Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or its characters. Evie is mine.

Note: I can't thank you enough for all the reviews. You are all so kind. Bohemianbabe, you're great. I love to read your reviews. They make me smile. I'm glad the emotion is coming through. Mxfan214, Would I change the timeline? You never know….Loveconquers, what can I say. I read and reread your stories and try to better my work. Your request and ideas are always welcomed. As you supposed, this story is a little too soon to get into Shalimar's pregnancy. That will show in the next, but I will keep your idea for that scene in mind. You know I have to make them cry. What would my stories be without tears? Brigitta1, I'm glad I have a Jesse and Kitty fan aboard. I am actually finding them very easy to write. I'm glad it's working for you. Wait till we get to Jesse and Shalimar… Xfan, hold on to your seat because it's only just begun. Thank you all and please keep the reviews coming. If you know other readers who have not yet caught my story please tell them I'm back. There are a few I haven't seen yet. I love the scene ideas and will strive to use whatever I get. If I can't for some reason, I will try to explain. Keep the requests coming. Thank you, Thank you, Thank you…. Redhead2

Imaginary Friend

Chapter 3

Shalimar sat in front of the computer and placed her call. Soon Jean was smiling back. "Hi. I thought I had better call with an update."

"Thank you. We're all pretty worried around here. Hank moved so fast after Brennan's call that all we saw was a large blue blur. How is she?"

"Sedated right now. Adam had to put her on hold until Hank could get here. I'm not sure that what she's experiencing is something they planned for or not but I am sure that together they can handle it. It was really scary. We watched Kitty phase and Bryan mass. She disappeared and there he was. We were all pretty shocked."

"Was Evie able to get in and suppress her powers?"

"Yeah. Adam thinks she'll sleep comfortably until Hank arrives. Another reason I called was to talk to Jubilee. I figured she'd be a little hard to handle without any information."

Jean chuckled. "Are you sure you aren't a little psionic? The minute Hank reported Brennan's call, she started. When she realized there was a situation she went straight to the hangar and boarded the Blackbird. By the time Hank got there, preflight was done."

Shalimar smiled at the picture painted for her until a thought struck. "She's not flying him over, is she?"

"No," Jean assured. "Logan and Ro weren't about to let that happen. Scott was going to, but Logan insisted he be the one to go." With a Cheshire grin she added, "He had to be the one to hold his kitten's hand."

That made Shalimar smile The wolverine…he's such a big teddy bear.> "And Bobby?"

"When he realized Jube intended to fly, he followed her out and stalled her long enough for the others to get on board."

"Good. I'll let everyone here know. Brennan has the bay ready for the Blackbird's approach signal. Thanks, Jean. Tell the professor I'll keep you updated."

"Right. We'll all be there when you give us the word. If you need anything in the meantime, let us know."

Jubes paced the deck as Hank spoke to Adam. Her nerves only allowed her to actually hear every other word. The more she heard the more she paced and worried. Soon she was sparking.

The lights on the control panel began to flicker. Ro looked at Logan from the co-pilot's seat and shook her head in concern.

"Hey, Bob," Logan called back from the cockpit. "Sit on her, will ya? If she keeps that up, she'll short circuit the bird and we'll be in more trouble than Kitty."

Bobby stood and as Jubes turned for another pass and blocked her way. Ignoring the sparks around him, he trapped her in his arms and forced her still. "Jubes, you have to stop. You're interfering with the controls."

She looked up in shock at his statement. "What?...The controls?...But…"

"Come on. Sit down." He led her to her seat and fastened her belts.

"I'm so worried. What's happening to her?" She sat wringing her hands in front of her.

"I don't know but we'll be there soon and then we'll find out."

Looking back over her shoulder at the doctor, deep in his conversation, she whispered, "He seems really worried."

"Of course he's worried. We all are, but I'm sure that he'll make sure she gets through whatever it is." Bobby smiled as she put her head on his shoulder.

At the expected time the Blackbird triggered the controls of the hangar and was allowed to enter and land. By the time Hank and the others arrived in the med lab, Adam had everything prepared. "We have to start now. Her vitals are starting to climb again. The sedative is almost completely dissipated and I don't dare give her more."

Jubilee was by Kitty's head, absently smoothing down her hair as she watched her friend in frantic concern. Logan and Ro were by the door being filled in by Brennan and Shalimar as Bobby stood with apprehension behind Jesse.

"She's fully dilated," Evie reported, "and the contractions are starting again."

"The sedative must be…," Adam began but stopped when Kitty let out a groan.

Everyone reacted. Jubilee lifted her hand in shock as if she thought her touch was hurting Kitty. Jesse picked up Kitty's hand and held it between his own until he felt it dissolve. "Adam?" he cried.

Before anyone could move, it happened again. Most of Kitty was gone and Bryan was visible with a few of his mother's internal organs. As fast as he appeared, he was gone and Kitty was back. She was groaning louder and squirming under the pain. "Everyone out!" Hank ordered as Adam and Evie began the work they decided was to be the best course of action.

Logan and Ro were out the door but Jubilee was rooted to her place. Jesse moved closer instead of away. When Hank turned back, he saw Bobby trying, in vain, to coerce Jubilee. "Jubilation Lee!" Hank boomed. "Leave, now!"

Shocked by his voice, she looked into his eyes. That was enough to move her. She silently let Bobby lead her out of the lab.

Brennan and Shalimar moved to Jesse's side. He too, ignored them and resisted the order. "Jess, come on…" Brennan entreated. "We have to let them work." Brennan's hands slipped off solid rock when he pulled on arms that had suddenly massed.

"I'm not leaving her," he whispered.

Evie moved to his side and turned him to face her. "Listen to me," she commanded gently. "Jesse, I know this isn't how you wanted to go through delivery but you have to let us work. We'll take care of her. As soon as it's safe I'll let you know and you can be in here." She reached in his mind and curtailed his fear and determined resistance.

Without further argument he let Brennan and Shalimar steer him out. As soon as he cleared the lab door and it closed he turned and stood against it trying to watch everything. His mind was going numb as all he could see was his beautiful Kitty twisting in pain. He felt lost and barely noticed Brennan dutifully standing by his side.

The others went to wait in the rec room as Shalimar and Ro went to the kitchen to fix everyone food and drink. There was no telling how long they had to wait.

While outside the lab, time seemed to move in slow motion, inside, time seemed to be constantly at war with the doctors who were desperately working to deliver a healthy child and mother to an expectant and horror-stricken father. Hank worked with all agility to keep Kitty's DNA stable and all her organs functioning. The baby's consistent mutating threatened to damage every organ he came in contact with. He was grateful for the time spent the last few months checking mother and child and trying to anticipate all possible scenarios. This one was not exactly predicted but having the warning of difficulty gave him the advantage.

Adam had to rewrite his own book on molecular mutation. Until now mutation of any kind; both natural mutation and gestational genetically altered mutation, didn't manifest itself until pre-puberty at the earliest. The challenge that now faced our geneticist was the imminent need to keep the child's mutations from engaging. As guessed from the beginning, Bryan was reacting to having his world disturbed. The constant contractions were frightening to him and his mutations activated as a natural instinctive defense. As a result now, the child's heart rate was elevated. The doctors had detected this after the very first painful attack 4 months ago at the mansion. Adam knew he would have to deal with controlling it. He had been working on a plan to subdue the child, pre-delivery to eliminate the stress on Bryan's small heart. He had a serum ready for just this time.

Evie spent her time pre-delivery taking refresher obstetrics. She worked with Jean and Hank and was quick to remember the things she was taught so long ago. Now her job, though basic for delivery, was made more difficult by all the other factors in play. "Hank, she's been fully dilated and should have begun delivery long ago."

"I know. Her body keeps trying but the child seems insistent on remaining where he is. I can't risk a sedative in her system. With the phasing and massing going on, there's no way to tell where it will end up. We could end up stopping her heart or flooding her liver with more than it can handle."

"Evie," Adam began as he walked toward her with his eyes carefully checking the amount on a specialized syringe. "Administer this. It should sedate the baby long enough to allow for delivery." He handed her the instrument and waited with scanner in hand to monitor the results. The wait wasn't long before the results were registering but they weren't the results he expected. His brow knit as he tried to determine what was happening. "No!" Quickly checking the monitor and pressing commands didn't relieve his concern.

"Adam, what is it?" Evie turned to check her own monitors set to track the delivery process.

"The serum,…it's not strong enough. His system is pushing it aside."

"Can you administer a stronger dose?" Evie stood and moved to Adam's side as he checked and rechecked his readouts.

"Hank, was there any indication that the shot affected Kitty?" Adam needed the confirmation.

"None. It seems contained to the child's body. Except for the danger of organ separation, Kitty is stable. Her mutation seems only to engage when the pain is extreme. She's doing very well, considering the circumstances."

"Can we C section?" Evie asked.

"I don't suggest we put any more anesthesia in Kitty's body right now. Her heart won't take more strain." Hank rechecked his monitor, then looked up in concern. "It is likely that any sedative would react in her system and cause the child to react in protest. Should he mass during the delivery, we could very well take out an organ along with child."

"No, we have to get Bryan to stop massing. It's the only way. Unfortunately, more of the serum will stop his heart." Adam looked at Hank then turned to Evie. After only a moment's more consideration he sighed, "There's no other way." Turning toward the door, he knew, would only make Jesse worry more, but turn, he did and waited.

Evie moved to the controls to unlock the door but before she could Jesse phased through and was half way to Kitty.

Brennan followed as soon as the door opened and met Adam's eyes. He saw something in them. It wasn't sorrow, which was a relief at the moment. These men had been together a long time and in many situations, where having to read looks was a matter of life or death for one of them. This time it was for someone else. Brennan saw concentration more than anything else. Adam was still working…thinking. Hope wasn't gone. Then he saw Adam's brow knit once more and read…a question.

Shalimar and Logan both turned when they heard the lock release. Conversation stopped as everyone looked at each other in concern. "No crying," Shalimar whispered then ran from the room with everyone else right behind her.

TBC

Stay with me…there's more…lots more…