Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or the X Men. I own Evie and the world she lives in.

A/N: LoveConquers, you're a doll. Thank you for all your encouragements. I really enjoy your detailed comments. Keep them coming. I want to know what you liked and what I can improve for you. (I'll let you in on a secret. Sometimes you thank me for something that just sort of happened without my trying. Yet you've picked up on an element that was hiding there. I really like those times when you point out what I've missed.) I'm glad you've kept the rest of the stories to date in mind. I really like making references back but am always afraid people won't know what I'm talking about. Bohemianbabe, of course I don't think you would go anywhere. Your reviews are always fun to read. Thanks. Courtney, stay with me. I think Logan will play a big part in another installment in the series. I'm glad you're here. We Logan girls have to stick together. Mxfan214, welcome back. Thank you. Get ready for Shawna. Well I hope you all like this chapter. It's longer than usual but I didn't see a need to cut the scene. Once you get into it I'm hoping you're glued till it's done.

We're All Family

Chapter 3

Almost 8 months later, Bobby and Jubilee were the only ones who could fly back-up for Kitty and Jesse as they needed to find a new mutant on the run from authorities. Adam and Hank got into the habit of running pregnancy tests on all the girls on a regular basis. In their line of work it became too risky to wait for natural signs to appear. As soon as one of the girls tested positive they would be taken off active duty.

This latest mission was straight forward and didn't have any real complications. The mutant they were looking for had molecular abilities and kept liquefying when she got really scared. Jesse tried to mass her but it didn't work. In order to get her to a safe house and to someone who could help her with her abilities, Bobby had to deep freeze her in physical form.

Jesse dropped the Drakes back at the mansion before returning to Sanctuary to file the report. By the time the Kilmartins got back, they found Shalimar in the lab. She was alone except for Brennan who was sitting in a far corner. Jesse was afraid for her as he remembered a time not too long ago when her feral nature all but took over. Adam and Evie assured him that she was ok and that as a feline feral she needed the seclusion for her labor. All the monitors were set and when she was ready for delivery, Evie and Adam would go back in.

Late into the afternoon, Brennan sat helplessly watching his wife. She wouldn't let him get any closer. He spent the time watching her and remembering the beautiful but sad, young daughter he met. He silently swore that she would always be happy. He would make sure of it. When Shalimar seemed particularly restless, he would pick up his book and quietly read to her. She had been feral for hours now and he knew he need but whisper the words for her to hear him. She appeared to calm at the sound of his voice so he'd read until she fell asleep.

It was late into the night when Brennan was awakened from the light dozing that had intermittently claimed him. He awoke at every sound and movement. This time it was whimpering that forced his eyes opened. Shalimar was making her way to the bed. "Shal?" he breathed from his place, not sure if he should approach.

"Brennan…Brennan, it…hurts," she whimpered.

"Adam? Evie, come quick," Brennan called as he quickly made his way to her side and helped her recline on the bed. As he began to caress her face and move the wild strands of hair that sweat caused to stick here and there, Adam's voice faintly registered in his mind.

Adam and Evie entered the lab only a few minutes later, smiles wide on their now excited faces. "That took longer than I'd expected," Adam remarked as he went to Shalimar's side after picking up a hand scanner.

Evie was already busily retrieving the items she would need for delivery. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Um…about…3 to 4 minutes…I think." Brennan nervously stammered.

Just then Shalimar's groaning turned into a scream as the strongest contraction yet seemed to grow from the almost constant pain she was in.

Brennan held his breath as he fought the urge to grab his wife and pull her into his arms. He winced as Shalimar squeezed his hand, her feral might vastly stronger than his own at that moment. Biting his lower lip, he soon tasted blood as he refused to let out his own cry of pain.

Adam returned from the computer with a frown on his face, pen light in hand as he moved to her side. "Shalimar, look at me, Sweetie." When she slowly complied, he touched her eyelids and flashed the light against her pupils. Touching her head he could feel the fever his scan reported. "Listen, Shalimar. You have a fever…"

"A fever?" Brennan interrupted. The pain from his hand quickly forgotten, fear leapt from his eyes as he met Adam's.

"I don't know why it's there but I don't want you pushing through natural labor."

"Adam…" Shalimar weakly protested.

"I know you wanted to go all natural but I really don't think it's a good idea with a fever." Adam moved back to the computer. "Brennan, let me do a full scan."

Brennan looked at the tears that began to silently roll down his wife's face. He leaned down to kiss her temple as he whispered… "I'll be right here, Baby. It'll be ok, I promise." He painfully pulled his hand from hers and stepped back. His broken hand instantly and absently cradled in his other hand.

Evie noticed in her haste to get the sedative needed to lessen the pain Shalimar was feeling. The smile that crept to her lips in understanding was quickly wiped away as Shalimar screamed again with the next contraction only 1 and a half minutes after the other.

Adam's scan was not yet complete but he didn't dare suggest running it again. He let it finish then tried to sort through the radical readings.

Brennan moved back to her side and slipped one arm around her as he gently skimmed his injured hand against her face. Panic nearly consumed him as he looked up quickly. "Adam…the fever…"

"I know. It's higher," Adam stated, without looking back as he continued to try and reconcile the results of the scan.

"Adam," Evie called. "She's crowned." Her announcement shocked Adam and Brennan both into complete stillness.

Shalimar panted as she turned her head from side to side. Her face covered in sweat, her head fell back over Brennan's arm as her eyes fought to stay opened. Suddenly her head rose from its place as her hands grasped his shirt. Glowing feral eyes glared dangerously at him as a low hiss escaped her lips.

"Shalimar?" He stilled as he fearlessly returned her stare though his was more shock than glare. "Shalimar!" he tried to reach her. Brennan's panic was complete. This can't be happening. How? The virus was nonexistent. The scan just a few days ago confirmed it. She was fine. Fine! His insides were screaming as he could do nothing but watch his wife slipping away from him as the wild feral began struggling against his hold.

"Jesse!" Adam shouted into the air as he moved to get what he thought might help.

In less than a minute Jesse came running into the lab wearing nothing but his sleeping shorts; as he was jolted from a sound sleep by Adam's call. Kitty, in her robe, was close on his heels. "Shalimar?" Her name was almost a cry as he skidded to a stop by her side.

"Jesse, mass over her and hold her still!" Adam's commands were shouted over the din of her now deafening growls.

Evie, confident of the feral's hearing, was murmuring encouragements as she continued to work. The baby's head was moving…slowly. "Come on, Shal. Stop fighting us. Push…just a little." With everything happening, Evie thought it best to monitor the baby directly and reached for a diode, affixing it to the small exposed portion of the baby's head.

Shalimar was so consumed by the delirium of the fever and the call of her feral side in its exertion that she barely heard Evie's voice much less was able to answer her request.

Evie noticed she wasn't getting the response she wanted from Shalimar so she changed her tactics. "Brennan, listen to me." Evie looked up and found he was just staring blankly at his wife. "BRENNAN!" her shout got through to him.

Brennan turned quickly at the tone and volume in her voice. Disoriented from the thoughts consuming his mind, he blinked and forced his focus on her as she came to his side.

"Brennan, Jesse can hold her. I need you to put your hands on the top of her stomach, right here." She took his hands and placed them over the sheet covering Shalimar's mid section. "Now when I tell you…you push in and down, like this. Got it?" She waited for him to nod then moved back to her place to await the next contraction.

Adam quickly returned to Shalimar's side with a syringe filled with an amber liquid. Jesse had massed when Brennan had pulled away and he knew the man couldn't hold out much longer. As soon as he let out his breath the feral would toss him like a rag doll. After completely emptying the contents into her arm, he tossed the needle onto a nearby tray and put his hands on either side of her face. Forcing her wild thrashes to stop, he focused her eyes on his as he leaned in, watching and waiting. It only took a few seconds for the chemicals to work in her system. As she began to settle, the wildness in her eyes was replaced with something else. For just a second, as she looked into his eyes, Adam could see…fear. His girl was afraid…and helpless to deal with it. It broke his heart. Steeling himself, he smiled for her. He would deal with it. He would make it better.

Jesse felt Shalimar quiet and exhaled as his lungs burned for release and his heart pounded madly in his chest. He fell back into Kitty's arms as he panted and waited for his body to calm.

Evie watched Shalimar's monitor and could see a contraction beginning to build. "Now, Bren. Push gently." As the contraction rose and hit its peak, something happened. Small coils of electricity spiraled around the diode on the child's head and then flared outward.

Brennan pulled his hands away from Shalimar's abdomen in shock as he heard Evie gasp. He saw her pull back, her fingertips singed where she had been touching the baby.

Sparks forced Adam to throw his hands up in shocked reaction and step back from the console he was working on. Monitor after monitor in the lab sizzled and went black. The lights flickered and died as emergency backups began to glow. "Jess?"

"I'm on it," Jesse responded as he had already moved to the main power box in the lab and was removing its cover. "It's not totally fried but it's shorted out. It'll take me some time to get it running again."

Adam looked at Evie. Kitty had gone to her side and was now holding up what looked like two glowing candles, as she held Evie's wrists and watched. Evie's healing powers had begun to heal her own burns.

As he drew new blood samples of mother and child,
Adam looked at Jesse. "Jess, I need the drive from the computer." He looked around the lab once more as Jesse complied. Evie's powers were subsiding and Brennan was silently caressing his sedated wife's face.

Jesse followed Adam to his office and switched out the drives. The system there was completely independent of the rest of Sanctuary. Though not as extensive a system, it served as sufficient back for emergencies such as this. It was a tousled but grimly serious Adam who saw the large blue face tiredly smile a greeting to him. "Hank, I'm sorry to wake you but Shalimar's in labor and we've encountered a problem."

"What can I do, My Friend?"

Adam's hands were a blur as he keyed command after command while speaking. "Something happened in the lab and all the equipment is shorted out. I need you to check over the data I'm sending you. Also run an analysis of these blood samples. Shalimar's running a fever and we don't know why."

"The child?"

"Was almost delivered when I left the lab. The problems seem to be centered on Shalimar, though I'm not sure what shorted the systems."

"I will endeavor to get back to you as soon as possible." Hank nodded and the screen went blank.

Adam sat motionless for a moment as he processed all the information thus far. He lowered his head as he pressured the bridge of his nose with his fingertips. There has to be an explanation for this. What's going on?

Evie was sufficiently healed in moments and immediately returned her full attention to the child who seemed determined to be difficult. "We've already missed two contractions. I don't want to miss another one. Kitty stay here and hand me the instruments I'll need… but just in case… you'd better take a few steps back" Evie and Kitty exchanged knowing smiles. "Brennan, listen to me, Sweetie." When Brennan hadn't turn to her, Evie got up and went to his side. "Brennan," she softly touched his arm.

Brennan turned glassy, fearful eyes on her. "Evie,…" his whisper was heartbreaking. "what's happening?"

"I don't know, Bren," she whispered back as she cupped his broken hand in hers. Letting her powers work she continued, "Adam's on it. He won't let anything happen to her." She watched as he turned back to look at the woman on the bed. "Right now, I need you to help me." Again he didn't turn. Her powers faded and she turned his hand over in hers, checking it.

His world was spinning. What was happening? She was fine…normal…for a feral. Labor was as expected. All her scans were clear. Now…'This can't be happening.'

"Brennan,..." Standing taller, though still dwarfed by the man she was addressing, Evie took a breath and firmly commanded his attention. "Brennan!"

He sucked in a sudden ragged breath and snapped his head around when he heard Evie's authoritative tone.

With unseemly strength, Evie grabbed his arm and pulled him around to face her fully as she firmly grasped both his arms. "Listen to me!" Staring up into his eyes she refused to let him turn away.

Kitty had seen many things in her time at Sanctuary. On a rare occasion she had seen Evie loose her temper on an experiment that failed or at herself for failing, but never had she seen her get in anyone's face. She had seen Brennan on a little less rare occasion, lose it on Adam or Jesse for getting in his face over one thing or another. He would turn and punch something hard and inanimate. Just once, when Shalimar was hurt after a mission, he turned around and took a swing at Jesse for trying to pull him away.

When Evie heard Kitty gasp she reached out for her mind. "It's ok, Kitty," she soothed. "Don't worry, he won't hurt me."

Brennan stood to his full height and looked down at the woman before him, his hands automatically grabbing her arms. The power struggle lasted only a few seconds as he saw the definitive look in her eyes.

It was just that moment Jesse walked in. He moved to his wife's side and paused only long enough to see Brennan submit to Evie's glare, before silently moving back to try and restore power to the lab.

"Shalimar will be fine," Evie confirmed.

"But she's so…"

"Strong. Now, snap out of it, Brennan! I need your help with Shawna. She can't stay where she is. You have to help with the contractions."

That did it. Shawna…she needs me. Suddenly his attention was focused on his daughter. His countenance changed. His brow set and his eyes grew resolute. "What do I do?"

Evie instructed as they raised Shalimar from the bed and settled Brennan behind her and she was leaned against his chest. They had missed another contraction. Evie wasn't happy. The next one was building fast. Moving into position again, Evie sensed Adam entering the lab but didn't look up. "Ok, now when I say…I want you to lean her forward, just as I explained. Get ready, here it comes…Now!" She reached for the baby and supported her head as it emerged from its resting place. "Excellent. Her head is through. Here comes the next one. Get ready. Ok, now."

Kitty gasped a strangled chuckle through her tears as she saw the baby's shoulders and then body emerge.

What began as infant whimpers soon filled the lab with cries, as the child was forced to adjust to her new environment.

Evie worked quickly as she cut the umbilical cord and finished the delivery. Smiling brightly, she placed the child in Kitty's blanketed, waiting arms then returned to her care of the mother.

Kitty gently cleaned the child as she moved, "Brennan…she's beautiful."

Keeping one arm solidly around his wife, Brennan reached out a trembling hand to touch his infant daughter. Before the joy had the chance to settle in, panic quickly emerged as his touch seemed to precede a series of events that moved for him in agonizingly slow motion.

Blue streaks of electric current ripped from his fingertips and spread to engulf his child. The child's voice seemed to scream louder in his ears as he disbelievingly, followed the blue energy winding around the tiny bundle. Trying to no avail to reabsorb the current, he helplessly watched as the affects of his power coiled around the petite woman holding the child. His pulse slammed in his ears as he heard Kitty bravely try to stifle a scream. His stunned heart wrenched for her pain as he saw Kitty anchor the child safely to her chest as she fell to her knees. Mercifully, the fall distanced the child from his hand and the coiling power subsided.

As real time returned to his brain, Brennan saw Adam pry the baby from Kitty's firm hold. Adam had Shawna secure in his arms by the time Jesse skidded to a stop on his knees behind his wife as she fell against him, her arms still in place as if she yet had hold of the precious bundle. Too shocked to speak Brennan sat and could only move enough to fully embrace a still unconscious Shalimar.

"Kitty…Kitty," Jesse was calling as he gently shook his wife.

Though not unconscious, Kitty was panting and weak from the stress.

Evie quickly finished with Shalimar and moved to Kitty's side as she ripped off the dirty gloves from her hands. Gripping Kitty's shoulders she closed her eyes and reached for Kitty's mind. 'Kitty, talk to me,'she called out in her mind. She found her crumpled on the floor of her mind, almost in the same position as her physical body on the lab floor. 'Kitty,'

'The baby?' she panted.

'Adam has her.' Evie checked her and smiled. 'You're ok. Thank God. I'll heal your body and you should be ok.'

Kitty nodded weakly as Evie faded from her mind.

When Evie finally stood, Jesse picked up his wife and laid her on the scan chair to rest then returned to the computers.

Evie moved to Adam's side. She smiled as she found him gently cleaning the now quiet infant. The tenderness that would show through, at times, was endearing. For as strong a man as Adam is…Evie well knew there was a 'Gentle Ben' hiding just beneath the surface. Though his movements were loving, his voice carried determined concern. She realized he was speaking to Hank with his cell headset.

"…but if the scans are clear…the fever has to be a reaction to something…Yes…What?... I'm sorry, wait just a minute." Adam looked around as lights began to flicker and the sound of computers rebooting hummed around him.

"We don't have monitors," Jesse called as he moved to the main computer keyboard, "but we have everything else. Let me try to link us with the mansion." Jesse had done this enough times now that he didn't need to read the monitor as he worked. "Hey Doc," he called out, "you should be on the speakers. Can you hear us?"

"Yes, thank you, Jesse. This will make it much easier." Hanks voice boomed through the lab.

"Hank, you were telling me about the child." Adam prompted as he tossed his cell and headset on the counter. He turned and handed the baby to Evie.

"The equipment failure you had was a result of the child's mutation. Just as Bryan gave us trouble during delivery, I believe Shawna's discomfort was expressed by a release of electrical energy. As for Shalimar, her fever is a natural reaction to the foreign mutation. With the births of this next generation we have seen that delivery seems to be the time that mutation first exerts itself. This prenatal onset has forced us to keep careful watch over our loved ones and adapt our thinking and procedure with each new incident. Deliveries have been fascinating to say the least. The problem you are facing is feral in nature. Remember, we, feral are unique among mutants. This is the first we're seeing this type of reaction."

"But you've already had feral births," Evie gently reminded as she dressed the infant in her first little outfit.

"True, and an interesting delivery that was. But the twins were the result of the union of two feral. You have our first union of feral and elemental. Additionally, the fact that the father is an electrical elemental, I suspect, adds factors to the equation other elementals would not."

"Doc?" Brennan called out. His tired and worried brain was already on overload. Mutant Theory 101 was just too much. He couldn't take any more. "Adam?" his voice was strained and pleading.

"I'm sorry, My Friend," Hank called back to him. "Shalimar's fever is being caused by a reaction to the electrical DNA in her system. Simply, her body is not used to it, therefore, considers it an infection and is trying to fight it."

"Hank, I've just input another blood sample for Shalimar. Check this one, please. It should prove your theory. Shalimar still has a fever but it's gone down." Adam moved on to check the infant once again.

"Yes. This is very good. I have accessed Shalimar's files and the readings match almost perfectly. There are no longer signs of electrical DNA in her system. The sedative you administered before is barely registering. She is reading as I would expect for a post partum feral. I suspect she will wake to join you in a few hours."

Brennan slumped in relief as he held his wife closer and kissed the top of her head. Sighs of relief and joyful smiles spread through the lab.

"Kitty, no. Don't try to get up." Jesse quickly moved to her side.

"I'm ok. There's no need to worry." Kitty smiled and took his hand.

"Kitty?" Hank's voice was strikingly different; his calm confidence over Shalimar's safety gone, replaced by new concern for a child he considered as his own.

"I'm fine," she called out as she pictured his concerned face in her mind, her head shaking slightly.

"Hank," Adam spoke up, "before you called we had another incident." He moved to Kitty's side, wordlessly indicating for her to sit back down with a fatherly hand to her shoulder. Smiling first at her then turning to meet Brennan's guilty eyes he continued. "Brennan touched the baby. There was what appeared to be a…major discharge of power. Kitty was holding Shawna." The scan ran as he spoke. "She protected the baby and refused to fall," Adam proudly reported as he smiled back at her.

"I have the scans of Kitty and Shawna. Stand by."

"Kitty," Brennan's voice was heavy with guilt. "I don't know what happened."

She turned to see Shalimar laying comfortably on the bed and Brennan walking toward her. "It wasn't that bad, Brennan. I'm fine."

"I'm glad Evie healed you. When Brennan shot at me in the prison a few years back, I felt the effects for a week." Jesse sadly noticed that his light hearted comments did little to help his friend.

Brennan ignored him and took Kitty into his arms. "I tried to stop it and reabsorb the power. I'm so sorry. I just couldn't. I…had no control."

"No, Brennan, you didn't." Hank's voice boomed back. "That's because you didn't do it."

Shock and wonder appeared all around him as Brennan's furrowed brow turned a questioning look at the small bundle in Evie's arms.

"It was Shawna," Evie whispered in realization. "That's why I didn't sense the residual I expected in Kitty."

"Correct. Had it been Brennan's powers, Kitty would have been easily rendered unconscious."

"Hey," Kitty refuted as she stepped into the arms of her grinning husband.

"I'm sorry, Child. I am relieved to report that your scans are clear." Hank's smile carried in his voice. "Shawna would also have been severely injured from a 'major discharge' as Adam described it. Her scan is of a healthy child, though her DNA readings are curious."

"How?" Adam took blood from the child and put it in the analyzer.

"From the information we received from our visit to the future, we expected Shawna to be feral dominant with electric elemental DNA dormant in her system. It appears that her elemental DNA is prominent at birth and her feral DNA is reading dormant. Just a moment…this is very interesting…Odd, indeed"

"What is?" Adam's voice betrayed his frustration of not having the information immediately available to him.

"I am looking at this new blood sample and the most recent DNA readings show the elemental receding…feral still dormant."

"Mutation neutral?" Adam inquired.

"It would appear so. Change could be continual. I suggest repeated tests until stabilization is apparent."

"But what happened? What caused the serge?" Brennan slowly walked closer to his baby daughter.

"I suspect it was a reaction to your powers," the disembodied voice rang out. "Based on the incidents with the twins at birth, I believe she sensed your commonality. Simply put, your daughter was reaching out to her daddy.

Stopping a few feet away from Evie, who was softly rocking the now quiet child in her arms, he looked sadly at her. His voice soft and almost broken; "My touch hurt her."

"Have you touched her since?" Hank's question was met with silence. "I thought not. I believe it was the suddenness of her own power that hurt her. She has no control. With the elemental DNA receding, it should not be as drawn to you. Try. Do not fear."

"Wait," Adam called as Brennan began to raise his hand. "Evie, put her in the chair. Brennan, stand close. Hank, I'm going to set a joint scan. You should see everything in both their systems."

"Very wise. Brennan, I will stop you if Shawna is being affected in the slightest."

Kitty looked up and met Jesse's worried eyes. He pulled her closer as they stood trying to lend their strength and prayers to the man before them.

Brennan and his daughter were bathed in the familiar yellow glow of the scan moving back and forth over their bodies. Hesitant to go on, Brennan looked around the lab. It was Evie to whom he looked last. Only after she nodded her encouragement to him did he take a deep breath and slowly move his fingers toward the tiny infant before him. He stopped a mere centimeter way from her skin to try and determine if he could feel…anything. Finally, he gently grazed the skin of Shawna's neck. Air flooded from his lungs as he released his breath in relief as nothing seemed to happen. Removing his fingers, he called out in question, as the scan stopped, "Doc?"

"If you touched her, there was no evident change in her system. No reaction from your system was detected."

As fast as lightning, Brennan scooped the infant into his arms and cradled her close to his heart while raining loving kisses to the top of her head.

Jesse, Kitty, Adam and Evie were instantly by his side with cheers and congratulations.

"Hank," Adam stepped away and called out. "Thank you."

"My pleasure. With your permission I will extend the news of your little one during breakfast."

"Yes, please," Brennan called out, his voice thick with emotion. "Hank…thank you."

"I will visit soon. McCoy out."

Evie moved off to check once again on the still unconscious mother. "She's sleeping but otherwise ok. I think we can all leave without fear of any other incidents." She moved to Brennan's side. "The bassinet is ready for Shawna, whenever you feel you can put her down." She smiled as she kissed his cheek then Shawna's head. "I'll be back to check on everyone in a couple of hours." She joined Adam at the door with Jesse and Kitty following.

Dawn broke and breakfast was over and still Shalimar was asleep. "Adam, how long?" Brennan asked as once again put his baby in her bassinet.

As if on cue, Shalimar let out a low moan. In an instant, Brennan and Adam were by her side. "Shalimar," Brennan whispered.

"Brennan, what…" she absently put her hand on her abdomen, a protective, automatic gesture which had become habit over the last 9 months. Panic flew from her eyes as they met his.

"No, Shal. It's ok." Brennan turned quickly and retrieved his daughter. "Come on, Shawna," he cooed. "It's time to meet mama."

Tears stung her eyes as she looked and saw Adam smile and nod at her. Slowly she sat up and took her daughter from Brennan's arms. She cried as she looked into the little face that seemed to smile up at her. Unwilling to trust her voice at that moment, she just looked at her husband in unspoken question.

"I have a lot to tell you," Brennan arranged himself on the bed behind her and settled back, his heart bursting with love for his wife and newborn baby girl.

TBC

Character question: Was Brennan too sappy? I get mixed comments on the homefront.