Relation to other stories: Sequel to "The Feral Of My Affections"

Disclaimer: Not owned by me but here they be.

Warnings: Yep, slash be ahead.

There's Something About Shalimar

Shalimar awoke to an empty bed, rubbing her throbbing head, instantly feeling the remaining buzz from her celebration with Emma last night. Sanctuary has been stress free for a month now and she could only hope today would keep the current track record in tact as she didn't even feel like getting up to begin with.

She sprawled her hand across the sky blue sheets beside her, her fingers tingling under the warmth she could still feel from where the psionic's body had slept. She propped herself up on her elbow and glanced around the room for any sign of her absent lover. Though her eyes informed her the psionic wasn't about her keen feral senses eased her thoughts with the realization she was in fact very close by.

"Morning," a bright and cheery Emma greeted as she stepped from the bathroom door, sliding herself under the covers beside the feral.

Shalimar returned the woman's loving smile and leaned over to kiss the lips she'd awoken to for the past month grateful today was another day she'd have to experience the same joy.

"Sleep well?" Emma asked, nuzzling herself against the feral's welcoming body.

"Always do," she answered with a smile placing a delicate kiss on the woman's forehead. "So we still goin' on our picnic today?"

"I don't see what would possibly stop us."

The psionic smiled, leaning forward to nip at the sweet lips her lover pressed to her own. She cuddled herself closer to the warmth of the feral, calm serenity sweeping over her. She felt Shalimar's warm fingertips gently caressing the length of her arm, soothing her skin with every soft touch.

"I think we better get up soon, honey," Emma informed though she knew she wouldn't protest to spending the whole day in bed with the feral.

Shalimar dragged out a long growl at the news, letting her hand trail upwards to weave between the soft strands of the psionic's displaced, red locks.

"Come on," Emma pushed further. "It's almost eleven a.m. already."

Shalimar whimpered to signify her obvious protests to getting out of bed. She held the psionic closer, her hot breath blowing across the back of her head, and twisted them further down under the covers.

"Come on, Shal, we gotta get up if we wanna have a nice day together."

"Later," Shalimar said, a slight hint of weariness coming through in her soft tone.

"The day will be almost gone, sweetie."

Shalimar let out a long sigh.

"There'll be another one tomorrow."

Emma twisted against Shalimar's chest until she was looking into the half opened eyes of the feral.

"Do I have to drag you out of this bed?" she teased, a playful grin moving over her soft features. She shifted her body, Shalimar's own moving in union with hers until she was bracing herself on her arms above the golden locked feral. "Ya know," playfulness evident in Emma's voice as she spoke, her face only inches from the feral's. "I could just make you get up if I wanted to," she reminded, a small psi beam making itself known on her forehead for a brief moment.

Shalimar grinned, reaching her hand around the psionic's neck, gently massaging the soft skin her fingertips rested upon.

"You don't need to make me do anything," she confirmed, bringing Emma's head down to her own, embracing her lips with her own hungry mouth.

Emma lowered herself down to the feral, deepening their kiss, her breasts resting on Shalimar's own through the thin fabric of their tank tops. Shalimar's hands soon found their way up the sides of the psionic, taking her top with them as they left her body. Warm fingers pressed one by one into Emma's back and she sighed with pleasure as she pulled her mouth from Shalimar's, her warm breath passing through the feral's lips.

Emma's eyes closed at the comforting pleasure of being so close to Shalimar, a low moan escaping her lips as her warm fingers trailed their way down her collar bone and across her breasts. She opened her eyes at the sudden feel of the feral's delicate fingers embracing her nipple; a proud grin sprawled across Shalimar's face. Her predatory gaze locked with Emma's as she continued to dazzle her senses.

"Now," Shalimar's voice was so low and sexy it sent even more chills down the psionic's spine as she gazed into golden brown eyes below her. "What were you saying?"

Emma smiled, gripping Shalimar's free hand with her own and entwining their fingers, holding her as close as she could.

"Forget it," she said, quickly pushing any thoughts unrelated to that very moment from her consciousness.

Hours later Emma slowly awoke, stretching her overworked body as clarity reentered her mind. Upon fully opening her eyes her realization that Shalimar was gone drove her to rise from the bed. She reached to her clothes on the floor and began dressing herself, wondering where the feral had gone. After throwing on her bra, tank top, and sleep pants she headed out of the room.

"Shal?" she called as she walked down the hall in search of her missing lover. "Shalimar?"

Where was everyone? It wasn't like them to leave without telling her or even asking her if she wanted to go. It certainly wasn't like Shalimar. They were practically inseparable. She stood still for a moment trying to conceive an idea of what to do. It was obvious no one was here so she decided to head back to the room and check her comlink. She and Shalimar were always sure to remove them before getting into bed to ensure their privacy and place them in the small jewelry box on the nightstand.

She stepped through her bedroom door instantly recognizing the blonde hair she was facing the back of.

"Shalimar," she questioned as she closed the door behind her. "Where were you?"

"Hey, Em," the feral greeted, turning to face her with a bright smile. "I just had to go over to Brennan's room for a sec. I was only gone for a few minutes I didn't think you'd wake up."

"Well, thanks for letting me know," the psionic almost seemed to snap back, brushing past Shalimar as she headed towards the bed.

Curiosity quickly arose in the feral as her eyes followed the psionic studying her body language, obvious her demeanor had changed very quickly.

"Something you wanna talk about?" she simply asked, removing her blue jeans and beginning to fold them.

"Forget it," Emma brushed the statement off, slipping herself into bed and covering herself up as she lie on her side, her face hidden from the inquisitive feral's eyes.

Shalimar placed her jeans on the chair in the corner and slowly walked to her side of the bed. She actually didn't even have a side of the bed. Her and Emma usually just slept holding each other in the center of it, or lying on each other in some form, but Emma's distance now as she pushed herself closer to the edge of the bed was quickly catching the feral's attention and wonder. She slid herself back under the covers, hesitating as she debated the desire to wrap her arms around the psionic. She lie still for a moment waiting to see if Emma would talk to her. Why was she acting so put off all of a sudden?

"Em," she finally spoke, reaching out to place a comforting hand on the psionic's shoulder. "Is something bothering you?"

Emma remained silent and motionless only adding to the feral's increasing worry.

"Emma, can you look at me please?"

Emma sighed and finally turned over, sitting herself up. It was obvious by her annoyed facial expression she'd have much preferred to have kept her gaze off Shalimar.

"What's wrong with you?" Shalimar asked as she joined the psionic in a sitting position.

"Nothing," Emma quickly denied.

"Emma, I thought we agreed to come to each other with our problems."

"Well, I guess you agreed to go to Brennan didn't you?"

The statement took the feral off guard. She wanted to put her defenses up as soon as she heard it but took a deep breath reminding herself fighting with Emma was the last thing she wanted to do.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Emma furled her brow, turning her gaze from the feral as if she herself was trying to figure it out.

"I don't know," she finally answered, allowing herself to look in Shalimar's eyes once more. "I don't know why I just said that." Her voice was softer now, less harsh and it almost reassured the feral.

"Well, there must've been a reason."

"I …don't know," she restated, seeming shocked herself that the words had found their way past her lips. "I'm gonna go get dressed ok. You too. I wanna get going on our romantic picnic as soon as possible," she said with a smile as she leaned in to kiss Shalimar. After ending the sweet kiss she pulled back, framing the feral's confused face with her hands. "And as much as I hate to say it," she began, grinning down at the feral's exposed thighs as she trailed her eyes up to the black thong she wore, "put some clothes on, honey."

Emma quickly kissed the feral again before sliding herself out of bed. Shalimar watched in confusion as she entered the bathroom keeping the smile on her face the entire time as if nothing had just happened. Why did her attitude change so quickly like that? Shalimar's intuition told her something about Emma's behavior just didn't seem natural and the thoughts of something being either wrong between them or wrong with Emma quickly upset her stomach, sending her bolting from the room and into the bathroom in the hall as her nausea overwhelmed her.