Disclaimer: Duh!
All right this chapter is kind of long. (20 pages)
This is a rewrite; it was brought to my attention that I made a few major errors. Thank you Josh and Mel for pointing those out. Please reread it, cause the changes were major! Not sure you'll be allowed to review again, but if you can please do, cause I am sure I lost the ones I got before, lol. Thanks in advance!
Thanks for the reviews! I really appreciate them. In addition, would like to take the time again thanks to those few people who took me up on my offer to write a chapter. They have all been posted!
Mel: Happy 16th Birthday. Here's your present! Lol, worked on it all night, just for you
Josh: buy some patience girl! Thanks for the tag team e-mail last night. You made me laugh, a lot! Moreover, thank you so much for the brainstorming the other night. The scene between Jesse and Mel, as far as I am concerned, only came to be cause of you! Thanks!
Dasi: kind of, like you said in your review, you seem to be the only one confused lol. Email me, I'll try to explain it though.
A/N: The first meeting I mention between Shal and Lexa, happened in my fic Wolf Crossing (Which I am going to rewrite some time in the next year.)
Chapter 32: Clues Revealed
You could have cut the tension with a knife, inside Haven. The two days since the death of Skylar and disappearance of Rosalie and Dax had been a trial in patience. It was like there was a bomb inside Haven, and it was ticking down, and would detonate any minute.
The first two days were easy; they went through life as if nothing had happened. Then it slowly began to unravel the team. It slowly began to choke the very life out of them. However, the worst part of all, was that it now threatened to tear the team apart.
In addition to that, Emma was feeling it all. She had been spared the full brunt of emotions while Skylar and Dasi were there. However, both were now gone. She was back to feeling it all, and the emotional pain was killing her. In addition, for some reason her feelings were stronger than ever.
Mike was starting to worry about her. She had been acting weird the last few days since her ordeal at the warehouse. She was having nightmares every night.
The nightmares she was having had been getting worse. She couldn't tell anyone, especially Mike what she was seeing in her nightmares. She couldn't bare to think about it for long either. She was seeing herself die…
Same dream every night, with very little changes. She had thought of asking Josh about it, but was afraid of the answer. However, it was impossible that she could be seeing a premonition, cause she had never had one before. She was Psionic, not Precog, but maybe she was seeing what Josh was seeing, and that scared her even more.
'Am I going to die?'
Shal walked into the kitchen and walked toward the fridge. She hadn't left her bedroom in days except for breakfast that morning. She opened the refrigerator door and removed the bottle of skim milk and walking over to the cabinet got her out a glass. She filled it up with milk and then popped it in the microwave for a minute. She placed the milk back in the fridge.
As she waited for milk to finish warming, she let her mind reflect back on the last few days. Her friend Rosalie was missing, maybe even dead. Brennan and Mari were confirmed dead. A kid she barely knew, Dax was missing along with Rosalie. All she could think was why she couldn't have died instead.
It wasn't because she thought she couldn't go on without Brennan. She had already started letting him go, to prepare herself for when he came back. Cause she knew he would be with Mari, not her.
She knew that she would be fine without him. The death of everything she held near and dear was bothering her the most.
Ever since she joined Mutant X with Jesse, back when they were angry teenagers, she had a sense that she was fighting the good fight. She was giving more than she was receiving in those fights. However, ever since this war started, she had nothing but lose. She lost Brennan, Rosalie, and young people who should have never died.
She was tired of it all. She just wanted the pain to stop, and she was about to do something about it. She heard the microwave timer go off, but instead of getting her warm milk, she walked over to Jesse' computer, and picked up the note pad besides it.
She sat down and wrote Jesse a short note:
Jesse,
By the time you find this, I'll be gone. Please understand. I can't fight anymore; it's not in me. I love you Jess and where I am going; there will be no more pain.
Love,
Shal
Mel was sitting on the couch watching a DVD with Sabrina when Shal passed by, "Hey Shal! You want to join us?"
"No thanks, not in the mood."
"Shal?"
"Yea Mel."
"I'm sorry about Brennan and Rosalie."
"Are you?" asked Shal angrily. Everything she had been holding in for days just snapped.
"Of course, why would you ask me that?"
"Cause you could have saved Rosalie! Brennan was dead before you got there, so I can't blame you for that. But you could have frozen time to allow each and every member enough time to get out of that castle!"
"You don't think I've thought of that?" yelled Melodie.
"Then why didn't you?"
"Cause Jesse freaked me out!" yelled Mel. "Back at the warehouse, you know the day before our last mission."
"Yeah."
"Well I wanted to freeze time then, but he wouldn't let me. Therefore, I was afraid to, on this last mission. I can't explain it!"
"Well here's an idea, blame it on Jesse, after all, he wasn't there!"
"Shal, please you have to understand," pleaded Mel. "I've known Jesse for so long, and him stopping me the other day, played a trick on my senses. I…"
"You know what? Just shut up!" yelled Shal.
"Stop fighting!" yelled Sabrina. "You guys are friends, are you?"
"I thought we were," said Shal.
"I still think we are," said Mel sadly.
"Look, you girls have been through a lot, it would be a shame to throw it away."
"What do you know about us?" asked Shal.
"Mel has told me everything about Mutant X. She's been real nice, everyone has," smiled Sabrina. "I really appreciate you people rescuing me, I mean I know I wasn't the target, but..."
"Your right, you weren't the target, but I'm glad we were able to rescue you," said Shal. "I miss my friends that died, but I don't blame you."
"Thanks, but I blame myself."
"Why?"
"Cause if your teammates hadn't stop to help me, they might have all gotten out."
"You don't know that," said Shal.
"Your right I don't, but I still feel guilty."
"Shal, I'm sorry I let you down," said Mel with tears forming in her eyes. "I wish with all my heart that I was as strong as you. I would give my own life right now to make things right."
"Mel, I'm.."
"No, I heard you. Moreover, you're right. I shouldn't be on the team. I'll pack my stuff and leave Mutant X tonight." With that said, Mel left the living room.
"Didn't mean to hurt her," said Shal. "What have I done?"
"Maybe she needs to calm down," said Sabrina. "I'll go check on her, make sure she doesn't leave."
"No, let her leave, may be the only way for her to stay alive."
"Are you sure?"
Yeah I'm sure. Hey, do you know if Lexa is in the dojo?"
"Yeah, why?"
"Cause I need to say something to her before I go."
"Go where?"
"Out!"
Lexa was kicking at the GSA holograms, but what she was really doing was kicking her demons. She was lost in thought when she felt a hard kick to her back that send her flying into the wall in front of her. At first, she thought she had taken her attention off the program, but then she turned to see Shal standing over her, "Shal?"
"Yeah it's me!" she said with her eyes flashing into feral mode.
"What are you doing?"
"Getting even!" she crossed the short distance between her and Lexa and picked up Lexa by her throat. She lifted the molecular into the air. "Remember the first day we met, when you flashed your little light show at me, and took off with Mike?"
"Sh.. Let.. Go!" said Lexa breathlessly.
"And then I got captured by Ashlocke…."
"Sh…"
"Well, then I found out that you betrayed your Mutant X team. Therefore, I figured out that it was you Lexa. It was you, who betrayed us this time as well. I trusted you, Jesse trusted you. I've lost everything! Now it's your turn to lose."
Lexa started turning blue and she was kicking wildly, trying to kick the Feral. She felt the room spinning, and before she knew it, she was losing consciousness.
"Shal stop!" she heard a man yell.
"Max, go away!"
"Don't do it, she's not worth it!"
Lexa heard the words from Max, and they killed her. She actually wanted to die now; Max hated her!
"Leave me alone!"
"Shal, I know you're mad and hurt, I am too! But if you kill her, and your right about her being the traitor. Then we'll never find out who was behind it with her! We'll never know who killed our loved ones."
Shal glanced at the wolf feral, "I just want the pain to stop," she said dropping Lexa to the floor. Lexa laid on the floor a coughed, gasping for air. Without looking toward Max, Shal left the dojo.
Max walked over to the collapsed molecular, "You all right?"
"Yeah, thanks for saving me."
"Your welcome, but if she's right and you're the traitor. You'll wish she had killed you," he said turning and walking out of the dojo.
Max looked around and tried to get a scent of where Shal went, but lost it where the stairs to the roof began, 'She needs to be alone right now. Give her time, then I can talk to her about working together on our common goal.'
2 hours later…
Lexa walked into the situation room to find Max sitting in front of the computer, reviewing the first video Shal got for the millionth time. He had been glued to it for the last two days. "You're going to wear it out," she said grinning.
"No I won't, I made copies," he sneered at her. They had been fighting ever since Dax was killed on the mission. He was angry beyond words, but some how he managed to stay civil in public.
"Have you figured out the clue yet?"
"No, but there is something there I can't put my finger on."
"What's that?"
"Well one, I don't know what Mari and Brennan are looking at here, before the kiss."
"Looks to me, like he's looking at Mari." she said.
"Yeah, but wait, let me rewind," he said pushing a few buttons on the computer.
"Ok here, just before he looks at her, and most of the time they are talking, they are staring at something, but what?"
"Can you zoom in on their eyes, maybe get a reflection?"
"Good idea, if I had gotten any sleep last night, it would have been my idea," he said pushing a few buttons on the keyboard of his computer. As they both watched the screen zoom in on Brennan's right eye, what they saw, almost made them both shutter.
"Is that a TV?" asked Lexa, already knowing the answer.
"Duh, and on the screen, I think you recognize some of those people."
"Yeah, it's us." she said, "Inside Haven."
"Yeah, we have cameras inside Haven sending our secrets out. No wonder they knew we were coming on all those missions, including the first."
"Oh no, where's the Creator?"
"With Adam, in the lab, I think, why?"
"Cause if they knew we were coming on the first mission, they knew we were coming on the second."
As the realization hit both of them, they took off running for the lab, only to find Adam lying on the floor in a pool of blood. "You check him, I will find Sam," said Max as he shifted his eyes into Feral-mode.
Lexa knelt down to feel for a pulse, and found one, but it was faint. She talked into her com-ring. "Emma, I need you in the lab for a minute." she had to keep her voice calm, cause she knew whoever put the cameras up was a traitor amongst them, and she could only hope it wasn't Emma.
As Emma walked into the room, she was hit with wild emotions that almost knocked her down, then she saw Adam lying on the floor in a pool of blood. "Adam!" she said as she ran to his side, "Lexa, what happened?"
"Can you read me?" asked Lexa.
"What? Yea, why?"
"Do it. Don't ask why, just do it!" said Lexa, knowing the only way for the enemy not to know what as being said, was to make it impossible for them to hear it.
Emma opened up, and reached out to Lexa, "Lexa what happened?"
"It was Sam, there are cameras inside Haven, they knew we were coming."
"Too bad we don't know who it was that put the cameras up."
"Wait Mel said she caught Dasi putting up one, but we thought she made it up. Now we know she wasn't lying. Too bad we let Dasi go."
"We can find her later, right now we need to help Adam."
"Yea, can you help me with him?"
"Yea, help me get him on the lab table, and go get Mike for me, where's Max, he studied in med. school for awhile, I could use his help."
"He did? I didn't know that."
"Yeah, he helped me and Adam patched you up, after your accident."
"I will go get Mike, but Max is looking for Sam, I'll get Lulu and Gage up, they can take over for him. Then I'll send him to you."
"All right, Thanks." she said as they both finally got Adam on the table.
"Lexa?"
"Yea."
"Hurry."
"Lulu and Rosalie, come here please," said Lexa into her com-ring, as she walked hurriedly down the hallway toward Mike's room.
Lulu spoke back, "Lexa? Did you bump your head or did you forget Rosalie's dead!"
"Oh, sorry, yeah I forgot, ok wake up Gage and you girls find Sam for me."
"All right," said Lulu, in away that told Lexa she was moving. "What's going on?"
"Adam has been hurt pretty bad, and Sam is nowhere to be found."
"Is Adam All right?"
"Emma is with him right now, I am on my way to get Mike, but they could use Max's help."
"We will find him, and Sam."
"Thanks."
"Mike I need you in the lab," said Lexa as she opened the door to the room he shared with Emma.
"What for, is something up?"
"Yeah, Adam was hurt pretty bad."
"Dad!" said Mike as he rushed past Lexa heading toward the lab.
5 minutes later...
Lexa turned back to look through the glass of the lab, where Mike and Emma were busy working on Adam. She heard footsteps running towards her, and assuming it was Max, turned toward the sound. However, what she saw was Sam running straight at her.
"Lexa look out!" screamed Melodie who was coming down the hallway. Everything around Lexa felt like it was going in slow motion, the very ground she was standing on shifted under her.
Melodie looked around her; she had frozen time in order to prevent Lexa from being hurt. She had to do something cause the very minute she released him, Sam would continue on his way toward Lexa. Then it donned on her, she went around the corner to the lab, and she was shocked to see a frozen Emma and Mike working on Adam.
She secretly wondered why she didn't second-guess herself again. She had frozen time without a second thought, maybe Shal was right, and maybe she was more of a danger than a help to the team
She reached inside the medicine cabinet to take out the tranquilizer. Weeks before she had watched, Mari put drops of into the GX-81, and place inside the bracelets. The very bracelets that they as a team decided not to use. She walked over and picked up the dart gun, she picked up a dart needle and filled it with the tranquilizer. She prayed she didn't use too much.
She walked back into the hallway, and unfroze time, immediately releasing the dart, and striking Sam in the neck, he grabbed his neck and fell to his knees. He fell flat on his face.
Lexa let out a breath that she didn't realize she had been holding. "Melodie?"
"Hey, sorry I froze time, I have no idea what is going on, I just came to get some water."
"Thank God for water," she grinned. She said into her com-ring "Max, we have Sam, get to the lab, Emma needs your help!"
"I am on my way."
"Have you seen Lulu or Gage yet?"
"Yeah, they are coming at me now."
"Ok, tell them we have Sam."
"Will do, be there in a minute."
Jesse came into the living room and saw Mel sitting on the couch. He thought he saw her wipe a tear away. He thought about leaving the room, but he wanted to be there for her, "Mel?"
"Yeah?"
"You need some company?"
"Yeah, would save me a trip too."
"Trip?"
"Yeah, I was just going to come tell you…I'm leaving Mutant X."
"Your what?" Jesse couldn't believe his ears. He had just gotten her back in his life, now she was leaving.
"I am not cut out for this. I got Rosalie and Dax killed!"
"No you didn't."
"Yeah I did, and it's your fault. I am no good to anyone…."
"Wait how is it my fault?"
"Cause when I'm around you, I.. No wait, let me ask you something."
"Shoot."
"Alright, you remember when we were in the warehouse, after Dasi kidnapped me?"
"Yeah."
"I told you I could freeze time, and you said no. Why wouldn't you let me freeze time?"
"I don't want to get into a fight with you."
"No fight, I promise, just tell me."
"Remember when you were 17 years old, and your powers failed?"
"Yeah, I remember."
"Then you remember the injury I sustained."
"Yeah, you had a concussion and you were in a coma for 3 weeks…"
"Now you get it?"
"Yeah, you didn't trust me."
"Mel no."
"Yeah, but I understand. I mean I did hurt you once, but it was by accident."
"Yeah I know, but I guess I still remember it too well."
"I will never gain your trust back will I?"
"Mel…"
"That day….
Flash
'Jesse I am not skiing anymore!'
'Come on, quit being a baby.'
'Not a baby, I am just tired of skiing on my nose and butt!' laughed Melodie.
'Then quit landing on them.'
All of a sudden, a loud crunching sound was heard behind him, and they both turned toward the sound. To their horror, they saw an avalanche heading straight for them.
'Jesse!'
'Freeze time hurry!'
However, for some reason her powers had failed that day. For reasons, she never understood she was unable to freeze time.
The wave of ice enveloped her and Jesse and threw them down the mountain. He had held her so tight during the fall that his body had shielded her from harm. Nevertheless, they were lucky they lived through it, but he had been in a coma for 3 weeks.
Flash
"Mel!"
"Oh sorry. As I was saying, that day was horrible. I have never made a mistake like that since."
"I know you haven't, please forgive me, Mel."
"I do, but I will never forgive myself. I'm leaving Jesse."
She stood up and hugged him, then backing away; she walked to where she had her bags packed. She picked them up, and without looking back, walked out of the door.
Jesse walked into the situation room stunned. He had sat on the couch for 15 minutes trying to figure out how to get Mel to come back. He finally had a way, but he needed to know where she was. He went to the situation room to find her com-ring signal.
However, he stopped dead in his tracks when he saw Sabrina at the computer, "What are you doing?"
"Oh hey, Jesse right?"
"Yeah, now back to my question, what are you doing?"
"Playing games online. Have you ever played the game Cubis on MSN?"
"Yeah, play it all the time, you play?"
"Yeah, love that game."
"Me too."
"Am I in your way?"
"No, just wanted to track Mel, find out where she went."
"She told me you would try that."
"What do you mean?"
Sabrina pointed to the gold com-ring on the counter by Jesse' computer.
Jesse' heart just about burst. He loved her more than anything else in his life, and now she was gone for good.
"Oh and Shal left you this," said Sabrina handed him a small note.
"Where's everyone else?"
"Not sure, saw them running around awhile ago, not sure why though."
"Oh," said Jesse as he sat down and read the note. It didn't make any sense to him, "What does she mean she's leaving? She always told me that only death would make her leave Mutant X."
"Well her boyfriend died," said Sabrina.
"No it wasn't that, she told me it was…" the realization hitting him. He turned to the COM system to see where Shal was. The minute he saw she was on the roof, he knew he was right. "She told me it would take her dying, for her to leave Mutant X."
He took off running for the roof, praying with everything in him that he wasn't too late.
Jesse ran through the rooftop door of Haven, "Shal!"
All that answered him was silence. He ran to the edge of the roof and looked down at the sea below. The waves crashed violently back and forth against the cliff walls the formed Haven. The rocks below would ensure death for anyone who fell down onto them. "Shal please no. Tell me you didn't do it…"
"Jesse."
Jesse turned and saw Shal sitting on the edge of the wall looking down, "Shalimar, what are you doing?"
"Not what you think," she smiled up at him. "But you screaming almost scared me off this wall here."
"Sorry, was afraid you… what was the meaning of that note?"
"Well when I wrote it, I had every intention of killing myself."
"And what happened to change that?"
"Jesse, I'm a lot of things, but I'm no coward."
"Then, will you get over here on the other side of that wall," said Jesse.
"Sure," she said picking her legs up close to her and turning around, planting her feet down. "What's going on with you?"
"Melodie left."
"Oh no, Jesse I'm so sorry, it's my fault."
"Your fault?"
"Yeah, I kind of yelled at her."
"You what?"
"I'm sorry I was mad about Brennan, and I yelled at her."
"Shal, how could you? I love her!"
"You do? Jesse are you sure?"
"Yes!"
"Then go after her."
"I can't, she left her com-ring behind. Thanks a bunch Shal."
"Jesse, I'm sorry."
"So am I, it isn't your fault, it's mine. I should have married her years ago when I had the chance."
2 Hours Later...
Emma came out of the lab, "All right we stopped the bleeding, he should be all right."
"That's good," said Lulu. "How did this happen?"
"I don't know for sure, apparently Sam attacked Adam," said Lexa. Only her and Emma knew she was lying. They had no idea whom to trust. "Where is Sam?"
"Oh, he's strapped to his bed." said Gage. "I got help from Lulu, and if I say so myself, we did a pretty good job."
"Why would Sam attack Adam?" asked Lulu. "Doesn't he need Adam to finish his life's work?"
"Yeah, but look we won't know what happened until Adam woke up." said Lexa. "So let's all just wait till then all right?"
"What's going on?" asked Shal as she came down the hallway, followed by Jesse.
"Sam attacked Adam," answered Emma.
"What? Is Adam all right?" asked Sabrina as she entered the room.
"Yeah, he's fine." answered Emma.
They all turned at the sound of someone coming down the metal stairs at a run; it was Josh. "What happened?"
"Josh? How did you…? Oh yeah I forgot you're a precog. Sam attacked Adam," said Lexa, again hating that she was lying, and was wondering why she was trying to lie to an empath.
"Is he all right, Adam I mean?" she knew Lexa was lying, but knew or hoped that Lexa had a reason for it. I hope she isn't lying to me cause she doesn't trust me, but then again she barely knows me, why would she trust me?
"Yeah, he will be fine. Did you have a premonition?"
"Yeah, I saw Adam getting attacked. But I didn't see Sam doing it."
"Who did you see?" asked Jesse.
"I saw someone I didn't know. I saw…." She paused. She couldn't tell them what she saw; she didn't trust them all. She had to tell them something though, "I saw someone who was able to change their density, and shift their appearance into something else." It was half the truth.
"Did you see their face?"
"Wouldn't matter if I did, I could have seen one of their many faces."
"True, so how is Zack and Zane?"
"Yeah how are they?" asked Gage coming down the hall. Lexa and everyone else cleared out of the hallway to move into the living room, and left Gage and Josh alone.
"Oh hey Gage, they were fine. I didn't know Zane had a sense of humor though." she smiled.
"Yeah, he doesn't show it often, you must have made a real impression on him, if he let you see that side of him," she said in just a way to let on that she was jealous.
Not wanting to fight with Gage about Zane, she quickly said, "No I really doubt it. I think he was just trying to cover for Zack being a pain."
"Yeah, he is becoming quite the pain since the accident." agreed Gage. "I am going back to the hospital, thank you so much for going and giving me a break."
"No problem, glad to be of help. I'll be happy to do it again sometime."
"Really? Is it so you can hang out with Zane some more?"
"What? No!"
"You do realize he's mine right?" asked Gage.
"Yeah, and I would never go after him. I just want to be his friend, nothing more. I want to be your friend too."
"I have plenty of friends," she scowled. "Wait, I'm sorry, I wish I didn't get so possessive over him. Can you forgive me?"
"Sure."
"It's just he's the best thing that has ever happened in my life, and it scares me to death, the thought of losing him."
"I understand. Although I have never been in love like that."
"You haven't?"
"No, just haven't found the right guy yet."
"You will, maybe even Zack." she laughed with Josh. "He really is sweet, but rough around the edges. He needs a woman to soften him up."
"Yeah, you can say that for sure."
"Hey, is the offer for being friends still open?"
"Yeah."
"Good, maybe when I get home from the hospital tomorrow, we can hang out."
"Sounds great."
"Cool, well I better get going, before it gets too dark."
"Ok drive safely. Say hi to the guys for me."
"Will do," she says as she heads out the doorway leading to the garage.
Melodie walked back in Haven, and ran up the stairs to the floor where her room used to be. She ran straight into Jesse!
"Mel, thank God you came back, I have to talk to you."
"Jesse, please don't. I just came back for a photo album I left by accident."
"I want to tell you I lov.."
Just then, her cell phone went off, "Sorry, let me get this," she said flipping her phone open, and pressing a button. "Hello? Oh hey…what? Oh no, what hospital is he in? Is he all right? Alright I'll be there in 15 minutes."
"Mel is everything alright?" asked Jesse as soon as she flipped the phone closed. He had heard her end of the conversation.
"Don't have time to talk, have to get to the hospital."
Jesse looked into her eyes; he had never seen so much fear in them before. "What's wrong?"
"Alex fell!" she blurted out. She wasn't thinking or caring what she said.
Tears starting falling down her face, Jesse tried to pull her closer to him, but she pushed him away, "Jesse, please get out of my way!"
"I'll drive!" he offered.
"Fine, let's go!"
At the hospital….
Jesse pulled his jeep up in front of the hospital and let Mel out. He watched her go into the hospital, then drove his jeep around and parked it. Mel had told him he could leave, but he couldn't leave her alone like this.
He walked through the entrance of the hospital, and looked around for Mel. He didn't see her anywhere, so he decided to sit down for awhile. If she weren't back in 15 minutes, he would search for her.
Mel walked to the nurses' station, "Excuse me, can you tell me where Alex Burleson is?"
"Let me check… he's in trauma room 3. Family members only can go back there…."
"I'm his mother!"
"Good enough, I'll show you back."
"Can you tell me how he is?"
"He has quite a few broken bones from what I understand."
"How many?"
"Let's see, his arm, both wrist, and two ribs."
"Oh no, my poor baby."
"The doctor is concerned about some other fractures he has, healed ones."
"He has been getting hurt a lot lately. I know you must be thinking I beat him or something, but I don't…I couldn't!"
"Your mom explained to us that your son is a climber. My son is the same way," smiled the nurse.
"Thanks for understanding."
"Mel!"
"Mom!" exclaimed Mel as a woman about the age of 35 came toward her.
"I am so sorry, I didn't mean to let this happen again."
"I know, I don't blame you."
"But I do! He's my life Mel, you should have been there!" accused her mother.
"Your right, I should have been, but I had to help…"
"I know, Jesse right? Haven't you given up on that boy yet?"
"Yes, I have!"
"Yeah right."
"Mom! Enough, I need to be here for him, Alex needs me."
"Yeah, he needs you! Not me anymore! You have to come home Mel!"
"Mom! I can't yet, need to find a new place, lost my apartment when I left town. However, I am coming home with you when he gets released. Then I'll get busy finding our new apartment, just me and Alex, like always."
"Two weeks Mel! That's it!"
"Gee thanks mom."
A doctor clearing his throat, "Ladies," cut the argument short?
"How is he?"
"He will be fine, I've put a cast on where I can. He needs to stay overnight."
"OK, can I stay with him?"
"Yes of course. But only one of you."
"Mom?"
"Go ahead, I'm going home, need to take my pills."
"Thanks mom."
"Your welcome dear."
Jesse got up and walked down the hall toward the nurses' station. "Excuse me?"
"Yes sir?"
"Would you by any chance no where I can find Melodie Burleson? She's here visiting someone."
"Oh yes, I know her, she comes here a lot with Alex."
"Really?"
"Yeah, that little boy gets into so much trouble."
"Mel never told me she had a little brother."
"Well," paused the nurse nervously, "They're in Trauma Room 3, all the way down this hall to the right."
"Thanks."
Jesse knocked gently on the door and Mel looked up. The look on her face was one similar to a deer in the headlights.
She stood up and opened the glass sliding door, "Hey you stayed?"
"Yeah, thought you might need some company."
"Thanks, but I think I can handle it."
"How is he?"
"Good, at least until the pain medication wears off."
"What happened?"
"He fell out of a tree," said Mel. It was the truth. Well actually, it was half the truth. Alex had actually phased while in a tree.
"Ouch! Kind of have some experience with that myself."
"Yeah, anyway I'm going to stay the night with him, so you can go ahead and go back home."
"You sure, cause I don't mind staying with you and your little brother."
"I'm sure," she smiled.
'I can't take the chance of Alex calling me mommy in front of you.'
"All right, call me tomorrow, and I'll come pick you up."
"My mom is coming to take us home tomorrow, I told you before, I'm not coming back to Haven. You can tell Emma to mail the photo album to me."
"But," then seeing her mind was made up, said, "Sleep tight then."
"Yeah, same to you, Jess."
Jesse turned to leave and headed for the exit. At the last minute, he turned to see Mel return to sit by Alex's bed. He watched as the little guy opened his eyes, but what he heard next was a shock:
"Mommy!"
'Mommy? He's her son?
No wonder she doesn't want to be with me.
There is another man in her life.
Alex's dad!
I've really lost her!'
I will get to work on next chapter, All right? Though it will at least a week before I post again, cause I need a break before I burn out. 8 chapters in a week, I need life support!
Take care, everyone, and please review!