End 11

AN: Sorry for the slow update, but I've been having a lot of problems with the beginning of this one - ie I HATE IT SO MUCH!!! But it fits, and had been planned from the start, it's just unfortunate that I really don't like what I've written and so it's all a bit shitty. Review anyway, if only just to tell me what an idiot I am for writing that chapter. Thanks

"It's Megan." Sandra turned to Liz at the older man's outburst.

"Go get your brother and set off the fire alarms." Liz looked at her, confused.

"Mum, what's going on?"

"I'll explain later, OK? Just do it. Tell everyone there was a small fire and that we're dealing with it. Make sure no one comes back into the building." Seeing the worry in her eyes, Liz simply nodded and headed for the gaming room, hitting the nearest fire alarm as she went past. A sudden clamour of noise heralded the activation of the alarm and people began flooding out of rooms. "Take me to her?" Sandra asked.

"Of course." Jesse said. "The others?"

"Will be there as soon as they hear the alarm." Sandra supplied. Jesse nodded and led her down the hall.

Megan's room was decorated in soft blues and full of candle smoke and incense. Every surface showed signs of her inhabitancy. The closer she got to Megan herself, the more sure she was that she could hear hundreds of voices over the fire alarm, all talking and shouting and whispering at once in some way that she heard without it ever entering her ears. The spill-over of Megan's power, she realised. As the telepath faded her control was lapsing. She was projecting all of the thoughts she was receiving. Jesse walked determinedly to Megan's side, placing a hand on her shoulder as she thrashed about in the bed. Sandra saw him flinch as he touched her and knew that it could only be amplifying the effect for him. Tammy arrived first, and then Kelly with Daniel in tow. Adrian took a few more minutes to arrive, explaining that he had made sure that all of the visitors and staff had got out of the building and were at a sensible distance. He then took up position opposite Jesse and placed his hand on Megan's other shoulder. She looked up at him for a moment, as though asking for something.

"It's time." She whispered, her voice echoing with those of a million others.

"Everyone is safe Megan. You are safe." She nodded.

"Thank you." She turned to Jesse. "Thank you, for my life in the beginning. I wish I could have fought for you, protected you for longer."

"Thank you, Megan. For thinking to protect us in the first place." She smiled, and then with a sharp intake of air she died. And in the soft exhalation were innumerable thoughts, words, and insecurities. A world of the human mind escaped in that single sound, hardly a whisper to the ears. Jesse and Adrian cried out, Sandra found herself on her knees, Kelly in the safety of Daniel's arms, Tammy reached out for her father and didn't have the strength to get to him before the effect faded and they were released to their own thoughts once more.

Adrian stood first, followed by Jesse. Jesse turned and helped his daughter off the floor gently, holding her tight for a moment before turning back to the bed. Kelly stood with her head still buried in Daniel's shoulder, Daniel looking terribly pale. Sandra stayed kneeling until Adrian came and knelt by her side.

"Sand?" She looked up at him, eyes full of pain.

"Please tell me she didn't go like that." She asked, voice wavering.

"No Sand. I told you. She went in her sleep. She didn't know anything about it. There was no throw-back from her power." Sandra nodded, tears falling silently. Taking Adrian's hand she stood with him and they walked all together out into the empty and silent halls of Sanctuary where once, long, long ago, a telepathic child called Megan romped the quiet corridors in evasion of her minders.

"Kelly, how much do you know about your Uncle Jesse?" Kelly looked up at Daniel as she walked out of the bedroom where she had just put Shazné to bed.

"What do you mean? I know enough about him. He's not really my Uncle if that's what you mean."

"No, I mean I just" Daniel sighed. "Is he a mutant?" Kelly took a seat opposite Daniel.

"Why." She asked sharply. "What does it matter?" Daniel sighed.

"So Adrian and Tammy are too?"

"Daniel. What is this? I work for Adrian. He has been very good to me while you've been away. Giving me work and a place to live."

"No, I'm not I don't want to turn them in or anything! You didn't think that did you? I wouldn't I couldn't" Kelly shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap. I'm just I don't want them getting hurt. They're family, you know?"

"It's just that I heard something today, when that woman died. I think they were memories, or thoughts or something. She remembers him from when she was very young. He rescued her from some people who were chasing her. It was all very odd. But there was a woman who" He trailed off. "I'm mean, it's weird, because I'm not even sure how I saw her but"

"Who what?"

"Who looked just like your mother."