honestly think Iwould let you slip away from my grasp when I have you right here at Genomex? I think not."

Two GSA agents came up from behind Adam.

"Show Mister Kane where he will be working from now on," Eckhart ordered. The two men nodded and escorted Adam out of the office.

"Now I can finally find out where those mutants have been hiding out," Eckhart grinned.

Aralyn wiped Nat pale face and kissed his forehead. He had taken the gunshot pretty close to his heart, but fortuneatly it didn't hit it. If it had hit Aralyn, Emma told her, it would've hit her heart.

Emma. Emma was trying so hard to calm down, she had helped Nat as much as she could, and she was the first to find out where Adam went. She was pretty shaken up and was ordered by the cheerful Shalimar to stay at Sanctuary and take it easy. Now she was sleeping, leaving Aralyn to tend to Nat. Which was fine with Aralyn. The only thing was, was that neither her nor Emma had seen Cecile since Shalimar had taken her to sit down and relax. That worried Aralyn much. But Shalimar had she was fine and wouldn't create a problem.

"Oh Nat," she whispered, "Brennan, Jesse and Shal are going after your dad okay? Just don't die please. Don't die."

Tears streamed freely down her cheeks as she said this and she closed her eyes. And prayed. Nat had lost so much blood, despite Emma's treatment. When he spuirmed, Emma kept him quiet with a psionic blast. Now he had settled down, but Aralyn was still worried. What will happen if they couldn't get Adam back? Would Nat die? She did not want to think about that at all. So she put her head on his chest and said four words.

"I love you Nat."

End of Chapter 4

Heh I was kind of listening to a sad slow song when I was writing the ending so that's why it's kinda cheesy and sad. Oh well hope you enjoyed it!!