Author's notes: Words grouped together are voices that are coming into
Schuldig's head. If anyone knows how to do the italics.tell me!! Onegai!?!
*big puppy eyes* ^^ Enjoy.
Chapter Fifteen: To Cling Without Shame
Schuldig whimpered slightly and curled up tighter. He hated this feeling of weakness.
"Could you leave us be, onegai?" Brad said to Adrian. He nodded and left the room.
Somehow, in some way, he wanted to overcome it. He curled up tighter.
Brad waited to see how it would affect the young man. He didn't want his friend in pain, but it would be better if he could beat it.
Schuldig let out a muffled gasp and shuddered. He started to reach for Brad's mind, but stopped.
/If you need me, I'm right here./ Brad murmured.
The voices continued to seep in, taunting him. "Why does he have to be like that?" "I don't get it. It's just not fair!" "Doshite?!" "Oh my gosh... I didn't think she'd really do it..." "Would anyone really miss me?"
Schuldig screamed aloud as they flooded in.
Nagi flinched and stared at the German.
Brad cringed. /I'm here Schuldig, I'm right here./
"Why won't you just go away?!" "I never wanted you here anyway!" "Worthless! That's what you are!"
Schuldig's eyes widened and then went blank.
As Schuldig collapsed back against the couch the light connection Brad had with him fell silent. "Schuldig?" He touched the boy's arm. "Schu?"
Schuldig jerked away. "Don't...." The word was German, accent heavier than usual with the young teen. The word was barely a whisper. /You'll here them too./
"Not by physical contact." Brad replied, not releasing him.
/I don't want to hurt you. I can't control them./
/You'd never hurt me./ He wasn't letting go. Not now, not ever.
Voices continued to rage, some seeping into Brad's own mind.
"You never listen!" "Isn't Crawford going to do anything for him?" "The kids going to loose it and I'm not sure I want to be around when it happens...."
Brad wrapped his other arm around the telepath's shoulders. If he couldn't beat it alone, they would do it together. /Hang on to me if you have to./
Schuldig clung to him. He hated his weakness, but at the moment it couldn't be helped. At the moment he couldn't stand it any longer. At the moment, he wanted anything that would make them go away. He sobbed quietly into his friend's shirt.
Brad held Schuldig closer to him and stroked his hair. /We'll work on this. You're going to be okay, I'm right here./
The young German shook and his sobs quieted. /It hurts./
/I know, I know./ Brad whispered. /I won't let go of you, Schuldig. I can block it for you now, if you want./
Schuldig nodded slightly, even that movement causing pain.
Brad lowered all of his shields to nothing, using all the energy he had to protect his friend's mind from the in pouring of voices.
Schuldig felt them fade away and he was left with the dull ache. /Danke./
/Bita./ Brad replied.
/What happened to your shields?/ His mental voice was barely a whisper in his friend's mind.
/What's mine is yours./
Schuldig smiled and relaxed, his gold eyes slipping shut.
Brad ran his hand over the green-blonde hair one last time before relaxing with Schuldig against him. It was okay now.
"Is he all right?" Nagi asked from his seat across the room.
Brad nodded. "He'll be all right."
"Will he ever get control of his shields?"
"We'll work on it."
The phone rang, gaining everyone's attention. Adrian answered it from the back room. "He says he'll see them," Julia's voice greeted him.
"Will he accept them?" Adrian asked. "More than likely." Julia said. "Are they okay?" she asked.
"Something happened to the German," he responded.
Julia sighed. "I was afraid that would happen. Brad's taking care of him, isn't he?"
"Hai. Takatori will never accept a telepath that has trouble with his shields, you know that, Jule."
"Then he won't find out about it until it's too late." Julia said firmly. "These boys are right for this, Adrian. They'll be fine."
"I hope you're right."
"I'm always right. You should know that by now."
He chuckled. "Yes, I know."
"Can you bring them down here?" Julia asked. She looked around the office.
"The German's asleep," he responded as he glanced out at them.
"Okay. We'll wait until tomorrow then. They need all the rest they can get."
"Will Takatori wait?"
Julia arched an eyebrow. "Of course. He'll wait until hell freezes over if I want him too."
"Right. Will you be coming back now?"
"Yeah. I need a shower and hot cup of coffee."
Chapter Fifteen: To Cling Without Shame
Schuldig whimpered slightly and curled up tighter. He hated this feeling of weakness.
"Could you leave us be, onegai?" Brad said to Adrian. He nodded and left the room.
Somehow, in some way, he wanted to overcome it. He curled up tighter.
Brad waited to see how it would affect the young man. He didn't want his friend in pain, but it would be better if he could beat it.
Schuldig let out a muffled gasp and shuddered. He started to reach for Brad's mind, but stopped.
/If you need me, I'm right here./ Brad murmured.
The voices continued to seep in, taunting him. "Why does he have to be like that?" "I don't get it. It's just not fair!" "Doshite?!" "Oh my gosh... I didn't think she'd really do it..." "Would anyone really miss me?"
Schuldig screamed aloud as they flooded in.
Nagi flinched and stared at the German.
Brad cringed. /I'm here Schuldig, I'm right here./
"Why won't you just go away?!" "I never wanted you here anyway!" "Worthless! That's what you are!"
Schuldig's eyes widened and then went blank.
As Schuldig collapsed back against the couch the light connection Brad had with him fell silent. "Schuldig?" He touched the boy's arm. "Schu?"
Schuldig jerked away. "Don't...." The word was German, accent heavier than usual with the young teen. The word was barely a whisper. /You'll here them too./
"Not by physical contact." Brad replied, not releasing him.
/I don't want to hurt you. I can't control them./
/You'd never hurt me./ He wasn't letting go. Not now, not ever.
Voices continued to rage, some seeping into Brad's own mind.
"You never listen!" "Isn't Crawford going to do anything for him?" "The kids going to loose it and I'm not sure I want to be around when it happens...."
Brad wrapped his other arm around the telepath's shoulders. If he couldn't beat it alone, they would do it together. /Hang on to me if you have to./
Schuldig clung to him. He hated his weakness, but at the moment it couldn't be helped. At the moment he couldn't stand it any longer. At the moment, he wanted anything that would make them go away. He sobbed quietly into his friend's shirt.
Brad held Schuldig closer to him and stroked his hair. /We'll work on this. You're going to be okay, I'm right here./
The young German shook and his sobs quieted. /It hurts./
/I know, I know./ Brad whispered. /I won't let go of you, Schuldig. I can block it for you now, if you want./
Schuldig nodded slightly, even that movement causing pain.
Brad lowered all of his shields to nothing, using all the energy he had to protect his friend's mind from the in pouring of voices.
Schuldig felt them fade away and he was left with the dull ache. /Danke./
/Bita./ Brad replied.
/What happened to your shields?/ His mental voice was barely a whisper in his friend's mind.
/What's mine is yours./
Schuldig smiled and relaxed, his gold eyes slipping shut.
Brad ran his hand over the green-blonde hair one last time before relaxing with Schuldig against him. It was okay now.
"Is he all right?" Nagi asked from his seat across the room.
Brad nodded. "He'll be all right."
"Will he ever get control of his shields?"
"We'll work on it."
The phone rang, gaining everyone's attention. Adrian answered it from the back room. "He says he'll see them," Julia's voice greeted him.
"Will he accept them?" Adrian asked. "More than likely." Julia said. "Are they okay?" she asked.
"Something happened to the German," he responded.
Julia sighed. "I was afraid that would happen. Brad's taking care of him, isn't he?"
"Hai. Takatori will never accept a telepath that has trouble with his shields, you know that, Jule."
"Then he won't find out about it until it's too late." Julia said firmly. "These boys are right for this, Adrian. They'll be fine."
"I hope you're right."
"I'm always right. You should know that by now."
He chuckled. "Yes, I know."
"Can you bring them down here?" Julia asked. She looked around the office.
"The German's asleep," he responded as he glanced out at them.
"Okay. We'll wait until tomorrow then. They need all the rest they can get."
"Will Takatori wait?"
Julia arched an eyebrow. "Of course. He'll wait until hell freezes over if I want him too."
"Right. Will you be coming back now?"
"Yeah. I need a shower and hot cup of coffee."