Disclaimer: Mutant X is not mine!

Reality?

Shalimar sighed and turned around once more. She was still feeling the pain in her body from the injuries she had, during the last mission. She was glad Adam had a little machine, which could heal all external injuries. Still, the pain was there. Maybe, he could invent something for that as well. She watched her alarm and saw it was 3.30 in the morning. She couldn't sleep.

In a couple of hours, they were going to celebrate her birthday, but she wasn't feeling up to that. During her last mission she got injured and Brennan was so mad about that, he walked away after punching his hand to the wall, which now had a big hole. They hadn't seen Brennan the rest of the day, but one hour ago she had heard him come in. She remembered the mission. She and the others were saving a couple of new mutants and during her fight with some men, she jumped and she didn't realize, before it was to late, that they were holding a gun and were aiming at her. She heard a great noise and fell on the floor, and everything turned black. The next thing she remembered was, she was in bed in the lab and Emma was saying how happy she was to have her back again. She didn't really understand it and she looked at Adam, who said that the wound almost killed her. And she had reacted as always, with a joke. Brennan didn't appreciate that and became furious. He told her, she was too reckless and they could all have been killed because of her. He turned around, punched the wall and left. Now he was back, in bed, in the next room and she knew he couldn't sleep either. She wondered why he did react that way. She had been injured before and never had he been so mad. Everything has changed, since that day; she went undercover in a group of terrorists, who were planning to kill Adam. He had been so protective of her and after her mission, he had said some wonderful things and she had to kiss him. He was just so sweet and adorable then. He still was, but his reaction...He looked like her boyfriend!

Shalimar laughed at her own thoughts, but suddenly she was sitting straight up and said: "Maybe that is it!" She couldn't believe what she was thinking and jumped out of her bed, forgetting the pain from the injuries! She screamed and was kneeled on the floor. She had trouble breathing. The door opened and Brennan came in. He rushed to her and was putting a hand on her waist. He helped her to her bed and let her sit down. Brennan said: "What the hell did you do out of bed? Adam said to take it easy!" Shalimar didn't answer and was looking at him. He was wearing black shorts and he looked gorgeous. He always did. Brennan saw Shalimar staring and said:" Shalimar, are you going to answer me?" Shalimar shrug her shoulders and said:" I was thinking about the mission. I didn't see the gun, until I was in the air and it was too late. And then I jumped out of my bed, because I was mad at myself. I forgot I was injured" She hesitated and then asked:" Why was it so different this time? I was injured a lot of times and this will not be my last. Why were you getting so angry for?" Now it was Brennan's turn to hesitate. He walked to the chair, standing next to her bed and sat down. He took her hands and was going to say something, when suddenly the door opened for the second time. Jesse entered and looked worried. He said:" Shalimar, are you okay? I heard you scream!" Shalimar laughed and said:" I'm all right. I was just moving too much and the pain was killing me. I woke Brennan too." Jesse looked at Brennan and said:" We were worried about you. Where have you been? Tell me everything!" Brennan looked at Shalimar and then stood up. He walked to the bed and kissed her on her head. "Stay in bed, Shalimar. Do it for me!" He went to the door, looked at her one more time and then closed the door. Shalimar was left alone, totally surprised by the kiss on her head.

The next morning Shalimar was up early. Normally she went for a run to the lake, but this time it would be a walk, she decided. She put on some old jeans, a black shirt and her leather jacket. She left Sanctuary and went for the lake. By the lake there was a tree, which had fallen on the ground. Shalimar always climbed on the tree and sat there for hours. It was her favorite place. She tried to climb, but her body was aching too much. She cursed a couple of times. Suddenly she heard footsteps and she recognized them immediately. Brennan was standing behind her and said:" Did Adam never teach you that a lady doesn't curse?" Shalimar smiled and answered:" I want to sit on the tree, but my body aches too much." Brennan looked at her, stepped forward and put his hands in her waist and lifted her up. Now their faces were at the same height. Shalimar thanked him with a great smile. Brennan was getting something out of his pocket and held it in front of him. It was a little brown box. He opened it and inside there was a thin golden necklace with a gold heart. In the gold heart was the letter "B". Shalimar looked at him surprisingly and he said: "When you got shot and we heard from Adam, that it was almost a deadly injury, I promised myself, that if you were to be alive, I would tell you about my feelings for you. So here it goes: I love you, Shalimar." Shalimar's mouth was wide open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. He loved her! Brennan loved her! Shalimar took the necklace, put it on and smiled. She pulled Brennan towards her and was throwing her legs around his waist. She strangled her arms around his neck and looked at him. He saw her eyes and they told him what she was feeling. He smiled too and bended his head in her direction. He put his lips on hers softly and tasted them. Shalimar reacted immediately and kissed him back. The kiss changed from a soft one to a more passionate one and Shalimar wasn't thinking at her pain anymore. She was thinking of Brennan and his wonderful lips. After a couple of hours they both lay on the tree and Shalimar was listening to Brennan's breathing. It was so relaxing to hear that and slowly she closed her eyes.

Ring! Ring! Ring! The noise was horrible in Shalimar's bedroom. She was under a blanket and the only thing you saw were some blonde hairs. Shalimar moaned, when she heard the alarm go off. She didn't feel waking up and decided to lay in bed a couple of minutes more. But the door opened and Jesse, Emma, Adam and Brennan were entering the room. The first three were singing "Happy Birthday", Brennan was just smiling. Shalimar laughed, because singing was not something they could. It sounded horrible, but it was so sweet. Her fingers were searching for the necklace, but there was nothing on her neck. Shalimar started panicking and jumped out of her bed and forgot her pain again. She felt her body aching and Jesse asked if she was all right. She grinned in spite of her pain and said: "Stop asking me that! You asked me that last night. You don't have to worry. I'm feeling good." Jesse looked kind of confused. "Shal, I wasn't here last night. I have been sleeping since yesterday. I was really tired of the mission." he said. Shalimar looked at him and shook her head. "You were here with Brennan. I screamed and you both heard that."
Brennan shook his head now. "I was in my room. Never heard you scream. You must have been dreaming." Shalimar was silent and Emma said:" Come, go get dressed. You need to open your presents." Adam, Emma and Jesse congratulated her and they all kissed her. Brennan was the last one. He kissed her on the cheek and that made her think. "Brennan, were you at the lake with me this morning?" she asked. Brennan looked at her and shook his head. "No, you must have been dreaming that too. I am sorry." He could see that wasn't the answer she wanted to hear. He went for the door.

Shalimar wiped the tears out her eyes. She wasn't going to cry about a dream, she told herself. She walked to her bed, stepped in it and pulled the blankets. She turned around and lay on her side. She put her hands under the pillow and felt something hard. She grabbed it and pulled it under the pillow. In her hand there was a little box. She smiled and opened the box. In the box there was a golden necklace with a heart. The heart had a letter "B" in it. There was also a little note. She folds it open and she started to read:

"My dear Shalimar,

Today is your birthday, one you almost didn't celebrate. But fortunately, you can. When you were unconscious, I promised myself that if you were going to survive this, I would tell you, how I felt. My feelings for you in the beginning were friendly, but, Shalimar, somewhere it changed. I started to care about you more than I expected and at first, it scared the hell out of me. You know me! But I was thinking that a life without you next to me is more scaring. How could life with you be awful? I began to love you and my love for you is so great, so huge that I told myself to tell you. When you walk in the room later and you will be wearing my necklace, I know you feel the same way about me. If you don't, your answer will be no. I really hope I can accept that, but I have to.

So, my dear Shalimar, I hope you will have a great birthday and enjoy the decorations we made. (Emma thinks, you will hate it!)

With all my love, forever yours,

Brennan."

Shalimar wiped the tears of the note that were coming out of her eyes. The note was so sweet. She looked at the necklace, smiled, took it out of the box and put it on her neck. She looked in the mirror and watched her own reflection. "I love you too, Brennan" she said and then went to the bathroom. She closed the door behind her.

The End.