"So I'm on my way
I leave today
If I get away
It'll be ok
It'll be ok…"
-Limp Bizkit
Emma's head is leaned against the edge of Brennan's bed, resting. She has pulled up a chair.
Brennan sits up with a jolt, cold yet sweating. He glances around, confused but soon recognizes his surroundings. His body is still tense with pain and he feels electricity surging through him. He jerks as he realizes Emma's face is only inches from his skin. He carefully and silently lowers himself from the bed to the floor. Barefoot, he shakily walks from the lab, careful not to wake the sleeping telempath.
Brennan sits down, heavily, exhausted from the short walk from the lab to the computer console in the dojo. He rubs his eyes, still foggy with sleep and pain that pulses with the beat of his heart. Memories surfacing quickly, he studies the computer screen and finds two separate trips in progress. He punches in the communications password and hears Adam.
"Jesse? Shalimar? Have you made it to Chelsea's apartment yet?"
Brennan punches some more keys.
"Yes, Adam. We're at her place now," Shalimar's voice sounds strained on the comlink.
"Adam, she's dead. There are no visible wounds, but there's blood coming from her ears…she bit her tongue off…" Jesse says, his voice low through the speakers.
Brennan's shaking intensifies as he realizes that he killed Chelsea from across town. Electricity starts to build in his fingertips as his powers start to build.
"What about Britt?" Shalimar asks.
"He's been relocated."
"What did you do?" Shalimar insists.
Emma startles Brennan when she walks in. "Brennan!" She gasps.
"He's been erased. I called in a favor from a mutant that is skilled in memory manipulation," Adam says over the speaker.
"Brennan, you shouldn't be up…" Emma starts, paling as she realizes what he is listening to. She hurries to his side.
Brennan holds up his hand, silently.
"Britt will never remember he has a brother…" Adam says before Emma shuts off the computer. She turns to try and comfort him but freezes when she realizes that his eyes are bright green.
"Emma, back away…I'm losing it again…" Brennan manages, pain blinding him.
"Brennan, just hold on. Look at me… focus on me for a minute and forget about all that…can you try?" Emma pleads.
Brennan steadies himself by standing up and putting his hands on his head. He looks at Emma with one eye normal and one eye green.
"You have to fight it, Brennan, you're safe here and no one is going to hurt you except yourself…" Emma starts.
"Exactly…did you hear them say that I killed Chelsea? I killed her from here, while I was unconscious, Em. I killed a woman without being in the same room with her…I'm dangerous…I'm unstable…" Brennan's eyes flash as his mind fills with images.
"Brennan! No…look at me…" Emma impulsively rushes toward him. When she touches him, a blast of white pain knocks her across the room into a plant. Uninjured, she gets to her feet and starts back toward him.
"Emma…I can't make it stop…will you tell everyone that I tried…I tried to make it stop…" Brennan chokes, kneeling with his back to her. A field of white light encircles him from her reach.
"Brennan, no, whatever you're doing is not the right thing! Stop it! Brennan, please!" Emma screams.
"I'm not strong enough this time…my head can't take it…" Brennan replies.
"Yes, you can! Brennan, you are the strongest man I know, you can beat this, I know you can!" Emma says.
"Emma…you don't know me…I've killed…I've hurt…this is for the best…" Brennan replies, his voice quieter. The force field around him brightens.
"Brennan. This is wrong…" Emma is unsure of what Brennan is planning but she can feel electricity crackling in the air. Brennan shudders suddenly and the light vanishes, leaving him crumpled on the floor.
"Brennan?" Emma gasps, kneeling beside him. His eyes open suddenly.
"Thank god, Brennan…" She sighs, as he looks at her.
"Emma, I'm really sorry…" He whispers, running his hand across her face. She falls to the floor, softly sleeping from his touch.
Brennan unsteadily climbs to his feet and goes to his room to get some things. He will not hurt his friends anymore. He will make it all stop.
