Disclaimer—See Chapter One
A/N: Thank you to those staying with me for this story! Thank you Blackpanther, Rain, Mxfan214, hi, Mayra, Saphire Ravven8. Your comments mean so much! Thank you! CatJerica, wow! You summarized all the questions quite well:) I'll do my best to answer them...over time! Thank you! Fiery Feral, welcome back! Thank you so much for all the reviews, I really appreciate it so much! This chapter slows things down a little bit, but just for a little while. I wanted to give them a little downtime before things pick up again. I hope you enjoy it!
Traveling Souls—Chapter Seven
"He cares for you."
Shalimar smiled as her words caused faint pink to stain high across Emma's cheeks. Emma dipped her head, not responding, but Shalimar wouldn't give up quite so easily. She tried again, nudging Emma with her shoulder as they sat side-by-side back in their makeshift camp. "You knew and didn't tell me, huh?" Her teasing grin widened as Emma blushed even further. "Maybe I should go ask Jesse."
"Don't you dare!" Emma frantically grabbed Shalimar's arm, relaxing when she realized the feral was only teasing her. "Not funny." She wrinkled her nose wryly.
"Sorry, I couldn't resist." Shalimar nudged Emma again when she noticed her eyes had drifted to where Jesse was packing up the tents. His muscles bulged slightly as he struggled to cram the nylon material back into the small pocket on the bottom of the backpacks. "So when are you going to talk to him?"
"It's not that easy," Emma sighed, smiling slightly as the material popped back out at Jesse as he tried to close the zipper.
"I hear you there." Shalimar sighed as well, chin propped under her hand as she watched Brennan attempt to help Jesse.
"There's so many things to consider."
"So many risks to weigh."
The girls glanced at each other, brows rising as they spoke simultaneously. "Adam."
They giggled, sighing loudly as they turned their eyes back on the men. Jesse held the bag while Brennan stuffed the resistant material back inside.
"But it could be so good at the same time."
"So good." Shalimar murmured wholeheartedly, grinning evilly as Emma glanced back at her. They chuckled again, laughing outright as once again the tent bested the men's efforts and sprang back out of the tiny pocket, spilling down at their feet.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Shalimar and Emma straightened up at the sound of Adm's voice behind them.
"No, nothing." Emma quickly shook her head.
"Just admiring the view," Shalimar added, lips twitching.
They burst out laughing again.
Adam shook his head, expression pained as he knelt in front of them, effectively cutting off their view of Brennan and Jesse.
"Did you need something?" Shalimar asked, leaning to the left as she peered around him.
"I was just coming to check on Emma." Adam's eyes rolled slightly in amused exasperation at Shalimar's antics before turning toward Emma in concern. "How are you feeling?"
Emma sobered slightly at his words. "Physically, I'm doing ok. I'm sore, and my head is killing me, but I'll be alright."
Adam raised his eyebrows. "I wasn't talking physically."
She fidgeted, dropping her eyes. "I know." Adam had just spent the last thirty minutes bandaging her up. Her ankles were rubbed raw from rope, her ribs were bruised, and she had an aching bump on her head. "I don't know what to say, Adam. I've never experienced anything like that before." She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. "That mutant, he was so cold. I couldn't sense anything from him." She glanced back up, squinting in the afternoon sun that had finally reappeared. "It's like he had no emotion."
Shalimar shuddered slightly in understanding. "I have to agree with Emma, Adam. It was the strangest thing. He wasn't like any other new mutant we've ever seen before."
Adam frowned thoughtfully, nodding after a moment, as if reaching a decision in his mind. "I am just glad that you two are alright." He smiled gently, reaching up and clasping their hands. "What do you say we finish this mission and go home?"
"Sounds good to me."
The three looked up as Alex's deep voice boomed over their heads.
"Hey," Shalimar brightened, reaching her hand toward him. "Any more crazy mutants after you that we should be aware of?"
Alex laughed shortly. "Knowing Eckhart, I wouldn't be surprised."
"Yeah." Shalimar sighed, eyes narrowing. "Let them try."
"You got it," Alex squeezed her shoulder. "There isn't anything we can't handle together."
"Speaking of which," Emma leaned forward to make eye contact, hand pressed against her rib cage. "I never got a chance to say thank you."
"It was nothing." Alex shrugged nonchalantly.
"Yeah it was." Her head tilted curiously, watching him. "I didn't know you were a psionic though. I never sensed it."
Alex smiled cryptically, dimples flashing. "I like to keep people guessing."
"Actually," Adam piped up, interrupting. "I'd like to speak privately with you for a moment." He looked at Alex as the younger man looked over at him in mild surprise.
"Of course." Alex stood smoothly to his feet, hand falling one more time to Shalimar's shoulder in a final squeeze. "I'll see you girls later."
Shalimar stared after them as they walked away. "What do you think that's about?"
"I don't know," Emma murmured, eyes already drifting back toward Jesse and Brennan. "Alex has such high walls up; I can't even begin to read him. And Adam..." She hesitated, glancing at Shalimar. "Adam has been more and more closed off ever since we got back from the Antarctic. He doesn't share things as openly as he used to with me."
"You know Adam and his secrets." Shalimar paused to smile, watching as Brennan and Jesse finally managed to pack the last tent, closing the zipper with a shout of triumph. "I don't think Brennan and I will ever agree on that issue."
Emma arched a brow, straightening nervously as Jesse made eye contact across the clearing and started toward her. "You fight over Adam?"
"We fight over everything." Shalimar grinned. "But you know what they say about making up..."
"Is that your secret?" Amused, Emma grinned back. "I'll have to ask Brennan what he thinks about that."
"You do, and you die." Shalimar hissed, smiling widely as Emma giggled in reply.
"Hey," Jesse called out to them as he approached, Brennan behind him.
"Hey," Emma called back, leaning over to whisper loudly in Shalimar's ear. "Don't worry, he thinks the same."
"Who thinks what?" Brennan's face contorted in confusion as both girls giggled again. His eyes narrowed on the laughing redhead suspiciously. "Emma..."
"I'm not reading you," She threw up her hands in protest. "Besides..." She paused, blinking in surprise when Jesse suddenly grabbed one of her hands and sank down beside her, laughter dying in her throat with a strangled squeak.
"Besides what?" Brennan prompted after a moment, arms crossed in amusement.
"Uh..." Her mind was suddenly blank.
Shalimar took pity on her. "Come on, Brennan." She rose to her feet, Brennan quickly offering her a hand as she winced slightly. "Let's leave these two alone."
Brennan grinned wickedly, but wisely held his tongue as Emma glared red-faced up at him. Jesse just shrugged, fingers tightening around Emma's.
Shalimar bit her lip, suddenly envious of his bravery. "Let's go, Brennan."
He glanced down at her, face showing mild surprise. "You ok, Shal?" He wrapped an arm around her waist as she limped beside him, automatically helping her over the uneven ground.
"I'm fine."
He frowned at her clipped words, feeling the slight tension in her stance as she refused to lean against him for support. For the life of him, he would never understand the feral's mood swings. "Funny thing about Jesse and Emma, huh?" He tried again, frustrated when she only tensed further.
"Yeah, funny." She muttered under her breath.
"Shal?" He stopped, gesturing for her to sit on a fallen log just beyond the clearing. "Talk to me."
She sighed at his look of genuine confusion, moving over slightly as he sank down beside her. "It's nothing, I'm just...thinking."
"About us?"
She glanced over at Brennan, surprised at his frankness. She dropped her eyes, unable to meet his searching ones. "Partly," She admitted, heart suddenly pounding at the direction of their conversation.
He watched her, silently admiring the way the sunlight glinted off her hair, briefly wondering if Alex was also a part of her thoughts. He frowned, pushing the thought aside determinedly. "Turn around."
Startled, she looked back up at his command. "What?"
"Turn around," He gently repeated, nudging her with his shoulder.
She looked at him a moment longer, eyes unreadable before complying, turning her back to him, sucking in a breath when his fingers slowly began kneading the flesh just behind her neck. She immediately stiffened, but he ignored it, straddling the log behind her and pulling her back against his chest. She was rigid, breath coming in shallow puffs, and his heart constricted. Oh Shalimar. She was terrified. He moved slowly, gently, combing his fingers through her hair for long moments. "It's so soft," he finally rasped, marveling at the feel of the cool strands between his fingers. He had dreamed of touching those wild curls for so long, and couldn't believe he had the audacity to do so now. She made no move to stop him, so finally he swept it aside, staring greedily at the exposed curve of her slender neck and shoulder. She stiffened again, as if sensing the direction of his thoughts, and he moved his fingers again, applying gentle pressure in small, reassuring strokes against her neck. He felt her shiver beneath his touch, and he grinned. She wasn't thinking about Alex now. He kept his thumbs working in small, rhythmic circles along the tense muscles, feeling her lean into him. Her back sank against his chest, tensed again, and then tentatively settled against him. He kept up the same motion, pressing and kneading along her neck, down her shoulders and along her clavicles, over and over until she relaxed.
"It's ok, Shal."
His whisper stirred the tiny hairs along the nape of her neck, breath hot against her sensitive skin. She closed her eyes, feeling light-headed.
"Shh, relax, I've got you."
His thumbs ran up the back of her neck and into her hair. Relax? She bit back a groan. Yeah, right. Things had been strained between them lately, long hours saving the world from one catastrophe to the next, misunderstandings built upon more misunderstandings. Never enough time to explain, to understand. Never enough time for…this. She exhaled sharply.
"Good," He murmured again, palms cradling her head and turning it gently to the left and then to the right.
So good. She suddenly had the insane urge to giggle.
The pads of his fingers skimmed down her neck and found her collarbone again, picking up his earlier rhythm for long minutes until she fairly purred, eyes startling open when his hands paused for a moment, closing again when she felt a single finger trail along the length of her collarbone. Her stomach clenched and leapt. Oh god. He could reduce her to a mound of quivering jelly with a single touch. She bit her lip; suddenly it wasn't so funny anymore.
His mouth opened, then closed again, fingers starting back up after a moment, almost glad Shalimar wasn't facing him. If she could see his face, she would know everything. Maybe that would be a good thing after all, he silently mused, then it would finally all be out in the open. He swallowed tightly at the thought. He didn't know if he was ready for such a huge risk. She shivered again beneath his fingers, leaning more fully against him. Too late, he suddenly realized, you're already taking it. He paused, looking down at the woman in his arms. Her eyes had drifted shut again, and he melted at the look of contentment on her face. He couldn't help but grin, resting his arms loosely on either side of her, setting his chin on top of her head. He could feel her pulse quicken, matching his own racing heart, and he forced a slow breath, exhaling deeply.
Neither spoke for long moments, highly aware of the other, afraid to be the first to make the next move.
Say something, say something! Brennan's mind screamed at him, but it was blank. Uhhh… He opened his mouth.
"Don't talk."
His mouth snapped back shut at her whisper. He felt the muscles in her cheek pull into a smile, and he chuckled in chagrin. Two years of flaunting a cocky exterior, and she read him regardless. He was a chicken. A big, fat, vulnerable, chicken. He chuckled again, arms gently circling around her. He had grown up with an innate sense of caution, learning the hard way that trust was a difficult thing to earn, and to bestow. A heart could only be hurt so often.
He was so tentative. Somehow, she found that endearing, knowing he was taking his cues from her. So much for waiting for him to make the first move. She smiled, loving the way his hands hovered just next to hers, not quite touching, but almost. Her own heart was pounding fiercely, and she understood his nervousness, his tentativeness. She felt the same way. Somehow, seeing Jesse had given them both boldness, she finally decided, distractedly wondering how long it would have normally taken for them to get even this far. She was afraid to speak; afraid it would somehow ruin it.
Eventually, his fingers started walking again, tracing an outline around her hands as they rested against her thighs. He ran a single finger along the outside of her index finger, pausing to rub against her polished nail before dipping down into the curvature between her fingers. Back and forth, his finger traced around hers, teasing her with feather soft touches.
"Shal," He finally ventured to whisper. "The others, they'll be coming this way soon."
"Hmm," She murmured in reply, lost in the delicious sensation his fingers were creating as they brushed deliberately against hers.
"I need to know," He hesitated until she finally sat forward, peering back at him over her shoulder. He looked away, staring off into the woods. "If the others…if he saw us now, would it just be another misunderstanding?"
Her brow furrowed, taking a moment to realize what he meant. This morning. Oh. Had it only been that morning they had fought? It seemed like days ago.
He seemed to take her silence for uncertainty. "I don't want to fight, Shal, but I need to know. I asked you before, and I'll ask you again. Who is he to you?"
Who is Alex? She sighed heavily, searching for words. "He's not you."
His brows shot up. Okay. He looked down at her in askance, but she had already turned back around. "I'm not sure how I'm supposed to take that, Shal."
She shifted uneasily, quiet for long moments. "Neither am I," She finally admitted.
He huffed in frustration, fingers starting to move again, but there was a distance this time.
She could sense without turning around the pain registered on his face. He's not you. No one else was. It was as simple as that. She didn't know how to explain it. Instead, she did what they did best; she ignored it. If they didn't talk about it, it didn't exist.
Where are you at, Shal? Brennan pulled away slightly, hands falling back on her shoulders in distracted circles, staring off into the woods.
I'm here Brennan, I'm right here. She swallowed, mouth suddenly bitter. Voices drifted towards them, the sound of the rest of their group as they headed towards them, and she sat upright. His hands dropped, and as she twisted back on the log, their eyes met. There, in his eyes, behind the water and fear, was a naked sort of love that made her heart bleed. She froze.
He broke contact first, looking away, his whisper harsh. "It goes both ways, Shalimar."
She grimaced, eyes closing in pain. Her own words, thrown back in her face. He was right. She opened her eyes, but he was already gone.
"Hey, Shal, there you are!" Alex's voice called to her merrily just as he appeared through the trees. Adam was beside him, Emma and Jesse bringing up the rear. Alex held out her pack as he approached. Slowly, she stood to her feet, suddenly weary.
"You ok?" Alex held out her pack, helping her shoulder it onto her back.
She forced a smile. "Yeah."
He mistook her weariness. "Don't worry, we're almost there." His arms wrapped around her from behind, offering support and encouragement. She couldn't help but smile in gratitude; he had always been such a source of strength and comfort to her.
"Where's Brennan?" Jesse looked around, holding out the Elemental's pack.
"Here." Brennan suddenly reappeared, arms crossed as he leaned against a tree.
Shalimar recognized it as a defensive position, guilt coursing through her as she pulled out of Alex's arms.
Brennan's eyes were narrowed, watching her. She held her breath as he stared, surprised when he glanced over at Adam and then purposefully relaxed his stance.
"Alright, good." Adam's voice called them all back. "I know we're all tired, but it's already late afternoon. So unless we want to spend another night out here, I suggest we move."
Adam started forward, Brennan falling into line behind him after accepting his pack from Jesse. He looked back over his shoulder, meeting Shalimar's eyes one more time before heaving the pack onto his shoulders, walking away.
Shalimar remained standing, stomach twisting, reconsidering the appraisal she had seen in Brennan's gaze. It was nothing she had not seen before. It was something they all struggled with, something seen in so many of the new mutants they had dealt with over the years.
Tell me why I should trust you.
That was the thing she saw in all their eyes. It did not matter their exact situation or background. Every single one oozed a combination of wounded soul and defensiveness. She recognized both the challenge and the threat.
She had just not expected to see it in Brennan.
Or herself.
It was a silent, bedraggled group that finally arrived at the abandoned facility, almost missing it because of cloudy mists that hovered around the entrance. They staggered through the rusted doors with relief, looking around uneasily as they hesitated in the doorway. Brennan shuffled his feet, startled as puffs of mist seem to follow him as he stepped away from the door, tendrils of smoke wrapping around his legs. Adam was the last one in, closing the metal door with a resounding clang. The fog slowly dissipated, and they disappeared unknowingly down the dank hallway.
From outside, it rose from the ground, gathering back across the entrance, smoky mists that closed them off.
