The End is the Beginning….

Jesse was going to be fine. Given time he would make a full recovery. His sprain shoulder would heal fine, his concussion would have no permanent affect, and the venom would completely leave his system. His heart had a bit of an arrhythmia, but it eventually fixed itself and now showed no signs that it had ever stopped.

Ever since that early morning waking, when he came back to them screaming and fighting, they had known that he would be fine. A weight had been lifted from everyone the moment they say those blue eyes staring back at them. They began to breath again when Jesse had flashed his golden smile and asked, "I didn't worry you all, did I?"

They had laughed at that, Shalimar, Emma, Sam, Adam, and even Brennan. They had laughed hard and long until their laughter turned into tears and quite prayers of thanks. They had all watched him like a hawk for a week, until Adam finally declared him well enough to get out of bed, much to the relief of Jesse. Sam had been the one to take care of Jesse mostly, for as he simply pointed out, Brennan needed some time to recover, Emma need to play therapist, and Adam and Shalimar would need to watch the underground. It was true and nobody could argue.

But now, two weeks after that night, two weeks after he came back to them kicking and screaming, Jesse was fine. Sam had gone back to his life in the 'real world' now an honorary Mutant X member. Shalimar and Emma were doing the odd mission here and there. Brennan was beginning to rebuild his strength and deal with his emotions, something he could never have done with out Emma. And Jesse was fine.

But if Jesse was fine, why was Brennan so worried about him?

Ever since Sam left, Jesse had retreated. He barely spoke to anyone outside of the odd "No, I don't need anything." "Yes I've eaten." "I'm ok, thanks." He hid away in his room or in his mainframes and data charts and networks. He didn't look anyone in the eye, and though he smiled there was nothing real about it. He was hollowed, and it was clear that he wasn't sleeping. But he wouldn't give anyone a straight answer. He wouldn't even give them a fake answer. And this had gone on for nearly a week.

Today, Brennan decided, it was going to stop.

He walked nervously to Jesse's room. Adam had gone to pick up supplies, and Shalimar and Emma were taking care of some safe house. Restocking or something, it was important. What was, was that Jesse and he were alone, and would be for several answers.

Knocking lightly on his door, Brennan waited for a reply. "Who is it?" came a groggy and confused reply from Jess.

"It's Brennan. Cam we talk…please?" Brennan asked, trying to keep his voice toneless, but there was nothing he could do to hide the desperation he felt.

Maybe it was that pleading note that made Jesse open the door to allow some one entrance into his room for the first time in a long time. Or maybe it was the fact that it was Brennan and he couldn't bring himself to say no. It didn't matter. He opened the door and allowed Brennan to enter.

Jesse was dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt. His hair was a mess and his eyelids hung heavy. Brennan had clearly waked him up, and he felt a stab of guilt in his chest knowing that the blond needed to sleep. But at the same time, there was no good putting this off.

"Have a seat," Jesse motioned to a desk chair in the corner of his room. He, himself, took a place on his bed and sat cross-legged. Brennan moved slowly towards the offered chair, trying to give himself enough time to gather his thoughts. There was so much he wanted to talk about, but he wasn't sure if Jesse was ready, so tack was very important at the moment. Unfortunately, he had never been good at tact.

"How you feeling Jess? How's your shoulder?"

"It's stiff," Jesse said, not looking at Brennan.

"Jess, I…" Brennan began, but he didn't know what to say after that and he grasped desperately at straws. But the straws blew away as soon as Jesse spoke.

"You have every right to hate me…It's my fault…" Jesse whispered, trying to get the words around the lump in his throat.

Brennan stared at the blond dumbfounded for a moment before saying, "Jesse I don't hate you…you didn't do anything."

"Yes I did. I put everyone in danger, I was reckless, and stupid, and I almost got you…."

"Who told you this?" Brennan demanded gently, "Jess, who said this to you?"

"No one. No one had to. I know it true," Jesse said, as the walls that he had tried to build started to chip.

Brennan moved to him and held him. At first Jesse tensed and was rigid in his arms. But as the warmth of Brennan's body penetrated Jesse's defenses, Jesse felt the ground beneath him fall out and he couldn't support the weight of everything anymore. He started to cry, quietly, and controlled, but still sobs.

Brennan just held him. He had learned early on, that when Jesse cried it was best to just let him. The younger man had grown up in a world where emotion and crying was not allowed. Stress and heartache were unacceptable. So when Jesse cried, it was not easily, and it was not over petty things. When he cried it meant that his world was coming down around him and he didn't know what to do. So it was a good thing that Brennan was there, because Brennan did know what to do, and he held him until he regained control.

"Sorry," Jesse said softly, when he had managed to stop crying. He was now almost lounging in Brennan's arms.

"Stop saying that," Brennan said softly, one of his hands stroking Jesse's hair.

"But Brennan…" Jesse began.

"Jess, what did you do that Shal, Em, Adam, or I wouldn't have done?" Brennan asked before Jesse could finish.

"Put everyone in danger, allowed you to get hurt, allowed myself to be raped again…."

Brennan turned Jesse in his arms, forcing the younger man to look him in his eyes and said fiercely, "Don't say that. Don't ever say that. Don't even think it."

"It's true," Jesse claimed.

"No. It's not. You didn't allow any of it to happen. You didn't allow him to do anything to you, or me, or anyone. You're not responsible for any of this."

Jesse pulled himself out of Brennan's arms and got to his knees. There was anger in his face. "I was the one who was so bound and determined to find this guy. I was the one who refused to wait or to listen to anyone. I came up with the damn plan that got you and I captured. Don't think I don't know what he did. Don't think I don't know what happened while I was suppose to be unconscious. I had to lie still while he took off my clothes because if I didn't he would have bitten me and I wouldn't have been able to do anything! I had to let him touch me and I knew that he was doing the same to you and It's my…."

Jesse was dissolving to tears again, and this time Brennan wasn't going to let him just cry. He rose swiftly and cupped Jesse's face, gently forcing the younger man's lips to his and he kissed him fiercely. At first Jesse was surprised and tried to pull away, but Brennan held on to him ever so lightly, and soon Jesse melted into him. He allowed Brennan to lay him flat on his bed and straddle him. He allowed him pin his hands down and deepen the kiss. And when he allowed him to pull away, he gave a soft moan of disappointment.

"If what you say is true Jesse, and I do believe you, then you saved us both. You saved me. What you did was more then enough to make up for any perceived stupidity. Now how can I make you believe that?"

"I don't know if I can…I don't…" Jesse didn't get to finish that sentence as Brennan planted another kiss, this time softer then the first, on his lips. This one didn't last as long as the other, but it was still as passionate.

"I'm going to try Jesse. God help me, I'm going to try, even if I have to kiss every inch of you that you let me…."

"The others…" Jesse said, but his voice was light and feathery, his eyes fluttering.

"Are gone for the day," Brennan finished for him. And Jesse laughed, a small and little laugh, but a real one.

He really was going to be fine.

END.