Disclaimer: Although a girl can wish, I in no way shape or form own Mutant
X or any of the characters.
Part Ten: Dealing
Brennan had made it down to his room with a little help from Shalimar. He was still confused and the ache in his back wasn't helping anything at all.
"Shalimar? Can you tell me what really happened? I mean I know the basics but after I was hurt, what happened to you? What happened while I was out of it? Two weeks is a long time."
"Now who doesn't like being in control?" Shalimar said trying to lighten the situation. "Seriously though, how much do you remember?"
"I remember us going to take a walk and then you heard something. What was it?"
"Gabriel. He had followed us and then attacked us on the path. One of them hit you in the back and then kicked you. After that Gabriel turned me against you guys and took me to Portland to help set up a new Strand there. The guys found me after only a day and brought me back. Beyond that, nothing really happened. I've been too busy worrying about you." Shalimar finished her statement and then leaned down to give Brennan a kiss.
"Gabriel had you? What did he do? I'm going to kill him!"
"He didn't do anything. He just wanted to show me off basically." Although Shalimar tried to reassure Brennan that nothing had happened, Brennan could see the difference in her eyes. She was almost scared of him and he couldn't tell why.
"I can't believe I've been out for two weeks. I can't believe that I'm still out. Everything has changed. This was supposed to be a vacation and it turned into a nightmare."
"Brennan really, everything is fine. I'm safe, you're safe and you're going to be okay. Adam can fix your back and then we'll all go back to the way we were before."
Brennan just looked up at her. He couldn't bear to hurt her again but he just needed some time to think by himself for a while. "Shal. My back is really killing me. Could you just help me into bed so I can rest for a while?"
"Um. Sure, I can do that. I'll come back when dinner is ready." Shalimar said as she helped him into bed. She was worried about him; he was going to need their help for the next couple of weeks. He didn't like not being part of the team and she didn't like not telling him the truth.
The two weeks had been the most stressful that Mutant X had ever experienced. Every time Adam sent the 'team' out on a call, Brennan cringed. He felt like Will and Nicole were taking his place. He held an especially large grudge against Nicole, her being an elemental, he felt like Adam was replacing him.
It had been tolerable while Ryan was around. He was still incapacitated and was doing everything he could to distract Brennan. It wasn't really working but Brennan put on a happy face to make Shalimar feel better about leaving. Once Ryan left though, Brennan went downhill quickly.
"Adam, when can I have this surgery? I just want to be back on the team. I don't want to be their bumbling invalid anymore."
"As a matter of fact, the swelling has gone down enough that I can do the surgery tomorrow. You have to know that you won't be back to full strength immediately. Your back will need time to adjust." Adam explained.
"I don't care, I just want to be able to go to the bathroom without having Jesse or Shalimar help me."
The next day Brennan went to the lab to prepare for the surgery. Jesse and Shalimar helped him onto the bed while he lay down on his stomach. As soon as they were done, Adam asked them to leave while Emma finished prepping for the surgery.
"I'll see you soon Brennan. You'll be okay; I promise" Shalimar said as she kissed him on the top of the head.
"Hey Bren, she's right. You'll be fine." Jesse said giving his friend a pat on the shoulder.
As Brennan drifted off to sleep, he kept remembering what they'd said. He'd be fine.
An hour into the surgery, Adam had removed the bone fragment and was assessing the damage inside, "There doesn't appear to be much damage at all. In fact there's considerably less than I suspected. I'll finish patching him up while you go find Shalimar and Jesse."
After closing the incision on Brennan's back, Adam turned to his desk. He was entering in the final information of the surgery to Brennan's file when Shalimar came in.
"How is he Adam? Emma said the surgery went great. Does that mean he'll be able to walk? The surgery was a success?"
"It was a success and yes he'll be able to walk after a short recovery and a little physical therapy. I'd say he'll be back on the team in two weeks."
Shalimar thought to herself that this was great. She's waited until after the surgery to tell Brennan the truth about what had happened at Gabriel's. She wanted him to know before the others. She was still scared about what he would say but she had to tell him. He had to know.
AN: What does Brennan need to know? What is so BIG that had to wait until after the surgery? Thank again for all the great reviews and keep them coming.
Part Ten: Dealing
Brennan had made it down to his room with a little help from Shalimar. He was still confused and the ache in his back wasn't helping anything at all.
"Shalimar? Can you tell me what really happened? I mean I know the basics but after I was hurt, what happened to you? What happened while I was out of it? Two weeks is a long time."
"Now who doesn't like being in control?" Shalimar said trying to lighten the situation. "Seriously though, how much do you remember?"
"I remember us going to take a walk and then you heard something. What was it?"
"Gabriel. He had followed us and then attacked us on the path. One of them hit you in the back and then kicked you. After that Gabriel turned me against you guys and took me to Portland to help set up a new Strand there. The guys found me after only a day and brought me back. Beyond that, nothing really happened. I've been too busy worrying about you." Shalimar finished her statement and then leaned down to give Brennan a kiss.
"Gabriel had you? What did he do? I'm going to kill him!"
"He didn't do anything. He just wanted to show me off basically." Although Shalimar tried to reassure Brennan that nothing had happened, Brennan could see the difference in her eyes. She was almost scared of him and he couldn't tell why.
"I can't believe I've been out for two weeks. I can't believe that I'm still out. Everything has changed. This was supposed to be a vacation and it turned into a nightmare."
"Brennan really, everything is fine. I'm safe, you're safe and you're going to be okay. Adam can fix your back and then we'll all go back to the way we were before."
Brennan just looked up at her. He couldn't bear to hurt her again but he just needed some time to think by himself for a while. "Shal. My back is really killing me. Could you just help me into bed so I can rest for a while?"
"Um. Sure, I can do that. I'll come back when dinner is ready." Shalimar said as she helped him into bed. She was worried about him; he was going to need their help for the next couple of weeks. He didn't like not being part of the team and she didn't like not telling him the truth.
The two weeks had been the most stressful that Mutant X had ever experienced. Every time Adam sent the 'team' out on a call, Brennan cringed. He felt like Will and Nicole were taking his place. He held an especially large grudge against Nicole, her being an elemental, he felt like Adam was replacing him.
It had been tolerable while Ryan was around. He was still incapacitated and was doing everything he could to distract Brennan. It wasn't really working but Brennan put on a happy face to make Shalimar feel better about leaving. Once Ryan left though, Brennan went downhill quickly.
"Adam, when can I have this surgery? I just want to be back on the team. I don't want to be their bumbling invalid anymore."
"As a matter of fact, the swelling has gone down enough that I can do the surgery tomorrow. You have to know that you won't be back to full strength immediately. Your back will need time to adjust." Adam explained.
"I don't care, I just want to be able to go to the bathroom without having Jesse or Shalimar help me."
The next day Brennan went to the lab to prepare for the surgery. Jesse and Shalimar helped him onto the bed while he lay down on his stomach. As soon as they were done, Adam asked them to leave while Emma finished prepping for the surgery.
"I'll see you soon Brennan. You'll be okay; I promise" Shalimar said as she kissed him on the top of the head.
"Hey Bren, she's right. You'll be fine." Jesse said giving his friend a pat on the shoulder.
As Brennan drifted off to sleep, he kept remembering what they'd said. He'd be fine.
An hour into the surgery, Adam had removed the bone fragment and was assessing the damage inside, "There doesn't appear to be much damage at all. In fact there's considerably less than I suspected. I'll finish patching him up while you go find Shalimar and Jesse."
After closing the incision on Brennan's back, Adam turned to his desk. He was entering in the final information of the surgery to Brennan's file when Shalimar came in.
"How is he Adam? Emma said the surgery went great. Does that mean he'll be able to walk? The surgery was a success?"
"It was a success and yes he'll be able to walk after a short recovery and a little physical therapy. I'd say he'll be back on the team in two weeks."
Shalimar thought to herself that this was great. She's waited until after the surgery to tell Brennan the truth about what had happened at Gabriel's. She wanted him to know before the others. She was still scared about what he would say but she had to tell him. He had to know.
AN: What does Brennan need to know? What is so BIG that had to wait until after the surgery? Thank again for all the great reviews and keep them coming.