Thank you so much Stormchilde! I am really glad that you read and liked. It is pretty much a Shal/Bren centric fic, but I have tried to include as many of the characters as I can. Hannah, Kai, and Tiana you guys have been awsome support so how can I not mention you too!

Here is chapter 13! Just to let you know that once again I had to cut this up because it was way more graphic then recommended for the T rating. If you want it in it's complete form just let me know and I'll be happy to send it to ya!

Thanks to Stephanie, Sara, and Rachel for all their help once again.

I hope to have the next chap cleaned up and out tomorrow, who knows maybe I'll get 2 posted. I'll try but I can't promise anything.

Authors Note: I was watching BTVS episode Amends and got this idea for a dream, slightly cheesy, but hey it's my story!

13 Dreams of the Heart 13

Shalimar figured the last thing she would be able to do was sleep, but as she lay her head on the pillow she began to drift almost instantly. She hadn't slept well in three months, and she was starting to feel the wear and tear.

Her dreams flitted through her mind. She was dreaming of a dark corridor. She never remembered being there before, but somehow instinctively knew that she needed to go to the fifth door on the right. She would find what she was looking for there. The hall was damp and smelled musty. There were a few florescent lights lining the hall, but they were buzzing and flickering in and out, making it difficult to discern details. The door was a thick iron door with faded and almost unreadable numbers on it. She found the pull bar and yanked up until it clicked open. Fear and excitement took hold of her as she pushed open the door. She felt as if she was on autopilot, and she was wary about opening the door, but she would have done it no matter what.

She looked into the room and saw Brennan lying on a moldy old mattress with his eyes closed. She felt a thrill seeing him and realized that he was safe and alive. She approached him slowly realizing that he was still asleep, and she could watch the rhythm of his breathing beneath his thin tee shirt. He looked battered and abused. She was torn between desire and fear to wake him. What if she woke him and his eyes were dead inside, or he blamed her for taking so long to get to them? What if he told her that she took too long and now Jesse was dead? Shirking her fears aside, she realized that she had to know. Shalimar reached her hand tentatively out and touched his now bearded cheek. His eyes shot open, and he sat bolt upright. For an instant she thought he was going to attack her, but recognition filled his eyes quickly as he blinked several times and looked at her with a quizzical look.

The room was filled with an emotional electricity that only two hearts longing deeply for each other could create. Both Shalimar and Brennan had been through Hell the past few months. Yet the connection between them burned as strong as ever now that they were reunited.

Brennan had felt a touch on his face and it startled him awake. He had balled up his fist to take a swing at whoever it was, sat up and stopped. He blinked several times wondering if it was the vestige of a dream that he was having standing in front of him. There was no way that Shalimar was there standing in front of him. When he looked at her, he couldn't believe it. He would never have dreamed of her looking so worn and tired, would he? Her eyes had quickly perused the cell and then trained back on his. He slowly reached up his hand to cover hers, but she had retracted it too quickly for him to hold.

Shalimar was lost in his eyes, she saw the warm brown tones begin to come to life and analyze the fact that she was standing in front of him. She glanced at the tiny and dingy cell then looked back to him. He was reaching for her, and for some reason, she shied away from his touch. Seeing the hurt and confusion that filled his eyes she reached slowly for his hand again. When they touched, they could feel each other's warmth.

"This has to be a dream…" Brennan's soft whisper filled the room.

Hearing his voice was all it took for Shalimar to feel the tears threatening to release yet again. Her eyes became blurry and she tried to blink them back. She couldn't stop herself as she sat on the edge of the cot and wrapped her arms around him and held him.

Brennan pulled her closer to himself holding her tightly and burying his face in her hair. It smelled just as good as he remembered. He didn't want to open his eyes, for fear that this was only a dream and he would wake up empty and alone as he had done on so many occasions lately. Finally he chanced a glance at Shalimar's face and was relieved to see her still there and feel her still gripping him tightly. Out of the corner of his eye he saw something in the now open doorway. It took a second for the figure to come into focus. He saw a person there, a woman that he vaguely remembered, standing in the doorway and his muscles stiffened. Shalimar sensed his change and followed the direction of his gaze. She too saw a woman who wasn't quite thirty, with short brown hair and a round face. She looked familiar, but Shalimar was unable to place her.

"Shalimar, tell him…" The woman said, "I can't hold this much longer."

"Tell him what?" The two chorused.

"Tell him what is to come…" Her voice was almost ethereal and wispy.

Shalimar looked quickly back at Brennan, the pain in her face evident as she realized that maybe this wasn't really happening and what this woman was asking her to do. Shalimar pulled both of Brennan's hands into hers, savoring the feel of them for a moment, before looking him in the eye and saying, "We're coming for you. I promise. Just hang on a few more days, and we'll be here."

"We have to go Shalimar…" The woman said, her outline slowly dimming.

"Brennan…" Shalimar said and kissed him, feeling her lips caress his for the smallest of moments.

At the same time, over fifty miles away from each other, two separated lovers both shot straight up in bed and woke up. Each was filled with so much hope and longing that they felt their hearts would burst, but they also finally had felt some hope that they might soon see each other again.

"Hello?"

"Ian."

"Do you know what time it is Kelly?" Ian's agitated voice sounded through the receiver. He cracked an eye open to peer at his clock reading 3:30 in a bright green display.

Kelly smiled at the thought of her grouchy older brother being woken in the middle of the night. "Ok, mood killer, I just wanted to let you know that it's done. The guys should know, and they look like they are doing alright. I seem to remember Brennan looking a hell of a lot better though!"

"Kelly, I love you and all, but you couldn't wait until morning to call and tell me?" His voice sounded sleep rough.

"You told me to try tonight, and I did. You also told me to call you and let you know how it went, so I am." Kelly said,still feeling slightly bitter about feeling like an eavesdropper on a moment that should have been entirely private, and then receiving flack from the person who asked her to do it in the first place.

She had been thrilled to help in any way when Ian had told her what had happened. As far as she was concerned, she owed not only her life but her son't life as well to Mutant X. They and her brother were the reason that she and her son were alive and safe today.

Kelly was a psionic who was able to make dream realities. It had been difficult and had taken several days of trying to get a good link between Shalimar and Brennan established, but she had finally done it. She only wished she had been able to give them more time together.

"Ok, cranky pants, go back to sleep." Kelly said stifling a yawn.

"Kelly," Ian said, "Thank you, I know how draining it is on you to do that and I will talk to Shalimar tomorrow and let her know what is going on."

"Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't hold it longer." She felt tears threaten her own eyes as the sorrow and longing between the feral and elemental had affected her just by watching the two together.

"She will understand. I love you… now get some sleep."

"Love you too, bro."

Both ends hung up, and the parties drifted to sleep trying to dream of better times without the fear and loss that they now had to deal with.

Brennan sat up in bed staring at the closed door and the empty cell. He couldn't figure out if what had happened was real or just a figment of his imagination and desires. He wished he knew what to do. Brennan sat in quiet mental debate, wondering whether or not to tell Jesse about his dream. Jesse, although skeptical, might be a voice of reason in it all, but Brennan also was trying to figure a way of telling him without talking through the doors where anyone else could hear.

Henry had been able to manipulate dreams, Brennan remembered. He wondered if that was what had happened to him. It felt almost futile, but it was a measure of hope. Dreams weren't completely common for the elemental, but he'd had enough of them to remember that most don't feel like reality. This was comparative to the time Henry had trapped them in their dream world. He felt and smelled Shalimar as if she was right next to him, and when she kissed him, he swore he could still taste her on his lips as he woke.

The guards moved around down the hallway talking between themselves about inane topics as they walked. Brennan sighed to himself and decided to try to talk to Jesse in the morning about what happened. He didn't feel like being beaten again tonight. He was still sore from earlier when they had tried to probe his mind with a psychic. They didn't have much luck because he was only able to give them information that they already knew. The guards, being pissed about that, decided to let the psychic give him a hard blast that had knocked him unconscious. He'd woke a while later face down on the floor of his cell.

At first the Dominion had been eager for information, and then they had left them alone with bare rations of food and water. He began to wonder if this was what POW camps were like. Jesse held up much better then Brennan ever thought he would. He felt bad for doubting Jesse and had made a note not to ever do so again.

Brennan had no clue why they hadn't tried to reprogram their brains or brainwash them… for all he knew this was just a technique. Some days he wondered why they were still alive. The only answer he could come up with is that they were bait. He hated that thought.

Sitting back on his bunk, he rested against the wall and contemplated sleeping Then he shifted to lying on his bunk as he fell into a restless sleep with dreams of Adam and Shalimar running the carnival on the boardwalk, and he was stuck on a ride with no way to get off.

Shalimar sat bolt upright in bed. The vestiges of the dream slowly receding into her subconscious, but she tried to figure out what had just happened. It took several moments for her to reorient herself to her surroundings, and then another heart-wrenching moment to realize that Brennan wasn't there with her. She sat alone in her darkened room with nothing more then a sliver of moonlight shining through the curtains to illuminate the emptiness that surrounded her. "What the hell was that?" She asked out loud before even realizing she had.

Her mind, now teaming with thoughts and ideas, raced and she tried to place the woman's face that she had seen in the dream with the memory of where she knew her from. Finally deciding that she needed help, but not wanting to wake the others she wandered down to the basement and entered her parameters into the database to search for her dream interloper.

After several dozen pictures she found one that was a slightly younger version of the girl she was looking for her. Pulling up the information she found her name was Kelly Lonagan. Shalimar quickly perused Kelly's file and found what she was looking for. Kelly Lonagan was actually the woman's married name, her maiden name had been Massett. Shalimar smiled to herself as she read about Kelly's ability to connect people in a dreamscape world. She also had some dream manipulation capabilities. Her questions now answered, Shalimar realized that she was much too awake to fall asleep again, but it was still too early to go out and run on the beach. Glancing at her watch she realized it was only four am.

With little else to do that wouldn't wake the rest of the house up, Shalimar retreated to her room and began to read through the journal once again. She felt as though she had been strengthened by Kelly's connecting her with Brennan and hoped that he felt similar now knowing that he wouldn't have to wait much longer.

February 5, 2003

I guess I have a whole new respect for being a leader. Adam still has his secrets and I still don't like it, but I think that now I have a little more respect for it. Jesse, Emma, and Shal have been teasing me a little extremely lately, but I guess I deserve it. I don't know why, but I just took charge. I like to be in control, and Jesse has made several mentions of my control freak tendencies, but maybe I do need to reevaluate my…technique with taking charge.

Shalimar and I went out clubbing tonight. Jesse and Emma bailed on us. They get weird sometimes about going out. The two of them will just crash on the couch watching old black and white movies and eating popcorn. Not me, I'd much rather get out and do something. Shal and I had fun. We went to this popular club, and she dragged me out on the dance floor a few times. She says it's because she gets annoyed at all of the guys who try to hit on her, and it's nice to have me as her wing man. Sometimes I wonder if I'd rather just be in her company then picking up complete strangers. Maybe it's the same for her.

Emma is getting back on her feet after Tyler. I felt like I stuck my foot in my mouth when I was bashing fate, but what the hell, fate is a bitch! The two of us have pretty much reconciled, but I just hated the fact that she locked up on us, almost getting us killed in the process, then spent time trying to protect the people who could have ultimately caused the death of millions. No, Tyler wasn't bad, but the people that were controlling him were. Emma said that we would never know how it feels to be able to instantly know someone on that level, and I guess we won't, but we can never understand what she isn't willing to explain, either.

I have a lot of work to do to restore that Cutlass. That asshole Maddox was with managed to punch bullet holes in the driver's side and the upholstery. Adam has been his usual tight-lipped self about what happened with the whole incident and snapped at all of us when we tried to ask what was going on. I don't know why he likes to keep everything close to his chest like it's a huge secret that we're not worthy to share. We're out risking life and limb… I just want a little justification sometimes.

Shal was laughing at me when I was more upset about the car then the bullet hole in my arm, but she doesn't understand how tough it is to find and keep vintage muscle cars. She offered to help me tomorrow while she was patching up my arm. I think it would be fun to get some grease smudged across her face; I'll have to remember the camera!

Shalimar knew how hard Brennan had fought to be a leader. It made sense that he wanted to be in charge. He had always been in charge of his own life, and even then he had trouble taking orders from Adam sometimes. He had also been funny about his cars. She had gotten dragged along on several of his adventures looking for classic vehicles that were what he called "bargains" but were in horrible states when he got them. He spent a lot of time and work to get them running though. On more then one occasion she had helped, but most of the time her help constituted him trying to explain what tool he needed and a bunch of other technical mumbo jumbo that was lost on her.

She looked out the window and at her watch again before deciding to read another entry before her morning run. It felt so good to go outside to workout she hadn't even spared a second thought to the gym that was situated downstairs.

February 20, 2003

Jesse and I got into it the other night, and he just flipped on me. I had to get out before I knocked him out. He has been weird since we got back from the prison. He asked me what I remember about being under the influence of that drug, and I have tried really hard to remember, but everything is fragmented. I remember feelings of anger and hatred more then anything else. Then I practically begged Shalimar to tell me what happened. I almost wish she didn't. I think she held a lot back, but I got enough of an idea that I understand why Jesse has been avoiding me and snapping at me lately. I just wish I knew how to apologize.

Denny's family is really scattered, but I went to visit his aunt last week. He lived with her for a while growing up. She wasn't great by any means, but she loved him and held a funeral for him. I still wonder what would have happened to me if I had taken that job instead of him. The only comfort is that those goons are behind bars, and Emma destroyed that mad scientist's research.

This thing with the blue bolt was enough to piss me off. I care immensely about Shalimar, and I know she was upset thinking I had no faith in her abilities, but that wasn't it at all. I know she is probably the most powerful of us. I couldn't help being scared that she would be hurt or worse. Adam told me to stop being so protective over her. I know he thinks she was the best candidate for the job, but I still have a lot of years of thieving and subterfuge under my belt. Maybe Jesse was right when he called me an attention hog, and reminded me that she grew up on the street too.

How can one woman make my normally suave with the ladies exterior vanish into thin air? Shal kissed me tonight as she was leaving, and I think my brain short circuited. I felt like she shocked me, but in a good way. I can't be having these feelings about someone I work and live with. I know better and can only imagine the consequences if things start to go bad.

I had one of those really good dreams of her again. It's been a long time since I've had one like this When I remember my dreams they are of various things, but rarely this vivid. I think Shalimar is the only person I have really known that I have actually had full NC-17 rated dreams about since I turned 18. I need my head examined for writing these down. One day she's going to see this, or out of stupidity, my dumb ass is going to show her, and it will be lights out for me.

She was wearing that dress from the conference dinner. She looked gorgeous in it, the way it clung to her in all the right places with her hair and makeup done. We were walking outside of Sanctuary and both of us were still dressed up. We were down by the beach and the moon was out with some cloud cover, but there was still enough light to see well. I remembered looking back and seeing that we were at least a mile from Sanctuary and hadn't even realized it.

We turned to walk back and as we turned Shal changed direction and headed to the rocks that were at the top of the shore. One of them had a ledge carved out in it, just about my hip height. She jumped up and sat on it, bringing her almost to my height. Her expression was close to a lusty look. I remember thinking 'Why is she just sitting here staring at me like that?' She pulled me close and whispered in my ear. 'Bren, what would you do?'

I turned to ask her what she meant, and her face was right there… a hairsbreadth from mine… staring at my lips, and I couldn't find any words. Usually she will get close and pull away, but this time she just lingered, and I could see her breathing me in. I felt like I was held in some sort of gravitational pull once her eyes looked up and met mine. I put my lips gently against hers and softly kissed them. She didn't pull away like I expected. She smelled with some sweet and sexy aroma, maybe roses and some other flower. I just know the smell alone was making me feel all heady. When I kissed her closed mouth and she didn't resist, I parted her lips with my tongue and softly massaged hers, framing her face with my left hand and running my right through her hair, slowly taking hold of the back of her head as the kiss intensified. It was like waking a tiger. She was wrapping her arms and legs around me, tugging on me to get even closer.

She was unbuttoning my shirt and running her hands down my torso and sides then up my back. I felt like I was on fire wherever she touched. My shirt was still on, but opened, and my jacket was up on the rock beside us before I realized what was happening. I paused to ask Shal what she wanted, and she looked up at me with the baldest look I have ever seen on a woman and said 'Do you really have to ask?'

I know I managed to have the back of her dress unzipped and off of her in less then ten seconds, only leaving her in a sexy lace garter belt. That and the silk stockings were too sexy to take off and weren't really in my way. She didn't have a bra on, and I remembered kissing her as we both moaned at the feeling of our flesh making contact. I kissed her neck in hot open mouth kisses and worked my way down. Her skin is so soft… I can't get enough of it… and I kept my hands going all over her body. She pulled my head back to hers and kissed me so hard I was sure it had to be real. I almost felt like I was going to be bruised.

She had undone my slacks, and pulled her head back up to mine for another greedy kiss. I love the fact that the Shalimar in my dreams is so responsive.

We were joined in a slow dance, but it felt like we had done it a hundred times before. She was caressing every part of me she could reach, and I felt her tongue and mouth kissing all over my neck and face. Her moans and whimpers driving me to the edge that much faster.

God has got to be a woman or an extremely vindictive guy, because I woke up just then in my empty bed drenched in sweat and feeling thirteen all over again. Then the next day she kisses me for real, and all I wanted was to beg her for more. I am going to go to the crazy house… I just know it.

Shalimar felt the blood rush to her cheeks as she thought about the heated dream. She mused to herself about living out one of his dreams when he came back. She would have to check out the rocks along the beach this morning. She was now so worked up she had to let some energy out. Glancing outside she noticed the graying of the dawn and put on her workout clothes. Putting the journal on the desk, she said a silent prayer to the Powers that Be to help reunite her and Lexa with Jesse and Brennan soon. Bouncing out the door and down to the beach, she began her sprints up and down the sand, musing at the different rock formations as she passed.