Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or X Men.
Note: Here's a little more. I'm still working on it. I'm sorry it's so slow right now. There are two or maybe three chapters left. Then we'll see where we go from there.
Redhead
Imaginary Friend
Chapter 34
"Brennan," Adam's voice was low and commanding.
"Adam, get Shalimar and Evie out of here. Jesse, get Kitty and the babies. Fire up the Helix. We're leaving." Brennan sneered as he carefully watched every twitch of Logan's body.
Logan smiled at his wife when he first opened his eyes and saw her beautiful face gazing back at him. It only took a second, though, for his senses to pick up the sudden fear and more than that, the wrath directed at him. Slowly, he turned his head and stared back into the face of that fury…a face that, just yesterday, was a good friend. His sadness was devastating, reaching deep into his soul.
Jean felt it as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Someone else also felt it and a decision was made.
"Brennan, relax, Man," Jesse tried to soothe.
"Relax?" Brennan's eyes darted between Jesse in disbelief then back to the friend he now hated with every fiber of his being. "Jess, you didn't see what he did to her. He…I caught him…aaahhh…I can't even bear to put into words what he was doing. ALL THIS TIME WE TRUSTED HIM…" he screamed, "TRUSTED ALL OF THEM!"
"BRENNAN, THAT'S ENOUGH!" Adam stepped in front of him. "We know…," he started out strong but now faded to a whisper as he looked down. "We know what happened."
Brennan looked at him in shock. "Then how can you even still be standing here. Jesse," he turned to his friend. "You know what she went through before. How can you just stand there and let them do it to her all over again?" He looked between Adam and Jesse once more and couldn't reconcile the fact that they weren't as outraged as he was. "What did they do to you?" He turned back to the man on the table and the team standing beside him. Slowly raising his hands as the electricity increased he…
Charles sighed as he had to resort to doing something he really didn't want to do. But there was no other way. Closing his eyes and putting his hands to his forehead he stopped time in and around the mansion. He alone was left aware. Had he let it go any further, more damage would have been done. It was his mistake from the beginning. It was he who failed to consider the feral instinct as he worked to help restore Shalimar's memories. If he had continued just a little more that evening,…got her memories past this coming of age period,…this would never had needed to happen. She wouldn't have been guided by pure instinct and pursued Logan. What pain would she carry now,…feeling as if she were unfaithful, even if it was unknowingly?
Brennan had been hurting already. He needn't have been put through the ordeal of watching his wife desire to be with another man. And not just any other man,…a man who was more than a friend to them both. Now, even with explanation, that friendship would not be restored. Such heartache could never be healed with a salve of words. A marriage strained and a friendship lost were aches that would gnaw at this young man for the rest of his life.
Ororo understands but Logan would carry the guilt of what he had done. This man was no stranger to bearing pain and regrets but this…this would easily be the heaviest load under which…eventually…even he…would not withstand. He would take on not only the guilt of hurting a woman who was very special to him, but also the blame for driving a wedge in the family ties that had formed between the households of Kane and Xavier.
Many would understand the necessity of the actions but would forever feel the pain of loss. How could the two families ever again face each other?
Furthermore, what of the effect on Kitty, the one person who physically tied the families together? As part of both, she would be forever torn. "NO!" the dead silence of his office was broken with a boom. "I can not allow this."
Charles reached a soothing presence to his mind. Stunned he reached back and found…
Moments ago in the medlab:
Everything suddenly stopped. There was an eerie silence that filled the room. Jean slowly turned to her husband. Scott? Scott, can you hear me, Sweetheart? The nothingness that met her call into his mind was almost frightening. She began to move around the room toward the only other person moving.
Evie was shocked at the suddenness at which her connection to Brennan had been shut down. She was trying to calm his mind and was feeling him push her away. Now there was nothing. "Jean, what's happened?" she turned to look at her friend.
"I don't know. Let's try to reach everyone else in the mansion but…I think we better do it together. Whatever this is, it's very powerful." Seeing Evie nod, she closed her eyes and allowed their minds to meet. Reaching out around the mansion they were amazed to find everyone in the same inanimate state. There was only one presence they could feel. The turmoil emanating from him made tears come to both their eyes. Together, they left the lab and hurried to his office. Before entering they called to him, softly, then opened the door.
"Jean? Evie? Why were you not affected by the blanket I sent?" He watched as the women approached him. Both leaned back against his desk, each on one side of his chair, facing him.
"Your sorrow must have interfered with your concentration," Jean smiled in understanding. "You're forever telling me not to let my feelings get in the way." She saw a small smile touch his lips but disappear much too quickly.
"Charles, we could feel your sorrow." Evie gently touched his shoulder as he looked up at her. "Everyone is hurting right now but the objective was accomplished. Shalimar isn't attracted to Logan anymore."
"Yes, but at what cost?" Reversing his chair and moving away from them he turned and looked out the large picture window. "I should have see this coming and dealt with it right away. It was my error and a price has been paid." He paused a moment then continued with resignation in his voice, "a price too high for me to live with,…for any of us to live with. If it were just me, I could withstand it. But to know that we all must live with it…"
"What are you planning, Charles?" Jean knew him too well.
TBC
