"What's goin' on?" Brennan asked striding into the lab to find Adam and Jesse already hard at work. "You guys ever take a holiday?"
"Adam thinks Sanctuary's security might have been compromised last night," Jesse informed too focused to be bothered and look at the elemental.
"There's a security breach?" Lexa asked following the dark haired man into the room and feeling comfortable with making her way to stand behind Jesse's shoulder and observe him.
Brennan walked over to get a look at what the molecular was up to and squinted at the screen.
"It's not a security breach I'm just a little concerned with this unknown transmission frequency leaving Sanctuary," Adam corrected.
"Where do you think it could've come from?" Brennan asked.
"We don't know yet," Jesse regretfully informed in a sigh.
"Well, if you ask me it doesn't take a genius," Lexa said putting in her two cents not caring no one had asked for it. "Emma DeLauro or whoever she is has got my vote."
Jesse cocked his head a little wanting to turn around fully and give her the evil eye but remained calm determined to get to the real cause of the signals.
"Try to keep it down, Lex, I think we already upset her enough," he asked trying to be polite while still show her he was serious.
Lexa raised an eyebrow to Brennan and he couldn't help but allow her own curiosity to jump into his questioning mind.
"Well, it seems your attitude's certainly changed since last night."
He turned his chair fully around to her at that so he could look her in the eye, wanting to see for himself any accusation she might be implying.
"I'm not accusing her of anything until I know what's going on."
"Come on, Jess. Emma clone shows up here and the very same night there's some specious transmission coming from Sanctuary. What do you need a flare to see that signal?"
Jesse sighed and turned his chair back to the computer preferring to look at the screen rather than Lexa's judgmental and unfeeling eyes.
"You gotta admit, Jess, it is a little suspicious," Brennan agreed surprised he actually agreed with the woman but had to admit her points were basically shooting for the bull's eye and thus far hitting it.
"Suspicious, maybe," he agreed giving them that at the very least. "Proof, not in the slightest. I want you two to keep this quiet until we know more. Don't say anything to Shalimar."
Neither Brennan nor Lexa challenged his request but both couldn't help wonder why he suddenly cared so much about the woman he'd addressed and something far less than human no less than twelve hours prior.
"Don't tell me you've already forgotten she's a clone." Lexa's voice was anything but caring or heartfelt and Jesse ignored her knowing having not known Emma she couldn't possibly begin to understand what she was talking about.
"She's not just a clone ok. She's also Emma. She has her feelings, her powers, her-"
"Wait a minute that clone has powers?" the woman asked turning to Adam for some answers only to find him nod and she knew he'd probably known that all along but didn't bother to mention it to anyone else.
"Well, that makes sense," Adam concluded. "After all she is, like Jesse said, Emma. She has her genes. Is almost like Emma being reborn and she was born with her abilities. They're in her DNA."
Brennan nodded at the statement seeming to be the only one of them not shocked that cloned Emma was a psionic.
"Yeah when you and Shal were cloned they had your powers," he reminded.
Lexa shook her head. The more she heard about this whole crazy situation the more she disliked it.
"Yeah well that's my point. Who knows how this Emma's gonna act? She could be a totally different person who's just playing the part until she can make her move."
"She doesn't even remember her life," Jesse combated turning to face her again so he might look into the eyes of his challenger.
"Well I don't buy it, and I don't trust her."
"You don't even know her."
"Neither do you, Jesse. She's been alive less than a day and since she's been here nothing good has happened. We have no reason to trust her. I think we should put her in the containment field."
"No," Jesse was quick to protest. He'd just gotten his friend back after a year wand wasn't about to lock her up while Adam ran tests on her and Lexa sneered at her.
"Better safe than sorry right? Personally I don't wanna wake up one morning paralyzed because some psionic clone went off the deep end."
"She's not a criminal, Lexa."
"She's a clone with mutant abilities. Who knows what she's capable of? I don't and I sure as hell don't wanna find out."
"Then you don't have to be here."
Jesse turned his eyes away after the statement. He hadn't expected he'd be so protective over Emma but hearing Lexa talk about her that way was making his blood boil.
"Jesse, I think you need to be rational about this. You're transferring all your feelings for Emma onto that clone. She's not your friend, Jesse, she's a thing created by some doctor. A doctor you yourself said last night that you didn't trust. Now whose side are you gonna take here?" she demanded.
Jesse sighed and looked back up to her eyes although she could see he wasn't in a sympathizing mode right now.
"I felt what she's feeling inside, Lexa. She's good," he corrected, turning his chair back around. "And she is my friend."
Lexa stood still stunned that Jesse was fooled by the woman and silence reigned over all three of them for a few minutes until Adam stepped in.
"Anyways," Adam began feeling a change of topic was more than needed. "About the current mutant build up I briefed you on yesterday I want you two to get to work on that today," he reminded in his fatherly tone.
"Yeah," Lexa agreed softly being sure to allow her disappointment to be made apparent as she blew out a long sigh over the back of Jesse's neck.
He fought the urge to turn and look at her as the clicking of her shoes across the floor echoed as it moved farther and farther from him until he was sure it was safe to turn his chair back around in her absence.
Shalimar rest her head on Emma's lap breathing deeply so she might take in every bit of the amazing atmosphere around her. It was way too long overdue and she intended to enjoy it to the fullest for as long as she could.
Emma wiped her mouth with the flower patterned napkin and set the tray on the floor at the bedside. Smiling, she ran her long fingers through the dark blonde locks draped across her legs in a soft blanket and stoked the cheek beneath ever so slightly.
Shalimar's eyes closed at the remarkable and warm touch. If she had her way she'd never more from that spot and would spend the rest of her life enjoying Emma's comforting presence.
"Thank you for breakfast," Emma's grateful voice came sounding like music to the feral's ears. Music she wanted to record and listen to every day for the rest of her life but knew she wouldn't have to now that the psionic had returned to her and if her plans went perfectly would remain so.
Shalimar was silent still taking in the woman holding her and she shifted her head in the psionic's lap unable to get close enough to her for satisfaction.
"Thank you," Shalimar answered her eyes remaining tightly closed in her bliss.
"For what?"
"Everything," she answered simultaneously with her sigh. As she took a breath she let the magnificent aroma of the red head refill her lungs with much needed desire and she twisted her head in the lap to look up at the bright blue heaven above her.
"I have something for you," the feral informed reaching her hand down into the blue jeans pocket against her thigh.
Shalimar reached out to take Emma's right hand in her own and Emma offered no protest letting the feral guide her where she saw fit. Shifting onto her back, Shalimar raised Emma's hand before her chest and the psionic watched as she slipped a ring onto her empty ring finger.
"Your comring," the feral informed. "I think it's time you put it back on."
Emma smiled at being made one of the team once again and at the delicious touch of the feral holding her hand. When the ring was all the way onto her welcoming finger she pulled her hand back to look at it knowing how a new bride must feel as she was nearly bursting with excitement.
Shalimar watched as the psionic appreciated the ring and Emma's face twisted into that of confusion.
"What is it?" Shalimar asked letting her head drop back into psionic's lap. Who'd take pillows when there was a body that soft in the room?
"I remember," Emma said, her eyes seeming to sparkle at the words, even more so that usual that is. "I remember the first time you gave this to me. I never felt so wanted in all my life. So at home."
Shalimar smiled allowing herself to recall that day. The first time she realized she couldn't go on with Mutant X unless Emma was to be there by her side.
"That was the day my whole life changed," Emma informed, letting her hand slowly descend upon the delighted feral to stroke her hair some more.
"Mine too," Shalimar agreed, her eyes closing to revel in Emma's touch some more.
"Shalimar," Adam called over her comlink.
Shalimar ignored the man choosing Emma over anything he could possibly have to say to her.
"Shalimar," he called again, his voice a little sterner like a teacher scolding a young child.
"What?" she asked, her own voice a low groan of disapproval.
"I wanna get those tests run on you. I need you to come to the lab."
"I'll be there later, Adam."
"Shalimar, this is important. I'd like to get this done as soon as possible. Please."
Shalimar huffed and slowly sat herself up from Emma's lap. 'Why on earth would I wanna stay here when I could be tested?' she asked herself sarcastically.
"I think you'd better go," Emma informed running her hand the length of her friend's blonde locks once more.
"Alright, Adam, I'm on my way."
"Thanks for the ring."
Shalimar slid herself off the bed and gave her body a small stretch as her feet hit the floor. She turned back to smile at her friend and headed for the door.
"You're welcome. Just try to keep it on this time," she asked, her voice displaying a sense of hurt and warning and Emma analyzed the meaning as the door to the bedroom was shut behind.