A/N: It was too late yesterday, but since the story is already finished, here are the last three chapters.

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Chapter Two

If you didn't want me to have him, why give him to me at all?

Ben wants to shout the words at Her counterfeit, but he refrains. Alec doesn't react well to raised voices, Ben has learned that the first time he gave in to the familiar frustration and raged against Her.

Two days of waiting, and Alec has not gotten better. Ben cares for him the best he knows how; treats his injuries, keeps him hydrated, keeps him clean, puts wet compresses on Alec's forehead and thighs, but despite his best efforts, the fever keeps spiking.

There's a branding on Alec's inner arm, the same one Ben has noticed on that man, red and raw and burning even hotter, and Ben thinks that's what caused the infection but he doesn't know what to do about it. If an X5's immune system can't beat this mysterious illness, Ben's not sure what can.

Cradling his brother's head in his lap, carding his hands through sweat dark hair, Ben looks up at Her with pleading, angry eyes.

He has made their bedstead beneath Her statue in the small corner that is set-aside solely for Her. It's the most sheltered place in the derelict building, and he likes to see Her watching over them. The candles he has lit for light and warmth illuminate her beatific features, shadows and flame playing over Her. Animating Her. There's a small pouch, the once white cloth splotched by dark stains, lying at Her feet.

Show me you're worthy. Keep him alive.

It's not the first time he hears Her voice in his head, and he looks down again at Alec's pale and still face. His twin hasn't been coherent since he brought him here. Conscious, yes. Not coherent. He is as scared of the dark place as Ben is. For the moment he is sleeping peacefully, only if the last days' experience holds true that won't last for long.

Desperation claws at him with sharp, long talons. The words of the janitor haunt him. Pray to Her. She will watch over you. Ben has prayed; has prayed for Jack, for Eva, for every one of his siblings. She took Jack anyway. She didn't watch out for Eva. He's never even seen any of the others again. He has tried so hard to be a good soldier, to be what he was meant to be, but it is never enough for Her.

She has given him Alec.

Ben needs to focus on that. She has given him Alec. And She has set the mission for Ben. Keep him alive. It's not the worst order he's ever followed.

Maybe he should go into town, acquire some heavy duty antibiotics. The captivity has obviously taken its toll on Alec. Maybe it's as simple as that his immune system needs a little boost to handle this attack. It's worth a try at any rate.

Ben is loath leaving Alec on his own like that, weak and helpless, but he needs those antibiotics (it has to be better than nothing), and it's the only option open to Ben. He doesn't have anyone he can call on for help.

Flashes of his siblings stand behind his eyes, in their blue nightgowns, heads shorn, forevermore little and frightened children, but he doesn't know where any of them are, and he's not sure he would go to them even if he knew. Escape and evade, Zach has told them, go to ground, and that order still stands as much as Ben misses his brothers and sisters.

That order, however, doesn't apply to Alec. He wasn't with them that night, and the Lady has brought him to Ben. He will go to hell long before he will let go of his brother.

Reluctantly he gets up, makes sure the blanket he found in the sacristy is wrapped tightly around Alec, makes sure there's a bottle of water in reach in case Alec wakes coherent enough to recognize it and leaves for the town.

It's a twenty minute hike underfoot, maybe, to the closest settlement, and Ben knows there's a small clinic there where he can find the drugs he needs. He would be able to make it in a shorter time. That, however, would mean foregoing any precautions, and he can't afford that right now. Acquiring the drugs is easy; it's two days after the celebration, and the white little house is empty and locked. There's a sign on the door that reads 'For emergencies please call...'

Ben does have an emergency, but he won't call that number. Instead, he takes a set of lock-picks out of the inner pocket of his jacket and goes to work. A part of him is disappointed that he doesn't meet any resistance. He disregards it easily. For the first time since they left Manticore his mission is clear, and he intends to follow it. Keep him alive.

When Ben comes back with the penicillin in hand (and a pack of prescription strength Tryptophan because it was there and they are both bound to need it at some point) it is to hear a voice, low and melodic, murmuring meaningless reassurances. The sound origins in their corner where the Blue Lady is watching over them. Where Alec is waiting for him, only that isn't Alec's voice.

Ben keeps his steps quiet but quick as he crosses through the aisles of broken benches, coming up behind a man in a black suit with dark hair who is bend over his twin with a wet cloth in hand and hisses, low and menacing, "Step away from him!"

The man startles and twists around, staring at him in surprise, and Ben can now see that Alec's still unconscious, but he's agitated again. There's a white collar around the man's throat and Ben relaxes infinitesimally. If nothing else he knows the man won't harm them. Still, when the priest doesn't move

he grabs him by the scruff of his collar and forcefully makes him stand aside.

"Your brother is ill!" the man protests as if somehow Ben hasn't noticed. "He needs help."

"I know."

Glaring at the father to keep him in his spot, Ben kneels by Alec's side and brings forth several ampules of the broad spectrum antibiotic as well as a syringe. He and his siblings never got to finish field med, but he has enough knowledge to know how this works, and he's picked a few things up during his years on the run.

Alec doesn't like the needle. As soon as it slides into his skin he starts protesting, the unmistakable unease pushing him towards consciousness. He starts mumbling about being a good soldier and 'Please,' and 'Don't,' and 'Don't wanna go back,' and Ben's jaw clenches and his hand around Alec's wrist tightens more than it needs to hold him in place for the inexorable ordeal.

The dark haired priest watches him wordlessly as Ben administers the drug into his brother's system; as he pets Alec's hair to settle him down because that has helped before when he's been plagued by his nightmares; as he reaches for the bottle of water and carefully makes Alec drink another mouthful or so. He wants to ask what the man is doing here, why he hasn't left yet now that he has seen that his brother is in capable hands, but the priest is quicker.

"Where did you get... ?" he starts to ask, eyes on the remaining ampules next to Ben, but he catches himself. Sighing heavily, he tells Ben, "Back in the day I would have called you on the carpet for not taking him to a hospital." Looking around the deserted house of worship, he adds, "This is no place for the sick."

'Back in the day' meaning pre-pulse. Ben was about ten years old when it happened, but despite having an eidetic memory he's been out in the human world for less than half a year then, and he really doesn't have enough experiences to compare 'before' and 'after.'

"What's your name, son?" the priest asks. "And that of your brother?"

"Why do you want to know?"

Ben can count the people he's given his name to since being parted from his siblings on the fingers of two hands and still have four left. His name is something treasured, not easily given away (he was never meant to have one, so it's not impossible that they can take it away from him), and only because the man is a priest doesn't give him privilege enough. A name gives power over the person wearing it, that's something Ben has always been acutely aware of.

The priest considers him for a moment, then replies, "So I know who to call for when I come by tomorrow with something to eat." Looking down at the now sleeping twin, he adds, "Broth, from the looks of it."

Still not answering, Ben cocks his head at the man in bemusement. Yes, they do need food. He has some conserves and granular bars, foods that won't go to waste but nothing adequate, nothing for someone as sick as Alec to eat. Why is this man offering help when no one ever asked him?

"I became a priest because I wanted to help people in need of guidance," the father explains as if reading his thoughts. "Or in need, period. Only because your troubles are of a more worldly matter doesn't mean I'm not going to help you. And your brother will need some cosseting once the fever breaks."

Ben glances at the statue in his back. Is this Her doing too? Another sign that she wants him to keep Alec?

"Ben," he says, turning back around. "I'm Ben." He doesn't give his brother's name because it's not his to give. The man waits expectantly for another few moments, but he seems to get the message eventually.

"Alright, Ben," the priest inclines his head. "I'm going to come back tomorrow morning."

With that, the man stands and walks away, down the aisles with a last, contemplative look over his shoulder as he reaches the door. Ben still doesn't know what he was doing here in the first place. As long as he doesn't develop into a threat, he doesn't care.

It's late by now, and there's nothing he can do but wait; wait for the morning, wait for Alec's fever to break. He may as well get some rest. Shucking his jacket and boots, Ben slides under the blanket next to his brother, places a hand on Alec's chest above his heart and goes to sleep. This close, he will know if anything changes.

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to be continued...