For all you impatient B/E shippers, may this satisfy you.

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*~ Concentrate Emma! Shut your mind to all other thoughts. Push them out of your mind. ~*

*~ I can't! I CAN'T. It's too painful. ~* Emma gasped as another wave of emotions overtook her. For a minute, she thought she was going to drown but somehow, she managed to fight her way to the surface. She collapsed onto all fours struggling for every breath.

Edward crouched down next to her and slowly massaged her back. "See, that wasn't too bad. Was it?"

All Emma did was glare at him, too tired to say anything. Edward smiled, knowing fully well how difficult it was to shut out the rest of the world and it's pain. *~ Still, Emma was doing well. ~*

"You call this . . . this, 'doing well'!" Emma spluttered, catching her breath long enough to say something.

"Yes, yes I do." Edward sat down, leaning against the wall. "I know you are tired of the pain, but please remember that protecting yourself is not a task accomplished in a day. You're still learning."

"Yes, but while I am learning I rather not have my mind fried in the process." Emma commented wryly, using the towel lying next to her, to dry her sweat drenched hair.

"I won't let that happen." Edward promised. "As long as I am here, I won't let anything happen to you." *~ Trust me. ~*

*~ Always. ~* Emma didn't have to look 'into' to believe him. She knew that he would protect her with everything in him.

"Why is it so much easier when you are with me in my mind?" Emma asked, sitting down in front of Edward so that she could see his face.

Edward smiled, "Because I know what I am doing. I can help you in blocking out unwanted thoughts. Two minds working together are always better than one alone."

"Then why do I need to work alone?

Edward didn't answer and Emma did not insist on an answer. The unspoken thought hung between them - *~ Because I cannot always be there. You do not want me to always be with you. ~*

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During one of their meditation exercises, Edward's stomach grumbled. Emma giggled, "Come on, I don't need to be psionic to know that you are hungry. Let's take a break and get something to eat."

"I'm game. Let's go." Edward agreed with some alacrity.

"Some telepath you are, can't even control your stomach."

"Hey, I said I can read people's thoughts, I didn't say I was some yogi or something. Minds are easy to control, but my stomach . . . I've got not control over it whatsoever." And right on cue his stomach protested again.

Emma rolled her eyes, "Well, I think we better feed it before it wakes everyone up."

As Emma and Edward turned into the kitchen, they realised that Edward's stomach had already woken up someone. Well, the fact that Shalimar was nocturnal could have something to do with it.

Shalimar turned around to see who was up at this time of the night. She smiled at Emma and politely nodded at Edward. The dojo incident might have thawed the ice a bit but spring was definitely a long way off.

"So, what brings you two here at this time of the night."

"Edward's very noisy stomach." Emma said as she plopped herself onto one of the kitchen seats and watched him attack the fridge.

"I meant, how come both of you are up at this time of the night."

"I had some trouble sleeping . . . so Edward thought that it would be best if we got training instead."

"Edward thought? How did he know . . .?" Shalimar was confused. *~ Please tell me that he isn't sharing a bed with her. ~*

Emma glanced at Shalimar and shook her head. Edward turned from the fridge and answered Shalimar, "She was in pain. I felt it."

Shalimar looked at Emma and then at Edward, those matter-of-fact sentences didn't tell the entire story. Emma didn't add anything; she didn't feel like explaining how Edward watched over her. How he protected her while she slept, cradling her, soothing away her pain and helping her sleep. The dark circles under his eyes were evidence enough of how caring he was, if anyone cared to look.

The three sat in silence, not knowing what to say. Edward ate his sandwich, looking carefully at the two women. Even without trying, he could feel Emma's discomfort; this had to stop. Somehow, he had to make the tension go away.

"You know, this peanut-butter sandwich doesn't taste complete without jelly."

*~ Brennan like jelly with peanut butter as well. ~* Emma's thought cut into him. The pain behind that innocuous thought made him rock back.

*~ Control, Emma. Control. ~* Edward admonished her. *~Stop thinking about him. ~* Emma took a deep breath and did what he told her.

Shalimar curiously watched the two psionics; something had just happened. Her sharp feral eyes couldn't help but notice how Emma's face had twisted with pain and how Edward had lost colour. Sure, it had only been for a moment but it HAD happened. Shalimar looked pointedly at Emma, but she reused to meet Shalimar's eyes. Something had definitely happened.

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After almost a month, most of the Mutant X member's had gotten used to Edward being around. If they ever saw Emma, Edward would usually be around, somewhere. Sometimes, in the background, sometimes in the other room. But always close enough to remind them - he was looking after Emma.

He was so unobtrusive that the team really didn't notice him most of the time. They were just happy Emma was better. She laughed a lot more, and was comfortable around them. It was almost like old times again - just with another shadow amongst them. Yes, Mutant X didn't mind Edward so much anymore. They were even willing to be friendlier towards him.

That is, except for Brennan.

Even though he acknowledged that Edward had helped Emma, he wanted the telepath out of their . . . *~ his life ~*. He had done his job; Emma was better, now he should leave. Nothing was going to budge Brennan from that stance.

On the rare occasions that Brennan calmly and rationally thought about Edward, he wondered at his aversion to the man. Edward hadn't done anything wrong, had not hurt anyone. So why was Brennan so unwilling to give him a chance?

*~ Because Emma smiles at him. She laughs with him. Her eyes light up when he walks in the room. Because she looks for him first when she enters the room. Because when she is in pain, she turns to him. ~*

Brennan tried to calm himself, forcing down his hatred of Edward. It came down to that - he hated the man. Brennan might not fully understand why, but he knew that he loathed Edward.

He looked up from his book to where Emma and Edward were sitting, deep in some conversation. Emma laughed at something Edward said, blushing deeply. Brennan could see her colour, even from a distance. Edward leaned in to whisper something in Emma's ear. Brennan gritted his teeth, very tempted to go over and yank Edward away from her. *~ I hate him. ~*

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*~ I hate him. ~*

Brennan's anger and hatred for Edward struck Emma. Try as she might, she could not shut him completely out of her mind. And now he was running the few precious moment of peace that she had. Why must he ruin everything for her? Why couldn't she keep him out of her mind? What was wrong with her?

She looked straight at him, angrily meeting his eyes, willing with all her might for him to leave her alone.

*~ Why do you trust him? ~* Brennan silently asked. He knew Emma, could hear him. He wanted her to answer him. Everything in him begged for an answer.

Emma heard the question but she heard much more. At some deeper level, she heard Brennan call out to her. *~ Why don't you trust me? Why have you turned away from me? I am sorry for whatever I have done. Please Emma . . . ~* Emma blanched; Brennan's sorrow and ache struck some deep nerve in her.

She closed her eyes, not knowing how to deal with Brennan's emotions which so carelessly enflamed hers. Her head spun, she could not deal with so much anguish - his, hers . . . The unhappiness of the two mingled and fed off each other till Emma could not tell if the pain she felt was hers or Brennan's.

She felt a hand on her shoulder; it was Edward smiling regretfully at her. He shook his head slightly. *~ Emma please, don't do this to yourself. ~*

*~ Then YOU tell me how to stop it. Tell me WHAT this is and I will stop it. Why do I feel this way? Why must he hurt me so much? WHY?! ~*

Edward didn't answer; he entered Emma's mind and severed the connection between her and Brennan. Emma gasped at the swiftness of it. The pain stopped, but now her body was empty, numb *~ so alone. ~* Silently Edward led Emma out of the room.

Brennan watched as Edward took Emma away. He could not move, the deadness in his body paralysing him. He almost welcomed the pain again. *~ At least, then I know she is still with me. ~*

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