Disclaimer: I couldn't just put Jesse and Shalimar together. After all, they were friends for a long time and loved each other like brother and sister. And I had to let my shape-shifter find Jesse and meet one of the other Mutants. Brennan in this case. Oh and if you need to compare Brennan to my Mutant: They have the same height but Brennan has like around almost 5o pounds less than he has, ok? I needed him to be stronger than the guys! You'll see later why!

Chapter4: Moody

Jesse has been acting a bit strangely lately, Brennan thought. It wasn't too bad but in a way he seemed to be avoiding Shalimar a little ever since the weekend he had the 'episode' with the cocktails.

The morning after, he had found them deeply embraced in his bed before somehow the pillow fight had started. Everything had seemed ok then.

Adam came home on Sunday and asked all kind of questions. You know him. Always wanting to know the smallest details about what happened in every single minute.

Something happened? Emma had looked at Jesse, he'd looked at Shal and she threw a glance over to Brennan. They had started smiling.

Of course not!

Everyone had obviously completely forgotten about the little dance episode at the pond. Some secrets were better kept well hidden.

The days after, Brennan found Jesse deeply in thought sometimes. He saw him watching Shalimar when she didn't notice it. His face had a weird expression on it that Brennan couldn't really define.

Jesse seemed quite upset when Brennan caught him watching Shalimar. They almost got into a fight about it on Thursday. He yelled so much that the girls came running. Shal tried to calm the situation down with some teasing about guys and their cockiness, putting a hand on Jesse's shoulder.

He pushed her away and stormed out, without even looking her in the eyes. He'd looked on the verge of tears to Brennan.

Shal's looked concerned big eyes up to him.

"I don't know what else I can do! He won't even talk to me anymore."

Her voice was barely a whisper when she continued: "If I only knew, what I'd done to him…"

She knew. Kind of at least or could think about the only reason for his behaviour. What she didn't know was the reason why he wouldn't talk to her about it.

Brennan took her hand for a second, squeezing it tight. He smiled confidently.

"I'll go and find out!"

She couldn't do more than nod, thankful.

~~*~~

 Jesse heard the loud knock on his door but before he could answer, Brennan opened it and stepped into his room.

"I don't want to talk. I am going out…"

The deep voice of his friend filled the whole room, his voice firm, allowing no compromise.

"Ok, I'll come with you. Let's have a guys night out."

Jesse looked at the tall Mutant annoyed. He needed the answer to something but the _expression on Brennan's face stilled all the thoughts in his mind. He just shook his head and shrugged his shoulders. Whatever he said…

~~*~~

An hour later, the two Mutants sat silently at the bar, both with a bottle of beer in front of them. It happened to be exactly the same club and bar, Jesse went to the week before, spending the evening with the Puerto Rican girl. He didn't care.

"So what bit you?"

Brennan took a sip from his bottle.

Jesse blue-grey eyes looked daggers at Brennan but he didn't mind. He got no answer.

"You know, Shalimar is a bit concerned about you."

Jesse just laughed silently, almost angrily. There was still no real answer.

"She was wondering what she'd done to you that you're not even talking to her anymore."

A small sigh and a sip of the drink.

"Nothing!"

His voice sounded raw like he'd been shouting a lot. He kept his eyes down, drawing invisible lines on the table.

"You're acting a bit weird for nothing! Tell me about last Friday!"

Jesse looked up quite shocked and eyed his partner suspiciously. What did he know?

"I don't know anything if that is what your thinking. But I would like to know. Tell me, come on!"

Jesse still felt unsure about what to do. He couldn't stand the brown eyes staring right into his soul, it seemed, so he turned his attention to the table and the bottle of beer again.

He hesitated for a short moment before he started telling Brennan quietly what had happened. About him being drunk. The dance with Shalimar and how he felt with her in his arms. Her, his best friend and sister, all of a sudden a woman he craved for. Jesse talked and talked and Brennan listened.

The dark, haired Mutant wasn't too surprised for he'd seen the way Jesse had watched her the last few days. A smile crept over his face. Why not? Shalimar was a beautiful woman and Jesse knew her best and worst sides. And he had always loved her. The love had just changed into something more, something deeper and warmer in the last few days,. There was nothing bad about it. Jesse just had to figure that out.

The two Mutants were so involved in their conversation that they didn't notice the bartender watching them the whole time. His face had a strange _expression, angry and merciless, yet trying to look unaffected at the same time.

For a split second his whole features changed. His brown hair became blond and the dark eyes changed into blue. The muscular body with broad shoulders became a lean body with a small waist. No one noticed in the flash of bright lights in the club.

The shape-shifter found what he was looking for…

Tbc