Disclaimer: I don't own Mutant X or the X Men.

We're All Family

Chapter 22

All three men were roused from their light dozing to the muffled sounds of crying in the darkness. "Sissy? Sissy, where are you?" Jack called out trying to restrain the panic in his voice as he realized she wasn't at his side. He and John were immediately on their feet and feeling their way slowly in the direction of the sounds.

"I'm…here," she answered through her tears. "I…tried not to…to wake you." When they had reached her and crouch by her side she felt four hands on her shoulders, arms and head, uncertainly trying to comfort her.

"Sissy, you have to calm down," Jack began. "Come back to the bench." He helped her stand and walk. She leaned heavily against him as the pain ever increased. "We'll talk about something to get your mind off the pain."

"No,…it won't matter," Brennan weakly explained. "Kitty and Marie were…in constant pain. John,…come here."

Jack held Sissy close, trying to comfort her as her whimpering became crying. He heard John enter the water and stop as Brennan's whispers were too low for him to decipher. More harsh whispers in the darkness told him they were disagreeing about something which only caused his concern to increase. After a few moments he heard John moving again. Brennan's warning that the lights needed to stay out caused him to realize he probably wouldn't like what they were talking about. He hoped Sissy wasn't aware of the distant conversation as her head rocked on his shoulder.

John came to his side and reached a hand to find Jack's shoulder. "Jack, let me sit with Sissy. Brennan wants to talk to you." In the darkness John felt Jack move to comply with the request. What he couldn't see was the fear and concern from Jack's face that was blanketed by the darkness.

When Sissy was safely leaning into John's arms, Jack moved off and entered the water, cautiously feeling his way toward Brennan.

Through the pain something else stirred in Sissy's mind. Jack was her best friend and her trust and care for him was complete. But now with this new set of arms around her she felt something else. She'd just met John a mere few days ago. They'd share pleasant conversation and seemed to get along well. The seven years that stood between them didn't seem all that great a gap as they seemed to become friends quickly. Now amidst the danger of captivity and the physical pain of the governor, Sissy somehow felt…safe. Her heart seemed to smile as she felt a level of satisfaction she'd never known. That in itself seemed to calm her and lessen the pain,…just a little.

John held one arm around Sissy's back, holding her close. As he felt her lay her head against his chest he couldn't help the small smile that crept to his lips…or running his hand into her hair and gently holding her head to him. She's such a sweet kid and now she's being so strong to endure this. She's amazing, he thought as he gently rocked her in his arms.

"What? No. You can't," Jack strained to keep his voice at a whisper so Sissy wouldn't hear him.

"Jack, listen to me. It's the only way to stop that thing from hurting her."

"But what about you?"

"I can keep the voltage low enough. I'm too weak for anything high powered anyway. I'll survive it. I've shocked myself before. It's not fun but I'm still here."

"But Brennan,…"

"The more we argue the longer she hurts. I'll short circuit it and the pain will stop for her." Brennan heard the sigh of resignation by his side. He knew Jack would see reason. He'd been impressed with this boy since he'd met him and enjoyed the time they'd spent training his physical abilities and martial arts skills. He'd seen him grow in many ways over the last couple of years and knew he'd make a good X Man one day.

"Ok. What do I do?"

"Get one of the benches…put it behind me." He listened as Jack sloshed out of the water only to return after finding the bench. "Keep it out of the water until you get over here."

Jack moved to where he believed was the back of Brennan's chair careful to feel his way around without knocking Brennan into the water.

"Try…to lower the bench…into the water but…keep the top as dry as possible. Is it tall enough?" Brennan began to pant with the exertion. He was so weak at this point that even speaking was difficult.

"No," Jack sighed. "The water covers it by about an inch."

"Brennan," John warned softly in the darkness.

"It's…alright. I'll keep it…as low…as I can. Bring her..."

As carefully as possible, John turned Sissy in his arms and lifted her onto his lap. The shaking he felt as her body fully rested on him pained his heart. Standing, he pulled her close to his chest as she groaned at the movements. Whispering softly to her, he tried to get her to calm again. As he got closer to Brennan and Jack he began to explain. "Sissy, I'm going to put you down for just a minute. You're going to feel wet. Don't panic. Jack and I are right here."

"Jack," she weakly called through her tears.

"I'm right here, Sis." Jack reached and felt for her face as she turned into his hand.

"Put her down…on her…stomach," Brennan directed, "I'll probably…pass…out…Just wait 'til…the charge…dissi…pates…then...

"Don't worry," John spoke at his side. "We'll get her out of the water and check on you both.

John and Jack placed Sissy on the bench. They turned her head as far as they could so that her mouth would be out of the water. Jack moved her hair aside to reveal the governor and John took Brennan's hands and raised them so he could feel it. Moving quickly they got out of the water but stayed as close as they could to be able to return quickly.

Trying to locate them in the darkness Brennan called out, "John?"

"Ok, we're out."

Brennan took a deep breath as he settled only one finger against the offending devise. He felt Sissy move. "Sissy,…stay still,…Sweetheart,…I'm…sorry." Releasing his powers as precisely as he could, he deactivated the governor. It only took a second but it seemed to drag on and on as the charge hit the governor, and Sissy, and the water, and Brennan.

Jack and John thought they were ready. To them that second stopped their hearts as their eyes were assaulted with a flash of light that disappeared all too quickly. In the illumination they saw everything, then only blackness. With the flash came the screams; Sissy's voice then Brennan's…then nothing. Small tendrils of electricity flashed and sizzled in the water for another second. In the next second, the deafening silence smothered them along with the darkness.

Jack had tried to move in reaction the instant it happened but John placed a firm hand on his arm. Now in the silence he released him as they both moved quickly into the water.

Jack reached and searched for Sissy. Turning her quickly he lifted her into his arms and moved out of the water to place her down on dry cement.

John found Brennan slumped in his chair in the darkness. Checking him as quickly as he could without the use of his eyes, he determined that Brennan's pulse was regular though his breathing was shallow. Frustrated, he tried to make the man more comfortable despite the restriction of the handcuffs and chain. Unable to accomplish anything he moved out of the water and called to Jack.

"Over here," Jack gave him voice to follow. "She has a pulse but it's very weak. Her breathing is shallow and she's starting to shiver. I think she's going into shock."

John was by his side and reaching out to check the now shaking girl. "You're right. It is shock. We need to get her warm. These wet clothes have to go." He began to lift her sweater when he felt Jack's hand on his arm.

"I'll do it." Jack whispered. "Can you find our coats to wrap her in?"

"Alright," John agreed and moved away. As he searched where he thought he'd seen their coats he heard the rustling of clothes being removed.

With as much care as he could, Jack lifted Sissy's now naked body into his arms. "I'm sorry, Sis," he whispered into her hair.

"Jack, over here," John guided him and reached out to help maneuver him to where a coat was laid out on the floor. They placed her down and used the other three coats as blankets to cover as much of her and as warmly as possible. Jack gathered her long, now wet hair away from her neck as John moved away to spread out her clothes, hoping they'd dry quickly so she wouldn't need to be more embarrassed than necessary.

"How's Brennan?" Jack asked as he sat by Sissy's side.

"He passed out like he said. His pulse is strong. I think he's ok. Because he generates the electricity, I suspect his cells can handle the exposure better than ours."

"They didn't come in here when he…"

John moved back to Sissy's side. "No. They're confident we can't do anything. I think we can rest for the night." He turned his attention to the girl beside him. "Sissy will be ok as long as we can keep her warm. I made sure there was room on both sides of her. If we lean our backs toward her as we sleep we should be able to keep the coats in place and lend her some of our body heat." They lay beside her and tried to sleep for the few hours of night that was left.

TBC