Teenage rebel

Part one

By

Louise Driscoll

Disclaimer – I own none of the mutant x Characters used in this story.

Shalimar sat at the back of the double helix trying to take in what had happened in the last few minutes how had the mission gone so wrong, so quickly. She could the voices of her two team-mates as they spoke to Adam explaining the situation then she stared down at the third member of her team, her family the one that was causing them so much concern.

It had all been going so well they had found the new mutant they were sent to collect and were leaving the safe house when Emma had stopped whispering a name that Shalimar had only been able to catch due to her feral hearing Joseph.

Then a man had appeared inside the safe house near Shalimar, his eyes had been fixated on Emma who had finally came around just in time to push Shalimar out the way as the man had grabbed her. Brennen had responded with an electrical blast that had passed straight through the new mutant who still had a hold of Emma. As quickly as he had arrived, he was gone and Shalimar couldn't even say how he was gone. Her focus had been on catching Emma who had fainted as soon as the connection had been broken between them.

Shalimar looked up as Brennen approached them looking concerned. His eyes asked the question that he was afraid to ask. Shalimar smiled at him shaking her head "No change that must be a good sign right. You know Em she'll wake up in a few hours and get on our cases about worrying about her."

Brennen knelt down brushing the hair from Emma's forehead "Your right but I don't care kiddo. I'm going to keep on fussing over you." Brennen kissed Emma's forehead "we're at sanctuary Jess has taken the new mutant in and Adam wants to see Emma."

Shalimar allowed Brennen to take Emma from her arms and carry her to the med bay where he settled her on the Medical bay bed.

The next hour passed slowly for the members of mutant X who stood watching from the observation room as Adam worked on their friend. Finally, Adam exited the lab approaching his children. "Emma is still unconsciousness but I found the mutant responsible for the attack on Emma. His name is Joseph Williams."

Shalimar glared every instinct screaming for her need to hurt the man who had hurt her friend. "Why would he hurt Emma and what's he done to her."

Adam sat down unsure how much of Emma's past he should tell. "His reversed her aging by my calculations Emma is sixteen again."

Brennen stared at Adam asking the question on his mind "So what he turned her into a teenager again. Why would he do that to a stranger Adam?"

Shalimar shook her head at Brennen as she turned to Adam "Emma knew him she said his name before he entered the house. Adam what aren't you telling us?"

Adam stood up looking down on the woman he had come to regard as his daughter apologising to her for the secrets he was about to reveal. Adam turned back towards his other children and told them what he was hiding "His Emma's husband, she was fifteen when she first meet him. He got Emma involved in a lot of trouble."

Brennen shrugged that man was not going to have any thing to do with Emma while he was around. "So what he wants her back well his got a surprise coming to him."

Adam touched a screen on the computer bringing up the photos he had seen for the first time when Emma had told him about her pastwith Joseph. Photos that had made him want to be sick, Emma had seen the shock on his face and her response had been to offer him comfort. Something that still made Adam uncomfortable it should have been the other way around because Emma was the one who had been hurt when she was just a child.

Jesse was the first one to recover from his shock as he stared at his friend's battered body. Jess whispered out his question as Shalimar growled at the sight of her friend, "He did that to Emma."

Adam nodded revealing the last piece of news that he knew Emma had never told them "She was seven months pregnant when he turned on her because she wouldn't help him anymore. The baby died in the womb before Emma got to the hospital because he refused to get her medical attention. Emma barely survived the attack."

Shalimar growled again as she smashed her hand into the window beside her making Brennen jump. "So he wants her back that's not going to happen Adam even if I have to tie her to that bed." Shalimar left the room stalking to the dojo to work off some of her energy before she decided on her next move.

Brennen spoke for the first time since he had seen the photos. "I'll go calm Shalimar down before she decides to go on a seek and destroy mission. Let me know when she wakes up Adam, I want, I needto talk to her."

Adam nodded as he watched Brennen follow Shalimar out the room. Then he turned to the last member of his team the one whose quiet was worrying him. "Jesse are you okay."

Jesse stood up heading to the door. "I need to think I'll be back later."

Later that night Brennen had finally tired Shalimar out enough to get her to sit down and talk to him about what they had found out. Brennen handed Shalimar a bottle of water "Are you okay?"

Shalimar nodded as she stood up pacing the floor. "I'm fine why didn't she tell us Bren I thought we were friends and she hides something like this from us."

Brennen watched Shalimar pace wondering who she was mad at. "We are friends but we all have a past that we hide. She lost her child Shalimar, the baby she felt grow inside I can't even image how painful that must be."

Shalimar stood still her attention caught by a noise which stopped as soon as it started "I know but -."

Shalimar suddenly darted into the shadow of the hallway catching holding of someone in the dark. "And just where do you think your going."

Shalimar came back into the light of the sitting area with a firm hold on Emma's sleeve and collar giving the teenage a shake as she entered the room.

Emma glared up at the blonde woman, as she was lead into the room. She'd been sure she could get out of this place sneaking past the old man had been no problem then the blonde woman had seemed to hear her breathing. "Get your hands off me I don't know who the hell you are but if you don't let me go I'll make you sorry."

Shalimar looked at Brennen sharing a smile as they listened to young Emma rant. Shalimar looked to the door as Adam entered the room a worried look on his face. "Adam did you lose something."

Emma tried to pull away from Shalimar who only let go when she realised Emma intended to sit down opposite Brennen. Emma sat down refusing to make eye contact with any adults in the room.

Adam watched Emma then smiled at Shalimar remembering another teenage girl who had entered his life in an unusual way. "She reminds me of someone."

Shalimar looked away remembering her first few months with Adam before Jesse arrived. Shalimar cleared her throat changing the subject. "Emma wants to know who we are before she makes us sorry."

Adam looked at Emma "we're friends and you are meant to be resting but you seem fit enough to be up. So Shal why don't you show Emma to her room?"

Shalimar nodded holding her hand out to Emma who shook her head at the gesture"I'm not staying here. I'm going home to Joseph."

Shalimar glared down at Emma with a look of warning. "No your not now get up or I'll carry you. Those are your two choices Emma."

Emma stood up and Shalimar gestured Emma to walk in front of her as she guided Emma to her room. Emma entered her room looking around her.

Shalimar "I'm next door if you need anything, I'll hear you." Shalimar watched to ensure Emma got the message that she would hear her if she tried to leave her room during the night.

Emma lay on her bed listening to the adults talking in the main room planning her way out of this new foster home she had been placed in listening as the shower came on in the room next to her.

Emma got up leaving the room and making her way silently down the hallway into the main room where she grabbed a set of car keys from the rack of keys. Emma entered the garage pressing the alarm on the keys until a car's alarm went off. Emma made her way out of sanctuary heading back to her home.

Shalimar stepped out of the shower getting ready for bed but before she tried to sleep, she decided to check on her friend. Shalimar entered Emma's room and found the room empty. Cursing the teenager, Shalimar activated her ring "Adam, Brennen Emma's gone. I will kick her ass when I get my hands on her."

Tbc