Disclaimer: I don’t own mutant X or the characters. Note: Just a short thing I came up with for the holiday.

Shalimar sat in the club watching Jesse and Emma dance together. It was New Years Eve and she was in a club alone at one of the tables. A few men had asked her to dance, but she refused them. There was only one man she wanted, but at the moment he was nowhere to be seen. The expression ‘out of sight out of mind’ unfortunately didn’t apply itself here. He was very much on her mind, or rather, what he could be doing and who he could be with were on her mind.

About five minutes later Brennan walked up to the table to find Shalimar drowning in her thoughts. He called her, but it took more than that to shake her back to reality. He walked around the table and sat down next to her putting an arm around her.

She jumped, startled by the sudden cold touch of his leather jacket and hand on her shoulder. He had obviously been outside. Brennan looked at her concerned. “You ok, Shal?”

She looked up at him and shook her head, before tears started to trickle down her face. Brennan wrapped his arms around her and let her cry into his chest. He kissed her head before taking her hand and leading her out of the club.

It was quieter outside and he wouldn’t have to yell in order for her to hear him. He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself trying to keep warm. “Shalimar, what’s wrong?” he asked taking his jacket off and putting it over her shoulders. She had forgotten her own jacket at Sanctuary and her black off the shoulder long sleeve shirt looked great but did nothing for warmth.

She leaned into his arms and let him hold her. “I wanna go home, Brenn. I don’t have a date, I’m hungry and I’m tired and I’m cold and...”

“Hey, shh, no more. Come on, stop crying I’ll take you home.” He said softly as he brushed his thumbs over her cheeks. Taking her hand he led her to the Mustang.

“Shouldn’t we tell Emma and Jesse that we’re leaving?”

“Nah, they’ll figure it out. Jesse was lookin’ for a little time alone with Emma tonight anyway. Might as well not bother them. If they get worried they’ll use the comm. rings to contact us.”

A few minutes later the heat in the car had kicked in and Brennan’s jacket was keeping Shal a little too warm. She took it off her shoulders and laid it across her lap. Brennan looked over at her and his breath caught in his chest. Her top left her shoulders bare and the low jeans she had on left a gap between the bottom of her shirt and her belt. He smiled. She always looked so beautiful. Reaching over he took her hand. “You wanna stop to get something to eat on the way home or would you rather me just take you home and tuck you in?”

She smiled. “Yes, and yes.”

He laughed. “Ok, where do you want to go?”

Shalimar thought for a minute. “How about the diner?”

Brennan nodded and within minutes they were in the parking lot.

After being seated and ordering some food they started talking. Time flew and before they knew it, it was only one minute until the New Year. Brennan took Shalimar’s hand and squeezed it lightly. “Ya know Shal, The new year is supposed to bring new things.”

“Like what kinds of new things?” She could tell he was going somewhere with this but wasn’t quite sure where.

“A lot of wonderful, different things...new adventures, new experiences...” he looked up and met her eyes as he kissed her hand tenderly. “...new relationships.”

Shalimar’s heart skipped a beat. “Brennan...” Just then everyone in the restaurant started counting down from ten as they watched the giant ball drop slowly. Shalimar and Brennan stood so they could see the small TV in the corner of the room above the counter.

“Five”

“Four”

“Three”

“Two”

“One”

“HAPPY NEW YEAR!” Everyone shouted.

Brennan pulled Shalimar closer and kissed her. Her eyes widened, but shut fast as she melted into his kiss. After a few seconds they broke apart. Shalimar gazed up at him as he met her eyes. “New relationships huh?”

Brennan nodded and leaned down to give her another gentle kiss, praying that she wouldn’t push him away. She didn’t and when they broke apart for the second time he found her smiling up at him. “I like that idea.”

“Me too.”

After they finished desert they got in the car and headed home. By the time Brennan pulled into the garage Shalimar had fallen asleep. He brushed a piece of hair out of her eyes and then got out and went around to pick her up.

He carried her slowly through Sanctuary, not really wanting to let her go, to her room before gently laying her down in her bed. She jumped and with a small gasp her eyes snapped open as he put her down.

“Shh, it’s ok,”

Shalimar put her head down on the pillow and closed her eyes as Brennan leaned down to kiss her forehead. “Brenn, stay with me tonight?” she mumbled. “Just to hold me?”

He smiled and kicked his shoes off, before slipping her high healed boots off and climbing into her bed. Shalimar sat up and then slid under her covers before snuggling closer to Brennan.

“Goodnight Shal, I love you,” He whispered softly.

“Love you too, Brenn,”

He kissed her head as she drifted to sleep in his arms. *The new year defiantly does bring new and wonderful things* he thought. Smiling he pulled her closer and fell asleep beside her.

~*~* Hope you liked it! Please review!

~*Fiery Feral*~