Title: "Because You Loved Me" (anyone with a better idea for a title please email me) Author: fan81981 Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Mutant X characters (unfortunately) and the song title is belongs to Celion Dion, I think. Please don't sue me, this is my first fanfic. Rating: PG (It might get worse later) Couple: Take a wild guess! Summary: Takes place after "A Breed Apart". Emma is having problems dealing with Shalimar and Brennan's relationship. An accident causes her to overload her powers. Read more to see what actually happens

Emma tried to concentrate, tried to block out the laughter that threatened to rip into her at any moment. A week after the attack and she still wasn't able to fully control her powers. Everyone else seemed to have adjusted; everyone else seemed to be happy with their new abilities. Emma sighed, sometimes life just didn't seem fair to her. Still, there was no point feeling sorry for herself. She closed her eyes and tried once again.

Unfortunately, it wasn't that easy. How could she concentrate when in the next room, Shalimar and Brennan were laughing at something? Though she couldn't hear what they were saying the joy and comfort they felt in each other's company was obvious. Emma gritted her teeth, she had to ignore them; she should feel happy for them, shouldn't she?

Emma's thoughts drifted back to that day, after they had confronted Gabriel. Shalimar and Brennan had almost kissed! She still could not believe it, if she hadn't called out to them they would have. Her Brennan would have kissed someone else! In fact, he still wanted to. Emma was acutely aware of his growing feelings for Shalimar, his desire for her. Even though Emma was not physically in his presence, she could feel him. Feel his thoughts, hopes, and fears. If she was not careful, his feelings engulfed her leaving no room for any others.

He was always with her, since that very fist day they had met. She had not wanted this bond, the pain that came with it. She had lost count of the times she had tired to sever the connection, push him out of her mind or at the very least relegate him to some hidden corner where she wouldn't have to think about him. But nothing worked, and now she didn't want it to work. Emma needed Brennan, if only to block out the countless other voices that assailed her. She needed him to protect her from the insanity that threatened her everyday. At least, she was used to his mind. At least, she knew he wouldn't hurt her. Even if her didn't realise it, he was necessary for her.

Now all that has changed, Brennan was with Shalimar now. Or would soon be. Emma was no fool; she saw the way they looked at each other. He had never looked at her like that. They were friends no doubt, but he had never melted when he looked at her. And he never would, Emma told herself. She had to move on, she would survive. She would! She would rejoice in her friends' happiness. She would get rid of Brennan from her thoughts even if it killed her.

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Shalimar laughed as Brennan pulled a face at her. They were sitting on her bed having a very serious conversation on whether peanut butter could be eaten with jelly or not. Brennan was of the opinion that it was sacrilege not to, while the feral Shalimar wasn't really interested. Personally, she was a meat person, especially when it was fresh and rare. But . . anything to spend time with Brennan.

"Are you listening to me?" Brennan demanded.

Shalimar nodded absently, not really hearing what he said. She had just noticed that Brennan had the most adorable smile she had ever seen. In fact, he had the most adorable everything she had ever seen.

Brennan grinned, he didn't know why Shalimar had such a contended but smug expression on her face, but he liked it. "You look very silly right now, do you realise that?"

"Wha . . .? I look SILLY! How dare you?" With that, Shalimar jumped on top of Brennan. How dare he call her silly, and more importantly how dare he interrupt her when she was contemplating how cute he was!

For a minute or two they playfully tussled with each other, first tickling then (at least in Shalimar's case) playfully biting. Brennan tried to apologise but Shalimar was in no mood to listen. Finally, settling on top of him she said, "You are going to pay. No-one calls me silly and gets away with it." Normally, those words out of Shalimar's mouth would have frightened Brennan, but not now, considering the fact that she was smiling, like a contented cat.

Before he could come with any answer at all, Shalimar bent down and kissed him. For a second, Brennan was too surprised to respond - this beautiful, exciting creature was kissing him. But, of his own violation, his arms came up to pull her closer and deepen the kiss. This felt good, this felt right.

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This felt good, this felt right.

That thought slammed into Emma, robbing her of breath and thought. For a moment, she couldn't think and then the pain hit her. Brennan was kissing Shalimar, he was kissing another woman. He was happy in the arms of another woman.

The pain, the loss was unbearable. Emma's knees buckled and she fell to the floor, no longer capable of standing on her feet. She curled up into a ball, trying to push the joy Brennan felt out of her mind, trying to deny the pain it caused her.

She couldn't take this, every second that Brennan kissed Shalimar, another part of Emma died. She had to break the connection, and she had to break it. Whimpering with pain, she gathered all of her remaining strength and pushed Brennan out of her mind.

For a moment, something rebelled at this desecration. Whether it was some small part of her that didn't want to give up whatever connection she had with Brennan, or some hidden part of him, Emma didn't know. All she knew, for one sweet moment, was that he was out of her head. She could not longer sense Brennan and Shalimar kissing.

And then, all hell broke loose. The walls that Emma had constructed around her to keep the rest of the world out, crumbled like dry sand. She no longer had the strength to keep the rest of the world out. All her reserves had been spent trying to break her bond with Brennan. Now, nothing was left, and Emma was at the mercy of thousands of emotions.

Emma thrashed about on the floor as her mind was ravaged be the voices of millions. For a split second, a labouring woman's pain hit her, only to be inundated by the pain of a man burying his wife. The joy of first love, the betrayal of another, the peace of companionship and the deceit of life - all these emotions buffeted her. Her mind lay defenceless against these attacks.

What had she done?

Brennan . . . Brennan

As a new wave of sensations hit her, Emma succumbed to the pain and lost consciousness.

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