An: Wanna say a huge thank you to "over it" with the very nice reviews and appreciation of my writing. It means a lot…

And I'm so sorry it's been such a long time since I've posted, but you all know the adorable friend writers block…So I hope I'm forgiven. And I hope this doesn't suck. Tell me if it does and I'll have to work harder to try and make it better...

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Shalimar walked into the lab and sat down next to Adam with a sigh.

"How is she?"

"She's tired and sleeping. But she's starting to get at least some of the powers under control. A few more days and it should be fine."

"Good."

"I don't think we should expect anything of her too soon though. She's still struggling with all of this."

"So she has talked to you? What did she say?"

"I think that's between Emma and me. She'll talk to you when she's ready Adam."

"You have to understand that this can be dangerous for her and therefore I need to know as much as possible-" He looked up and saw Shalimar breathing rapidly as if she was scared.

"Are you okay?"

"I have to go," Shalimar managed to gasp out before she ran.

She ran to Emma's room and walked in, hurrying over to the psionic who was lying in her bed breathing rapidly too. Shalimar could feel how scared Emma was, it was surging through her own body, her every fibre and she had to sit down on the bed to not fall.

"Emma, Emma." She said as firmly as she could manage. "Emma, you have to wake up. It's not real."

The psionic woke with a strong yank, gasping.

Quickly Shalimar embraced the younger woman and started whispering soothing words in her ear. "Shh, calm down. It's okay, none of it is real anymore. You're safe Em, I won't let them hurt you. I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. You're safe. It's gonna be okay. It was just a nightmare, it's over now."

Emma calmed down and pulled back to look into the ferals eyes. When Shalimar saw the fear in Emma's eyes, all she wanted to do was hug her and comfort her and make sure she was safe. She wanted to soothe her and caress her and kiss her…Kiss her? Shalimar looked away, ashamed. How could she be thinking about that in the state Emma was in? What was wrong with her?

She didn't see the half smile that formed on the other woman's lips.

The feral was brought out of her own debate when she felt a hand taking a firm grip around her chin, forcing her head to turn back and then felt a pair of lips pressed firmly, but not forcefully, against her own.

"What was that for?" the feral asked when they pulled apart.

"I was getting tired of you discussing me with yourself."

"What?" Shalimar said confused.

"I was getting tired of you being confused and never make any move."

Shalimar just looked at her dumb folded before trying to pull herself together.

"So not used to you being like this," she said, still processing everything.

"I guess it was the feral in me," Emma shot back with a gleam in her eye, her nightmare long gone from her mind.

"What, you knew and you didn't even give me a hint?"

"I think I gave you many. You've had plenty of opportunities, but you were a coward."

"I'm not a coward."

"Yes, you are."

"Well, only with you because I like you so much."

Emma smiled warmly at her before her face turned serious.

"Stay with me?"

"Of course," Shalimar replied as she got under the covers with Emma and snuggled against her.

Emma smiled before closing her eyes and relaxing.

Not long after she fell asleep, followed by a very happy feral.

-----

"Okay, I found some old magazines that we can burn up so start heating this place," Shalimar said with a playful smile, making Emma laugh.

Shalimar walked over to the iron table in the middle of the room and laid a few magazines there before stepping away.

"Okay, I want you to set fire on it and then put out the flame. Think you can do that?"

"I'll just have to try," Emma replied before focusing on the items in front of her.

After almost a minute without anything happening, she sighed and Shalimar laughed at the red head who was clearly frustrated.

Moving behind Emma, the blonde removed the younger woman's hair from her neck and slowly stared planting light kisses there.

Instantly Emma leaned into the touch as she sighed again, but this time out of delight and not frustration.

"I'm never gonna learn this if you keep doing that."

"Of course you are. I'm just making you relax. Just try again."

Emma pointed her hands in the magazine's direction and tried not to focus too much on the now more forceful kisses the feral was planting on her neck, but failed miserably.

Closing her eyes, the red head moaned and Shalimar smirked to herself. When Emma opened her eyes again, her eyes widened and she tried to pull away from the older woman's grasp.

Shalimar looked up from her assault on Emma's neck and smiled when she saw one of the magazines burning.

"See, it's not that bad. Now try to put it out."

"I can't, I don't know how to choose what I'm gonna do." Emma said with a slight hint of panic in her voice.

"Just focus on the ability you want to use. It's just the same as with the bottles, just a different power."

Two hours later both Emma and Shalimar admitted the red head's thermal powers would need a lot of work. Emma had started to get control over the fire part, but she had only managed to put the flame out once.

Emma let out a tired sigh as she laid herself down on the floor with a pout.

Shalimar sat sown next to her with a sly smile.

"What?" Emma asked suspiciously.

"I think you need a break." The feral replied smugly before crawling on top of the red head.

Emma giggled as Shalimar leant down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead and nose, and then her lips.

"I think that's an excellent idea," Emma said before pulling the blonde down again. This time the kiss wasn't soft. It was hungry as the two women wanted to taste the other properly.

---

"Jesse could you check the cameras in the safe house Shalimar and Emma are practising in?" Adam said over the com-link.

"Why, is something wrong?"

"No, I just want you to see if they're really working."

"And what else would they do?" Jesse asked confused as he started typing on the computer.

"I don't know, I just have a feeling about them."

Jesse was about to reply when the camera's came up on the screen and he froze.

"Did you check it?" Adam asked impatiently.

Jesse looked at the two women making out on the floor.

"Jesse?"

He tore his eyes away from the screen. "Um, yeah, everything is fine Adam."

"Are they training?"

"Yep, definitely training something," he said dazed.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, nothing. They're practising on Emma's different abilities."

"Okay. Can you inform them that I want them home in an hour?"

"I'll make sure they know," Jesse said, taking one last look at the two women who were still making out before closing the window with a smile.

-----

Jesse was sitting inside the Double Helix wondering if he should call the two women on their com-links or go and meet them. He decided to see what the women were doing first and ordered the camera's over the safe house. When he looked at them he saw that the girls were cuddled together and kissing occasionally. He really didn't want to interrupt their moment, but Adam said he wanted them home in an hour and it was barely fifteen minutes left. Sighing, she walked out of the Helix and over to the entrance. Not bothering to knock, he simply phased himself through. He couldn't say that he didn't want to catch the two in the act. After all he was a man.

When Shalimar noticed him standing right inside the door, she quickly got up away from the red head.

"Jesse, hi." She said surprised.

"I came to get you guys. Adam wants you home in ten minutes and I didn't want to interrupt that quality time you two shared."

"You were watching us?" Shalimar said shocked.

"No, no," Jesse said quickly. "Adam asked me to check on you two because he suspects something is up and I just saw you for a second."

"What did you tell him?" Emma asked.

"That you were practising," the molecular replied with a smirk.

Shalimar walked over to him and hit him on the arm.

"What was that for?" Jesse whined as he rubbed his arm.

"You're such a perv."

"I am not. I was totally defending you guys. Would it be better if Adam saw it?"

By now Emma had joined Jesse.

"What, are you gonna hit me too?"

Emma just smiled amused before leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you for not selling us out."

"I'm just happy for you two," the molecular answered with a bright smile.

"Let's go," Shalimar said as the two others followed.

-----

"What's up?" Shalimar asked as she, Jesse and Emma walked into the lab where Adam and Brennan already were.

"I've been contacted by a new mutant that says he has information about Eckhart," Adam answered.

"And you want us to get him?" Emma asked.

"I want Shalimar and Brennan to go and Jesse to wait in the Helix and make sure everything goes fine."

"What about me?" Emma said confused.

"You should stay here."

"But I can help."

"I think it's too early Emma." Adam said seriously. "And I want to talk to you in private so this is a good opportunity."

"But-" Emma started, but was silenced by a stern look from the older man.

Shalimar gave Emma a hug before everyone left Adam and a pouting Emma.

"Let's go to the lab," Adam said to the red head when the others had taken off.

"What do you wanna talk about?" Emma asked innocently when they got there, but knew it all too well.

"First I want to know what you remember from being held captive by Eckhart."

"Not much. I was being drugged almost all the time."

"So you don't have any idea of where they held you?"

"Well, if I did, I would have told you so we could stop them wouldn't I?" the red head said with irritation clear in her voice.

"Okay." Adam said as he picked up on her obvious discomfort.

"The other thing I want to talk to you about is Shalimar."

"What about her?"

"She's obviously very protective of you."

"And your point?"

"Is there something going on between the two of you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean, are you guys involved?"

"Still not following you," Emma said innocently. "Look, if you're worried about Shalimar you should just talk to her instead of me."

"I've tried, but she only gets angry."

"And what do you want me to do? Tell her to stop caring about me and not be happy that someone everyone tried to convince her was dead is still alive?"

"No, but I want you to keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't let her concern for you get in the way of what needs to be done."

"You know as well as I do that none of us can tell her what to do and not do."

Adam sighed.

"It's just not healthy and I think the guys feel left out because she's always spending all her time with you."

"Adam, Shalimar was really close to me and she thought I was dead. Of course she wants to be with me. I know the way she feels better than anyone and you know just as well as I do that even though she pretends to be tough, she's very sensitive."

"But still-"

"She's had a very hard time after my supposedly death and this is her way of dealing with it. Cut her some slack," Emma replied angrily, her eyes flashing.

"Relax Emma, "Adam said calmly.

"Sorry. All these powers just have me a little wound up," the red head replied apologetically.

"It's fine. How is your training working out?" the older man asked to get their conversation over to a less sensitive subject.

"It's going good. I still have some problems with my thermal powers, but the others are fine."

"Good. I want to run some tests on you while you're here, to check if anything is off with you."

"Okay, "Emma replied reluctantly.

-----

Emma bolted out of the chair she was sitting on and Adam sighed.

"Emma, you need to sit still or else this scan won't work."

"Shal and Brennan are being attacked," Emma said quickly."

"What?"

"I need to get to them," she said as she started to make her way out of the lab, but was spun back around by Adam.

"Even if they are, there's nothing you can do. Let's see if they contact us."

"Are you out of your mind?" The red head said in disbelief. "Something can happen to them and you tell me to stay put?"

"You can't do anything. And if you can sense they're being attacked I'm sure you can sense if any of them gets hurt."

Emma stared at him furiously as her eyes flashed again.

"Adam," Jesse called over his com-link, making the older man look away from his little staring contest with the red head.

"Yes Jesse, is everything okay?"

"It was a set up, but we managed to get out of there."

"Good, are you on your way back?"

"Yep, we'll be there in five."

Adam turned around only to find an empty lab. He sighed as he got a thoughtful look on his face.