Chapter 9
Brennan seem to take the lost of sight better than Adam and Emma expected, but his in ability to move with out the assistance of crutches (and some times despite them) seem to hit every nerve he had. And in turn the crutches seem to hit every wall in the lab.

"It's going to take time, Brennan. I still think you need to accept the wheel chair is your best option. "

"No!!" The young mutant growled as he struggled to pick himself from the floor, blindly pushing away anyone who tried to assist him.

"When are you going to get it through your thick skull that it's only temporary until you get back on your feet?"

"My head and feet are fine Adam, it's the working in between that seems to be off." Brennan smirked as he used what strength he had left to pull himself into the examination chair. "Besides it's not like this place is wheelchair accessible."

"Bren I won't stand here and tell you I understand what you're going through. But I am also not going to stand here and watch you injure yourself more."

" I have no intention on staying here so you don't have to worry about it." he yelped.

Adam could tell by the look on his face that Brennan had not intended to blurt that out.
"And where exactly do you plan on going."

"I ...I don't know, right now." Brennan stared down at the table it seemed to be the only place he was guaranteed not to be staring at anyone.

"Look, I was hired on to help the cause, but now that's not possible. I may not be a genius but even I know there is nothing I can do here, not now, not like this." he growled waving his hand in front of his own face as if to make a point.

"It' s only temporary "

"Can you guarantee that" Brennan finally turned his face in the direction that Adam's voice came his chocolate brown eyes looked past him but the fear burned right through him as if he knew there would be no reply.

"Adam, I won't be a charity case." He grimaced.

Adam knew his kids well enough to know when they were in pain both physical and mental and right now Bren was dealing with both. The young mutant jumped at his mere touch. It took a moment to regain his composure. His blank stare seemed to wander the room for fear that some one might see the fear that dwelled beneath.

"Look, right now you're not in any shape to go anywhere. If after you had sometime to heal and you still feel the need to go. I won't stop you." Adam gave him a quick acting sedative and Bren just laid back quickly giving in to the much needed rest. It wasn't until Adam was sure Bren was out did he turn his attention to Emma who stood quietly in the corner struggling desperately to hold back the tears that flooded her vary soul.




From the Diary of Emma

It happened week ago. We told Brennan about the extent of his injuries. (Not that he hadn't figured out on his own.) He was afraid, but you wouldn't have had to look inside to see it despite his best efforts to hide it. He even cracked some kind of joke about his ability to go to any extreme to get out of work. Then things got to serious for my taste.

Brennan is planning to leave us as soon as he is able. Adam told him he would let him go... after rehab. I think it was his way of getting him to give himself more time to heal. Time that for some reason doesn't seem to be on our side.

For most leg and back injuries such as this, hydrotherapy is used pools and whirlpools and such. Adam released a smile at Brennan's (what are you talking about look) then he told him not to worry he believed the problem with his legs would heal it self it was just a matter of time. I had hoped on that positive note that it meant everything would be OK and Bren would decide to stay. Until I saw the look on Adams face, he lied, something was wrong.

Bren was really cooperative during the exam. Adam seemed really excited when he told him that the pain in his back and leg felt like a frenzied tingling sensation that almost burned up and down his left side. He said that was just the electrical current that flows through everyone's body and that in his case it flowed more vigorously, for obvious reason. He did tell him he a little worried that the pain is that pronounced since Bren is on meds that are intended to dull some of it. Bren told him the headaches are lessoning, but I didn't need to tell Adam, that Bren wasn't totally truthful, it was right there on his computer screen.

I don't know what to say to make things better, and not saying anything is making things worse for everyone. He has been plagued by fevers, they seem to last a couple of hours and vanish as quickly as they came. He is using crutches to get around his room, but sometimes they are not enough. Half the bruises on his legs are from falling or tripping over things. Still he refused to use the wheelchair, that's Brennan, hardheaded and independent. We thought he would eventually understand when he began to actually follow Adams orders about remaining in his room and not wandering around with out someone there. After all being blind and with the recently mended break in his arm, we assumed he couldn't go farther than the bathroom. I guess we didn't know Brennan very well.

Last night, he managed to get out side his room and to the lab-alone. No one was in the Sanctuary at the time he awoke. Adam was with us helping with the rescue of a man named Bolton, whose powers were in such a state of flux that weather in the neighborhood was changing every three minutes. Unfortunately we were too late to be any help to him he died from lightening striking himself only moments before Jesse reached him. The bolt had missed Jesse only by a few inches sending him flying fifteen feet into a wall and knocking him out. He had come to before we got home, and with help from me we headed for the lab while Shal and Adam went to check on Brennan. We no sooner got to the Lab and found Brennan in a simi-catonic state then Adam burst in the lab announcing him missing from his room.

Bren was in a fetal position with his knees pressed tightly to his chest and his fist clutching his head. At first we thought he had fallen and hurt himself again. Then when Jesse tried to help him he started screaming through gritted teeth. "OH God, Help him. don't be dead, Jesse don't be dead." Repeatedly. He didn't seem to hear our voices. We told him Jesse was ok but still thrashed around, grunting jesses name.

I delved in to his head and found Brennan trapped in a dream state, his pain so strong it hurt me and when I recognized where he was I nearly fainted he was in the alley way where Bolton died and I watched as lightening hit Bolton and sent Jesse flying through the air. He was having a vision that for some reason seemed to be looping over and over in his memory. When Adam gave him an injection it literally shut him down. His mind and body became numb and I was jarred back to reality. It took me a minute to clear my own mind, the memory of the pain still coursed through me. Adam and Jesse hovered over me while I tried to get my emotions under control.

I remember mumbling to Adam "He saw it all. Adam. As if he were standing in the alley way." I whispered, as an array of lights coasted over Brennan's body and back. No one seemed to understand the only difference between what we saw and what he was seeing was his didn't stop it just replayed like it was recorded in a loop. More importantly I had to convince Adam the pain Brennan is experiencing is unlike anything I have ever felt in my life.

I think the whole incident was hardest on Jesse. He feels guilty enough for the original injuries but when he heard Bren scream out Jesse froze. As if he were in shock, he stood there frozen in to place until Adam led him to the table next to where Brennan again lay. He wanted to know; how it was possible for Bren to know what happen.
I told them I saw it as if he were standing with us at the time Jesse was struck.
But Jess made a point of emphasizing that even if he had been there he couldn't have seen what happen.

Adam pondered it for about what seemed to be forever when he announced, there have been recorded cases of people who experienced severe head injuries gaining the pre-cognoscente abilities. Nothing that has ever been studied to any depth that he was ever satisfied with the conclusions. He continued to say he was more apt to believe that he was the unknowing recipient of a vision sent to him though my gifts.

I remember thinking I would never... But he didn't even give me time to object.
He looked at me, and I thought I would freeze in the cold look he gave me. I could tell he is as scared as the rest of us, maybe even more something is deeply wrong and he is helpless to change it.

Brennan is getting worse not better and the rest of us are becoming careless because of our concerns. He called a meeting for tomorrow, until then he has posted himself at Brennan's side and has told us to go out get out of sanctuary find something to do get our mind off of the situation at hand.

Like that would happen.

Adam told us to stay together. Despite everyone's protest he made it an order. So we are leaving sanctuary for the night. Fact is we will probably just go to one of the safe houses and get rip roaring drunk. Never thought of drinking as an answer to my troubles. Not really thinking of it as one now but I am damn tired of feeling so helpless. And maybe this once I can just drink enough to forget even if it is just for a little while. Jesse is ready to leave so I had better go.