Rating: G
Pairing: Shalimar/Emma
Series: Two Hearts
Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters; all rights go to those who do. I am just using them.
~*~*~
Several months had passed, and the Mutant X team was back and as strong as ever. Shal and Emma were practically inseparable. They did everything from sleep, to eat, to even sometime bathing together. It was all innocent play of course, because they had come to an agreement; under no circumstances were they to even thing about each other like that. It was a difficult agreement to keep, but as time passed by, they started to find other people they were interest in.
Emma had met another psionic with abilities similar to her own. Her name was Amanda, but she was allowed to call her Mandy. She was the same age as her and they shared almost everything in common. She was a new person to fixate all of her emotions on; but in the back of her mind she never forgot Shalimar.
Shal had her own crush to worry about. She and Brennan began to pick up slowly where they left off. After she reassured him that she and Emma were just good buddies, he begin to open up more. They were back to hand holding, sharing poetry, and even slept together in the same bed a couple of times. But Shalimar still couldn't deny that the chemistry with Emma was still there. She kind of felt guilty admitting it, but she was jealous of Mandy.
She seemed to make Emma happy in a way that Shal had convinced herself that she couldn't. It wasn't like she hated her, because she didn't. She was a sweet kid and if she didn't drool all over Emma like she did, she was sure that she wouldn't have this insatiable need to punch her. But she was the one that had told Emma she wasn't ready for a relationship so who was she to tell her who she could date.
It was only now that things begin to become uncomfortable. Emma and Mandy's displays of affection were seriously starting to get to Shalimar. She didn't like it when Emma stared at Mandy's body and not hers, she hated the fact that she would rather spend time with Mandy then with her; but the thing that really bothered her was the conversations they would have. Shalimar had know Emma for years and it took her that entire time to warm up to her; where as Mandy, had only know her for a couple of months and she could tell every story there was to know about Emma's life. It particularly irritated Shal when she found out that Mandy knew somethings that Emma didn't bother to share with her. Shalimar felt like a third wheel when she hung out with them, so she decided the simple solution would be to just stop all together. She would let the two young lovers have their space, even if it meant that she had to stay away.
Her idea worked well for a little while, but then Emma started to become suspicious. It seemed like every time she and Mandy would enter a room together, Shal would exit as quickly as they came in. She was beginning to think that Shal didn't like her much any more. So one day she decided to confront Shal as to why she was avoiding her.
Shal was in her usual spot, outside in the garden practicing her moves. She was graceful and agile; Emma loved to spy on her when she was doing this, because it reminded her how wonderful Shal's body truly was. She would never admit to anyone, but she felt honored that she was Shal's first female experience; in fact, she was her only female experience.
It didn't take Shal long to realize that someone was watching her; and as she went to confront her peeping tom, she was relieved and a little flattered when she saw it was Emma.
"Whatcha doing?" She said with a slight smirk.
"I'm watching you! You're so beautiful when you practice."
Shal blushed at the comment, but didn't let Emma know how moved she was.
"That doesn't give you the right to infringe on my privacy now does it?"
"Why must you tease me?"
"Simple, because I'm good at it!"
"Really!"
"Damn straight!"
Both girls were laughing now; and with that Emma did a quick drop kick, that sent Shal straight into the pond. Unfourtuanately for Emma, her first reaction was to grab onto something; and that something was Emma. They both were sent tumbling towards the water.
Shal was infuriated when she pulled herself out of the water and onto dry land.
"Why the hell did you do that? You know I hate water!"
"Calm down, I just felt that you deserved a little beating for teasing me."
"Oh, now you're mine!"
Emma took off in the opposite direction the minute she noticed Shalimar get that yellow glow in her eyes. She had almost made it to the court yard door, but Shal was just too fast for her. Shal wrapped her wet arms around Emma's exposed skin and picked her up. But Em wasn't about ready to give up without a fight; she grabbed the door frame with both hands, but because she was all wet, her grip wasn't strong enough to hold on. She made a gurrrr face and with that Shal spent her around and around until Emma told her she was going to throw up if she didn't put her down.
They both collapsed on top of each other in a fit of laughter. They hadn't had this much fun in a long time. As they both layed there starring at one another, Emma leaned over and kissed Shal on the forehead.
"What was that for?"
"I don't know, I guess I'm just glad that you don't hate me like I thought you did."
Shal looked confusingly at Emma; and then realized that all of that avoiding she was doing was hurting Em's feelings.
"Em, I don't hate you."
"Then why have you been avoiding me lately? It seems like every time I walk into a room, you quickly walk out of it. I wasn't sure if it was a hygiene issue or if it was just me."
Shalimar smiled and giggled at Emma's innocents. She was so cute with her lower lip sticking out in a sad face.
"I'm not leaving now, am I?"
"Not if I can help it!"
And with that, Emma reached over and grabbed Shalimar by her waist and pulled her closer to her. They were just starting to get comfy when a small voice called out to the court yard.
"Em, are you out here?"
Before they could even respond, Mandy was standing right in front of them. Her look was a cross between shocked and hurt. She had always known that Em and Shal were close; but when she heard the thoughts that each of them were thinking register in her mind, she knew that it was more then a friendship.
"Hey, what's up?" Emma said nervously.
"Nothing much, what are you up too?"
Shal could sense that Mandy was a tad jealous; and she couldn't help but be smug at the thought of rubbing it in her face. Instead of letting go of Emma, like she knew she should have, she simply resumed her snuggling. It was about time she showed junior who was more important.
"Well, I can see you two are busy so I'll just let you get back to whatever it was you were doing; if you'll excuse me."
Emma felt terrible. She pulled herself away from Shalimar and ran after Mandy. She had screwed up, big time.
"Mandy, hey Mandy wait!"
Amanda stopped dead in her tracks and swiftly turned to face Emma. She was fully aware that Emma had no idea what to say to her. Mandy was fully aware of how much she liked Shalimar, and she couldn't deny that she still cared.
"Emma, I can't do this!"
"Do what?"
"Oh, please don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about! Don't play stupid Em, it's beneath you!"
"Shal and I were just being silly, it wasn't what you thought"
"Actually, I wasn't the one who was doing the thinking back there. You know Emma, for someone who is so smart; you can sure be dumb sometimes. "
"Mandy you are over reacting. I…"
"You are blind! That woman in there, the one you claim to only be friends with is crazy about you! She was thinking the exact same thing about you as you were about her. She wants you Em, just as much as you want her. Now I know that I am not the most observant person, but if you can't at least admit that you are no where near being over her, then you don't deserve any of my time. I like you Emma and I know that you like me too; but you will never care for me as much as you do for Shalimar. And I think you know that as well as I do!"
Emma couldn't deny it. She was still head over heels for Shal, but they had both agreed that it wasn't going to happen.
"Em, I can read what you are thinking; and I know you think that you can continue to be just friends, but it's not going to work. She wants you as much as you want her. I can sense it. She was threatened by me out there. Let's face it, she has marked you as her territory; and that will never change. Now if you'll excuse me, I really do have some work to do."
Emma spent that rest of the day mopping around confused and frustrated. She felt like she was right back where she started seven months ago. She wanted Shalimar and Shalimar wanted her; but neither one of them had enough guts to admit it.
"I have a headache."
Created on ... May 05, 2003