Understanding

They understood, and still loved him. That was strange to Zach.

He had expected for the truth to come out, of course, and had predicted each of their reactions clinically from what he knew of them.

Hodgins would start off about conspiracies, and how the Master (though those at the lab knew him by another name) had just wanted to infiltrate his lab. And blame himself. For not noticing it sooner. For ignoring him in favor of Angela.

Booth would be angry, probably hit something. And blame himself. For not listening to him more seriously. For letting him go off to Iraq.

Dr. Brennan would rationalize it to a degree that even he hadn't reached out loud for others. But secretly she would blame herself. For not being a warm and accommodating person. For not understanding current human interaction.

Angela would cry for his lost innocence (conveniently forgetting he had gone to Iraq and had lost that long ago). And blame herself. For not paying more attention to him. For ignoring him in favor of Hodgins.

Cam would wheel off about how they needed to catch him. To not let the Apprentice become the Master. And blame herself. For not being there more often. For not being more of a friend.

Dr. Sweets would spout inane psycho babble (as Booth called it. Such a Booth way of putting it). And blame himself. For not seeing this coming. For not stopping it.

And they would all hate him. For deceiving them. For lying to their faces.

He hadn't expected to be around to see their reactions. He thought he would be under the Master's wing, protected from the emotions that the thought of their hatred created in him. The unwanted chemical reaction that created guilt, and sadness, and self-loathing.

But here he was in the hospital, lying on the crisp white sheets, and staring at the faces of people he hadn't expected to ever see again. They were all there, even Dr. Sweets, on the other side of the glass. It was as close as they were allowed to get to him now. But they were there.

And they didn't hate them.

Zach just couldn't understand.

They had been hunting 'Gormagon' for ages, with him impeding them at every step to keep them from discovering the Master. Hell, he had plans to become Gormagon after the Master retired.

He thought they would be disgusted. Disgruntled. Angry.

But none of them were. They loved him.

They understood.

I think the way the team react to him being Gormagon's assistant would confuse the hell out of someone with a rational thought pattern like Zachy-poo's.

I am done putting these thoughts into words.

Lionna