***I have tried to make this a fic without 'ships and I'm sorry so many of you thought it was going to be a B/E story or a B/S story.  The Mutant X team was meant to be portrayed as a familial group and the members as siblings rather than lovers.  Sorry for the disappointment.  Hope you'll keep reading anyways.***

"Everything about me is wrong…"

                        -Far Too Jones

            "Emma?  Emma, where's Brennan?"  Adam urges, shaking her awake.

            "Brennan?"  She mumbles, still drowsy.  "Brennan put me to sleep…he heard what Adam and the others were saying over the radio…hmmm…" She falls back into the fluffy sleep.

            Jesse carries her to the couch and covers her with a blanket. 

            "His things are gone.  Not all of them, just some clothes and his books, but he packed…" Shalimar is breathless as she runs down the stairs.

            "Dammit…"

            "Adam, you erased his brother's memories.  Brennan did everything in his life because of Britt and you just took him out of the equation.  What do you think that's going to do to Brennan?  Even if Britt hated him for what he did, at least he knew that Brennan did it for him.  Brennan has nothing now, it's going to be like everything he did was for nothing," Shalimar explains, her face unreadable.

            "It was the only solution I could think of to neutralize Britt and save Brennan," Adam replies, pale.

            "I just want to make it clear that I think you made a bad decision," Shalimar says quietly.  Jesse is silent, torn.  Shal faces her leader after a beat.

"Now.  Where do we look for Brennan?"

            "His ring is lying on the computer console.  We can't track him that way.  He didn't take any of the cars so he must have left on foot and called a cab…" Jesse starts brainstorming aloud.

            "Vegas…he's in Vegas…" Emma mumbles from the couch.  She is still sleeping but her face shows that she is dreaming.

            "Emma?"  Shalimar goes to her side. 

            "Brennan…don't do it…please…" She mutters, upset.

            Shalimar takes her hand and finds herself in Emma's restless dreamscape.

            She sees Brennan dropping his duffle bag on the bed of a seedy hotel room bed.  Through the window she can see the neon lights of Las Vegas.  As Shalimar watches, Brennan pulls out a knife and slices his arm.  A flash of relief washes across his face, the pain seeming to comfort him.  He bandages his arm and sits down in the corner of the room, his head in his hands as he starts to shake. 

            Shalimar lets go of Emma's hand and nods to Adam.  "He's in Vegas in a hotel room.  Emma's somehow connected to him and I saw him.  We better hurry.  I'll carry Emma."  Shalimar scoops up the petite woman and follows Adam and Jesse to the hangar. 

******

            "I'm sorry, sir, but there is no one registered at the hotel by that name…" The receptionist at the front desk tells Jesse as Adam and Shalimar sneak past into the inner parlor.

            "Where did the computer say?"  Adam questions Shalimar.  He didn't speak much on the flight to Vegas and hasn't spoken since they entered the hotel.

            "Room 77.  Ahead on the left.  Should we knock?" Shalimar asks.

            "Of course.  If what you saw is true, though, he won't answer.  I imagine he's going to be a little off-center from the stress," Adam says, quietly.

            "Adam," Shalimar says, turning to him outside of Brennan's hotel room.  "What I said back at Sanctuary…"

            "Don't, Shalimar.  You're right.  I should have thought of another way.  I let Brennan down…I let all of you down.  But right now, we have to get Brennan safe."  Adam doesn't meet the feral's eyes. 

            Shalimar nods silently and knocks on the door.  No one answers.  She absently tries the knob and finds that it is unlocked.  She swings the door open and steps into the room. 

            "You shouldn't come in here, Shalimar," Brennan's voice says inside her mind.  She turns to Adam. 

            "Did you hear that?"  Shalimar asks.

            Adam shakes his head.  "Hear what?"

            "Shalimar.  Don't let Adam in this room.  You can come in if you keep Adam out there.  Please," Brennan says in her mind.

            "Adam, stay here.  I'll explain in a few minutes.  Stand right here until I say something, okay?"  Shalimar says, her eyes pleading.  She is frightened by Brennan's tone of voice. 

            "Okay…" Adam hesitates but stands still.

            Shalimar steps into the open area of the room.  She spots Brennan huddled in a corner.  She steps slowly toward him and finally ends up on her knees in front of his crumpled form.

            "Hey, Shal," He says, not raising his eyes from the floor.  His voice is barely audible.

            "Hey, Brennan.  Hey."  She smiles, sadly.  She reaches out and raises his chin so she can see his face.

            "I'm not having a good day…" He says, his brown eyes dull with pain. 

            "Me either.  You scared me," Shalimar says, taking his hands in hers, trying to keep her eyes from the jagged cuts on his hands and arms. 

            "I'm sorry.  I left…I can't so I wouldn't keep hurting the people I love…I want it to stop…" Brennan says, his eyes distant. 

            "Come back with me.  Come back with us.  Let somebody else take care of you for once.  Brennan?"  Shalimar says his name as she sees his attention drifting.  "Adam's here."

            "I know.  Jesse's here too.  Emma…I think Emma's still sleeping.  You guys are really tired," Brennan says, distantly.

            "Brennan.  Will you come back?"  Shalimar asks.

            "I…I want to come back…Sanctuary is my home now…but I can't come back until I make it stop…I'm trying…I'm trying to pull myself out of this but…" Brennan's eyes reflect his desperation.

            "You need rest.  You need to rest.  Nobody can hurt you now.  You need to rest your mind so you can figure everything out.  Come on.  I won't take you anywhere yet.  Just lie down on the bed.  Come on," Shalimar coaxes Brennan onto the bed.  Adam watches silently from the foyer, his face unreadable.

            "I can't sleep…the nightmares…" Brennan says, his face vulnerable. 

            "Shh.  I'm right here.  Sleep for just a little while.  I'll wake you up if I see you starting to dream.  Trust me, Brennan."

            Brennan nods, exhausted.  "Shal," He whispers.  She looks at him.  Inside her mind she hears him say, "Don't let Adam near me until I'm sleeping.  I can't deal with him right now…"

            She nods and her gaze doesn't leave his until his eyes close.