This was written as a Christmas present for my little sys. I know I have gone cuckoo with that one! So feel free to leave a little review and tell me what you think (pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaase! you know how happy it makes me!)

They don't belong to me...

Enjoy!

Such a lovely place…

It was barely ten am and the temperature was already suffocating in their car. Heat waves were coming of the road ahead of them, blurring the landscape; that sight only reinforced her sensation of extreme warmth. The desert was stretching endlessly around them, bathed in a hot white over glowing sun. There were no trees, not even dead bushes. For the tenth time she cursed their leader for having sent them in that leaving hell on Christmas Eve. Things had only gotten worse when the ventilation had broken down.

Emma sighed heavily as the heat moulded a little more around her body, making little sweat drops slide along her neck and between her breasts. Feeling ill at ease, she moved a bit in her seat drawing the attention of her companion. His eyes moved, following the droplets moving down her chest.

Uncaring of the eyes quickly roaming over her body, she put a few strand of red hair behind her left ear. She sighed and switched the radio on; any distraction would be welcomed. Blues drifted from the speakers, slowly invading the small space. The young woman closed her eyes letting the music fill her senses. She would have fallen asleep if only it wasn't so warm inside their car. Her fingers started to drum on her bare thigh in time with the music.

"How long before we reach second sanctuary?"

Her question came unexpected, voiced in a breathy tone. Quickly he shifted his gaze back on the road, feeling guilty to have been caught staring. But he couldn't resist, his eyes were back on her as if drawn by a magnet.

"According to our GPS, barely a few hours."

Out of the blue, a metallic sound came from the engine; it was so loud it nearly covered the music. Seconds later, smoke escaped from the joints of the hood blurring his vision. The elemental slammed on the brakes, stopping the car on the roadside. Emma's eyes flew open under the abrupt deceleration.

"Damn it. Why do we always get the shitty missions? Nothing like that ever happened to Shal or Jesse. We're stuck in the middle of the desert under an unbearable heat and in search of what? Stupid data! Because Adam needs it on Christmas eve."

If it hadn't been so true, he would have laughed out loud at her unexpected outburst. They both always got the weirdest missions and troubles seemed to stick to them. Quickly he activated his comlink. Hopefully someone would pick them up quickly.

"Jesse. We got a small problem. Can you locate us?"

But instead of Jesse, Shalimar's laughing voice greeted them.

"What is the matter Brennan, have you lost your way again?"

A faint chuckle was heard and it only fuelled the anger of the two mutants.

"We have a problem with the car. The engine broke down and it's a hellhole here. So if Jesse could pick us up, it would be a great idea."

His voice got angrier, sending cold shivers down Emma's spine. The tension in the car only grew thicker when Shalimar told him that Jesse and Adam were both out with the helix and would not be back until later that night. The elemental cursed, angrily hitting the steering wheel. Through his comlink he could hear Shalimar typing, trying to locate them. His eyes landed on Emma again. She was slumped in her seat looking rather flustered.

"You're stranded. There is a little abandoned town 10 kilometres south from your position. You can find shelter there because right now, a huge storm is heading your way and the Helix would not go through it."

XXX

After several hours of strenuous walk under a blazing sun, they were both ready to abandon and settle anywhere. The sky above the desert was darkening too quickly for Brennan's liking. It was taking a grey shade mixed with angry reds. The clouds were expanding, growing with each passing second, becoming more threatening. Day light diminished quickly, until obscurity was encompassing them completely. Temperature began to drop, giving them some relief and allowing them to walk with more speed, renewed strength. The shadows of the little city got closer with each step and the restless feeling bubbling in Emma's mind only grew steadier.

When the first drop touched her head, she inwardly cursed. Soon it was painfully pounding on them, soaking their clothes, creating puddles of mud on the desert ground. Without thinking the elemental took her hand, urging them toward the constructions, toward shelter. Both mutants ran under the rain at an amazing speed until they finally reached the cover of a porch. The sound of the rain hammering on the roofs was a relief.

Brennan let his light backpack fall on the ground before taking in the sight of the town. Several brick buildings were aligned along a straight deserted street. A lightning bolt pierced through the darkened sky, revealing several broken windows. Unclosed doors were slamming, accompanying the sounds of rain and thunder creating a sinister music. This place was a caricature of a bad horror movie. The things that were missing to complete the picture were black cats and ghosts.

His head turned only to find Emma with her arms tightly wrapped around herself, shivering in her soaked clothes. A little flutter raised in his stomach as he watched her. He should be freezing, yet his blood was boiling. A peculiarly loud thunderbolt startled him, making him realize that Emma had reflexively gripped at his arm. When their eyes locked, he knew that something was wrong. Never before had he seen her so frightened.

"Emma?"

"I don't know what is going on there, but this place feels weird. I just hope Jesse and Adam will come quickly."

One of his arms slid around her waist bringing her close to him, hoping their proximity could bring her enough warmth and comfort. The young woman buried her face in his neck while gripping at his shirt. His arms tightened around her. It wasn't like her to react so strongly. The sensation that something was off wormed its way in his mind again.

It didn't last.

Soon, other repressed sensations surfaced. Her warm breath on his over sensitive skin, just where his blood was coursing, spread warmth in his whole body. Her hand started to play with the fabric of his shirt. The elemental had to bite his lower lip to repress a grunt. She wasn't making it any easier for him. His right hand gently gripped at hers, intertwining their fingers, stopping her fiddling with his shirt. It didn't help. She started nuzzling at his neck and it took all his willpower to push her away. She stared at him surprised, unable to understand, hurt he had rejected her.

"Brennan?"

The pained look in her eyes nearly made him forget what he was going to say. But they could not wait. He would deal later with the consequences.

"We need to find shelter for the night Emma. I think I spotted a house without broken windows."

XXX

Sure enough at the end of the only street, there was a brick house with unbroken windows. The two ran under the downpour. The rain had only peaked up and was now whirling with the wind further soaking them. Brennan touched the handle hoping that somehow the door was unlocked. It gave way easily. The heavy wooden door opened with a squeaking sound, like an unspoken invitation.

Once inside, they closed the door and let their backpacks down. The wind was howling, lashing at the windows, making the windowpanes tremble. Emma was still shivering but it wasn't from the cold anymore. Anguish washed through her, accelerating her heartbeat, her breathing. The atmosphere was even weirder inside. Each detail felt out of place. The warmth in the house wasn't natural.

Strangely, everything was clean, without any cobwebs or dust. Though the furniture seemed old, it wasn't damaged. In one corner, a candelabrum was lit as if someone had been waiting for them. Emma took Brennan's hand and silently pointed at the light. It was his turn to shiver. They had to get out quickly. Turning around, he saw the door disappearing, transforming itself into solid bricks.

What the hell had they stepped in?

He moved closer to the portion of the wall where the door had been. He didn't let go of Emma's hand for fear she might vanish. The texture and the colour of the bricks appeared so real. Yet it couldn't be true. Wood couldn't turn into brick. His hand approached the wall until his palm was touching the cold surface. It was rough. He pushed at the wall trying to see if it was really solid. It didn't give way. He tried to open the window but it was locked. Seconds later one of his feet connected with the glass. Pain radiated through his whole leg but the glass didn't break.

They were trapped. Brennan sighed before turning to face Emma. It was not the perfect little Christmas he had hoped for. His fingers brushed against her cheek. He gently put back a strand of hair behind her ear. His voice was barely above a whisper as if he might disturb the inhabitants of the house.

"What do we do now?"

Emma's eyes had closed at the contact wondering why he kept playing that little game. She took a step backwards, leaving the warmth of his hand. She had to focus on the situation.

"We need to see if someone is living here. Then if we don't find a way out, we'll settle for the night and wait for the others. Do you want to explore the first or the second floor?"

The psionic was already moving towards the stairs when he stopped her.

"Wait, Emma. I don't think it's wise to split."

"I know Brennan. But the faster we're out, the better I'll feel."

He watched her for a few seconds, weighing the consequences. If they ever separated, he wouldn't be able to make sure she was okay. The thought frightened him even more than what could possibly be in that house. Yet she was right.

"I'll take the second floor."

XXX

The thick carpet muffled the sounds of his footsteps but he could have sworn there were sounds of feet running behind him. Small feet, like those of a child. He stopped and slowly turned around. His eyes went from one side of the hall to the other. No one was behind him, not even a shadow. The elemental shrugged, blaming his hyperactive imagination.

He tried to open several doors but the handles didn't move. So instead of trying vainly, he started watching the different photo frames while going down the hall. One especially caught his eyes. A little girl, around 10, was smiling between her parents. The faded colors, their clothing indicated that it was a rather old picture. He couldn't help it. His fingertips brushed against the glass underlining the face of the little girl. She remembered him of someone but he couldn't quite place it. He shook his head; if he started believing crazy things, it would only complicate things. With a sigh, he resumed his search.

At the end of the hall, there was a door slightly ajar. He pushed it open and found himself in front of a very surprised Emma. The two looked at each other stunned not understanding what was going on. The elemental couldn't contain his worried exclamation.

"Emma, what are you doing on the second floor?"

Her eyes went wide. She had just left the kitchen to enter what had appeared to be the living room. Why was she in a bedroom and why was Brennan here? There had to be a logical explanation. Brennan was certainly playing a nasty joke on her.

"We are on the first floor, Brennan."

The elemental frowned. He was too stunned to even argue with her. His mouth opened a few times only to close after a few seconds. His absence of reaction angered her. She stormed out of the room going through the door he had taken to come in. The door slammed shut behind her and she found herself in a hall, alone.

She quickly walked to the next door only to find it closed. She repeated the action several times with other doors but with no success. Every time she touched a new handle, she could have sworn someone was behind her, softly laughing. A shiver ran through her whole body as the soft crystalline laughter went past her. The sound slowly reached her soul, mesmerizing her. She followed it until she reached another door. Breathing deeply, she pushed it very slowly opened. She couldn't repress the old childish fear that a monster was hidden in the room. Somehow she had the feeling she wouldn't like what was behind that door.

Her blood ran cold. She was in the same room she had left barely minutes ago. Her mind screamed at her it was impossible. The house was longer than larger. Her brain worked at light speed, trying to figure out what was happening. There were only two possibilities; either some psionic she had failed to sense was playing tricks on them or they had stepped in a haunted house. The first explanation was unlikely.

Brennan was coming out of another door. He stopped dead on his tracks as he saw her, standing in the room he had left minutes ago. Without a word, he walked past her and got out of the room. Emma shrugged and took the opposite direction. After a few minutes, she was back in the kitchen. The young woman was afraid to move, afraid to enter that strange bedroom again. But did she have another choice? They needed to find a way out of the house and without exploring it they would never get out of this situation.

She wanted nothing more than to crawl in a little corner and sleep. With a heavy sigh she walked to the door and opened it. The sight that greeted her made her want to scream.

Same bedroom; Brennan standing there with an annoyed expression. The psionic slammed the door shut, her eyes still glued on Brennan. However, something behind him caught her eyes. The doorframe was vanishing quickly and from the look on his face, something similar was happening behind her. Instinctively they stepped in the middle of the room.

They were truly trapped.

Emma turned around a few times, taking a better look at the closed space. A dressing table with an ancient silver framed mirror, a four-poster bed with what seemed to be clean sheets, a rocking chair, which was moving and no windows or doors; they couldn't escape. The room was already lit with candles burning on the dressing table and the nightstands. In the background, soft music was playing, giving the closed space an even creepier atmosphere. But there were no speakers; it seemed to come from the walls.

Both mutants were turning in the room like caged tigers desperately trying to find an exit. Brennan was lightly hitting every wall to find a hidden door. But it was useless. Emma on the other hand was getting closer to the bed, running her fingers on the wooden furniture. There was no dust as if someone had done some housework.

"Someone has cleaned the room."

The elemental didn't answer. He was frozen, staring at the rocking chair, softly humming the tune coming from the walls. He seemed hypnotized by the movement of the chair, lost in his own little world. Worried, Emma came to stand beside him softly resting a hand on his shoulder.

"Brennan?"

"The sun ain't gonna shine anymore. My mother used to sing me that song when I was a little boy."

The psionic raised one eyebrow but didn't comment. The whole situation was getting creepier with each passing seconds; the town, the storm, the house. And Brennan's reaction to what was happening was worrying her. Gently she squeezed his shoulder. He finally turned around to face her. She didn't remove her hand. Startled by the contact, he looked down at her fingers resting on his arm.

"Brennan, we need to find a way out."

Anger rose like a tidal wave in his mind, suppressing the bubbling fear, and the annoying nostalgia creeping on his heart. Emma was creating that illusion. Somehow her powers had trapped them inside the room. She was doing it on purpose, as a vengeance. He perfectly knew that he had been awfully nasty with her lately, but it wasn't a reason to use one of his weaknesses against him.

"Emma, I'm not going to tell you this twice. Stop that immediately!"

She looked up at him, startled at sudden angry display and raised voice. He could not truly believe she was creating all their surrounding. The thought sickened her. She did not have such strength and she would never put him through that kind of mental torture.

"Are you crazy, Brennan? Can you seriously think that I would do that to you? Do you truly think I would use one of your most painful memories? I thought you knew me better than that."

Seeing her pained face, he cursed inwardly. The last thing he wanted was hurt her.

"That's not what I wanted to say. I'm sorry Emma."

The psionic was ready to answer when the outlines of the room suddenly blurred around them. The straight lines became meandering snakes, reflecting the changing lights. A strange warmth appeared on her left. The sensation was accompanied by flickering lights. They danced on the disappearing wall, getting more tangible. A fireplace soon framed the glowing flames. Close to it, there was a huge Christmas tree decorated with red and white candles, fancy glass decorations, and candies. Behind them, a plush couch appeared. A huge shelf covered with old books, pictures and newspapers was occupying the wall on their left.

Suddenly Emma felt someone slipping a tiny hand in hers. She turned her head slowly, locking eyes with Brennan. The elemental was frozen, unable to move. And when a small voice erupted between them, their eyes instantly went down.

"Mom, dad, where are the Christmas presents? Did Santa Claus forget us?"

A little girl with curly brown hair was standing holding their hands. Her head was lightly tilted up so that she could watch the two adults. Her lips curved in a tiny interrogative pout. The elemental did a double take. The child between them was the one he had seen on the picture in the hall. He barely had the time to blink when the child vanished, dissolving into a mist.

"Was that a …"

His question hung in the room. Emma nodded, knowing what he feared to say. A ghost. They had just met a real ghost. The young woman wanted to scream, but her voice died on her lips. Seeing her so distressed, he took her hand and gently squeezed it. Emma smiled at him before mouthing a silent thank you. The elemental smiled back before getting closer to the shelf. Something on the lower shelf caught his attention. An old picture book, with the name 'Peyton Micheals' written in golden letters, was sitting there among old letters and various bibelots. He took it and opened it. In the meantime, Emma had joined up with him and had taken his arm. Her fingers lightly touched the pictures while he turned the pages. The pictures stuck on the pages resumed the whole life of the family from the birth of the little girl to her first steps, then her first Christmas. They both laughed when they saw her dressed like a big cat for a Halloween party. And suddenly the pictures weren't there anymore. The corners were still there but their edges were irregular as if someone had torn the pictures. Something must have had happened to the family.

Brennan barely had the time to consider that last thought when he felt an odd sensation at the base of his neck. Coldness slid along his spine, settling through his whole body. Looking down at Emma he realized he was the only one affected by the mysterious cold. His eyes swept across the room trying to find the source. For a few seconds he froze. Lines were moving again. Quickly he grabbed one of the newspaper before the room dissolved again.

TBC