Emma's eyes were closed and covered with residue from the collision as Shalimar lifted her from the wreckage carrying her down to the ground to lie her flat on her back. Jesse joined the feral at the psionic's side as she lifted Emma's chin preparing her for mouth-to-mouth recitation. Before she could begin the life saving treatment a sudden cough from the red head informed them she was in fact alright. Smiles covered both their faces as Shalimar cradles the psionic's head in her lap unable to remember a time she'd been more grateful or relieved. She couldn't imagine losing the woman in her arm. Even after everything that had happened today she couldn't imagine not loving the woman for the rest of her life after everything they'd been through.
"Emma," Shalimar called in hopes of getting the groggy woman's attention.
Blue eyes opened to meet with Shalimar's relief filled golden gems staring down at her. Gentle feral skin stroked her cheek slowly slightly comforting her agitated and achy body. She sat herself up with the assistance of the feral who rubbed her back as she coughed.
"Are you ok?" Shalimar asked almost briefly forgetting about Lara in favor of Emma's well being.
"I think so. I was in so much pain. What happened?" she asked looking at the Helix which was emitting smoke on the ground.
"You lost control of the Helix," Shalimar informed.
"I think I can fix it," Jesse informed easing some of the tension the women were both feeling. "But the important thing is you're ok." He smiled, touching her shoulder before heading over to the fallen craft to see what needed fixing to get it back up and running.
Emma stood up slowly with the feral bracing her weight as she was slightly wobbly and readjusting her eyes after the blur that had overcome her. Turning to Shalimar she smiled as she realized what a sight for sore eyes meant with the beautiful woman smiling back at her.
"Thanks," Emma expressed her gratitude as she brushed off her clothes and followed the feral to a large rock by the crash site. Sitting herself down she looked at their surroundings noticing they seemed to be in the small clearing of a heavily forested area.
"Emma, Shalimar, you alright?" Adam's voice came through the feral's comlink.
"Yeah, Adam, we're fine," Shalimar replied looking to Emma covered with dirt on her back. "A little dirty but ok." She smiled reaching around the psionic's back to whip her shirt down brushing it to the ground below.
"Great. There's something I want to talk to you both about but right now I need to talk to Jesse about getting the Helix up and running."
"Well, we're not goin' anywhere," she insisted looking around them.
"Good."
Shalimar smiled turning back to Emma as they were alone again.
"I'm sorry I ran off, Shal," the psionic offered.
Shalimar would have much rather not talked about their problems but since the psionic brought it up she couldn't help feeling herself getting annoyed once more with thoughts of how she just abandoned the team like that.
"I just wanted to help Brennan."
The mention of the elemental's name didn't seem to offer any comfort to the feral who just stared blankly at the ground ahead. As upset as she was she couldn't dismiss a familiar urge which was beginning to stir in her belly. She took a deep breath disguised as a sigh as she took in the sweet scent of the woman beside her. Could she really live the rest of her life without waking up to that every morning? Without holding her warm body close every night the feel of silky skin holding tightly onto her own all through the night? She couldn't answer it for herself and she knew it.
Shalimar's head turned up slightly to imply she wasn't sure if she really wanted to look at the red head or not. Emma's eyes froze on the feral's as golden gems pierced through her own blue gems. She could feel the feral reaching out to her with her heart and mind but not her body as it was still begging for permission to make the bold move.
Unsure of how she felt, Emma remained still as the feral's lips moved ever so slowly closer to her own closing in on her like the feral predator she was. She was always the predator but when she looked into the psionic's eyes she was the prey, falling victim to the lure of the woman the siren's song turning to psionic's song.
Soft lips followed by a moist tongue grazed their way across the psionic's unsure of whether or not to enter. It was like two armies at a stand still neither willing to make the first move for fear of the other. Before Emma could decide for herself what she wanted the lips that had so delicately brushed hers a second ago were removed and property of solely Shalimar once again. Emma didn't know what to think or how to explain to herself why she was so disappointed the feral had pulled away. It was like a blind had been temporarily removed from her eyes only to be pulled back over them at the feral's departure.
Shalimar sat motionless and silent avoiding eye contact with the woman. Memories were flooding back to her like a waterfall pouring into a small stream and she was sure the psionic was feeling the same way but remained too afraid to ask.
Emma sighed knowing she'd better get everything off her chest now as she might not get another chance and even if she did the feral might not allow her to have it.
"Shalimar, I know you don't wanna talk about this but I need to know you're ok with me and Brennan. I can tell you're not and I just wanna be able to be friends with you," she offered hoping to smooth things over.
Shalimar sat still at the words wondering herself why she didn't just get up and leave in an effort to avoid the unwanted conversation topic. How could Emma expect her to just be ok with her sudden change of heart and for one of her friends no less? Not that she still loved Emma the same way. Did she? She loved Lara, she told herself. Then why was it that when she was gazing down at the psionic all she wanted to do was cuddle up beside her? Before she could answer her own question she was once again interrupted by the psionic.
"Look, if it's any consolation to you I didn't plan this with Brennan," Emma insisted. "It just happened."
Shalimar felt herself strangely growing colder at the words of the psionic, her insides feeling like they were packed in ice, the temperature dropping every second.
"Well, if it's any consolation to you it's no consolation to me."
Emma sighed not knowing what she could say and simply offering a classic and heartfelt "I'm sorry," hoping the feral would accept it without challenge.
A moment of silence engulfed them as Shalimar questioned if she could accept the apology from the psionic.
"Yeah, me too," she finally responded although her tone was clear as to imply she too was sorry for what Emma had done and not for what she herself had done. Pushing herself off the rock she headed over to the Helix to check on Jesse's progress.
"How's it comin', Jess?" she asked stepping her way onto the broken aircraft.
"Good," he answered sliding himself out from the repair tunnel. "It's not too bad actually. We should have her up in about ten minutes max."
Shalimar smiled as some good news finally fell on her ears. Shuffling her way over she sat in her usual chair trying to let herself relax for a change.
"Shalimar," Adam's voice called through her comlink and she sighed in the amazement he never missed a cue.
"Yeah, Adam?" she asked remembering he wanted to talk about something.
"Shalimar, I want you to listen very closely. I already explained this to Jesse and now I'm going to tell you. I ran the tests and I'm afraid you, Emma, Lara, and Brennan have all be altered into new behaviors by these psionics."
"What?" She wasn't sure yet if she should celebrate or worry and sat straight up anxious for more of an explanation.
"Well like I said Brennan's been giving a steroid that's clearly thrown his body out of whack. Emma has also been given a similar mind steroid to alter-"
"What do you mean mind steroid, Adam?"
"Well, I assume from a psi blast. She's suffered from the same alterations as you have. It affects both your brain waves and chemicals and while it's only slightly in mutants it seems to be accelerated. It's harder for you to control."
"So how is it affecting us?"
"Higher than normal levels of impulsiveness and irrationality. That would explain the way you've both been acting. I think these people did want to stop your wedding and infected Emma and Brennan looking to cause trouble and it worked. You and Lara were probably just insurance or a back up plan."
Shalimar remained quiet for a moment trying to let the huge amount of information sink into her already exhausted brain.
"Shalimar?"
"So you're saying we're not thinking for ourselves?"
"No you are thinking for yourselves but your thought processes are being greatly influenced by the infection. Your sudden impulses and desires are taking over sans your rationality. I want you to come back to Sanctuary as soon as you get the Helix up so we can fix it."
"Yeah," she agreed jumping from her seat and heading outside to inform Emma. She wondered if she should tell the psionic what she'd just heard. She knew she might not believe her and might not return to Sanctuary as it is let alone if she knew what Adam had said.
"Emma," she called as she scanned the rock where the psionic had been sitting before she left. "Emma?" she looked around the open surroundings but turning up empty before allowing her feral eyes to search the grounds. "Emma!" she called louder listening for any sounds in the nearby forest.
Lifting her comlink she called for the psionic once again, "Emma, can you hear me? Emma?" Worry beginning to befall her she rushed back into the Helix.
"Jesse, Emma's gone," she informed in a slight panic.
"Gone?" he echoed unable to believe the news.
Shalimar rushed to the main screen to track the psionic's comlink noticing she was already far away and getting farther by the second. By the distance and speed she was traveling Shalimar realized she must be in a plane of some kind though she hadn't heard one land nor take off or even seen one in the sky when she was outside.
"How much longer 'til you get the Helix running?" she asked keeping an eye on the screen as Emma moved farther away from them.
"Couple minutes, Shal," he confirmed as he continued working as fast as he could.
Shalimar braced her hands on the sides of the screen, her eyes locked onEmma as she was once again taken away from herwhile she stood helplessly watching it happen.