Brennan POV

I see Jesse sitting at the computer as I walk into the room. "Hey, man."

"Hey. How are you felling?" I ask, worried about him.

"I'm feeling a little better today."

I'm not real sure how to tell him what I have to say next, so I just say it and hope it comes out right, hope he'll believe me."I was trying one of the meditations Emma showed me a while ago. I. . . remembered a few things in better detail. I'm sorry. I'd threatened to kill you, and tried to, before we even got in the rings. And the stuff I said. I didn't mean it. It wasn't true. It wasn't. . . me."

"I know. But it's kinda nice to hear. Thanks. The warden did get one thing right. He said we were friends, brothers. Brothers are supposed to give each other a hard time. That's what I meant earlier when I said that it was your job to give me a hard time. Brothers also watch out for each other, and forgive each other."

I'm again stunned at his generous heart, and reminded why I'm lucky to have him as a friend, a brother. "Thanks. . . brother."

"There is one thing. Did you remember what I first said when I came into that cell."

I do vaguely remember it, but don't know why he'd bring it up."Uh, I think you were apologizing for not backing off from that guy. Why?"

"'Cause I am sorry. If I hadn't let that guy get to me then you wouldn't have gotten in that fight and had them choose you."

He has nothing to feel guilty about and I try to reassure him. "It's not your fault. And if it hadn't been me they would have chosen someone else and then someone would have died that night, and they'd still be doing it."

"True. I guess you being drugged and me getting beaten up is a small price to pay to shut that whole fighting ring down. Its just to bad it wasn't in time to save your friend."

"Yeah, it is. But at least you got me the antidote in time to keep me from killing you. I still can't believe how close it was. How out of control I was." The thought still scares me. Both that I came so close to killing my best friend and that I had no control over my actions. My power can be so destructive, and hurt the people around me so easily that I *have* to be in control of it. The thought of losing that control, of having it taken away, is one of the few things that can scare me.

"I'm not so sure you were. At least not until the end. If you'd really wanted to kill me you could have sent enough of a charge into me to kill me instead of just hurt me. For the first while, you weren't going for the kill." He does have a point about the level of charge I used, and from what I do remember I suppose he's right, but that's not a part that's clear in my head. "I'll take your word for it. That part I still don't remember as well."

"What was it like?"

I'm surprised at his question and I guess it shows, because he pushes the issue.

"Come on, I'm curious."

I realize he won't let this go, so I try to explain. "It was like I couldn't think, only feel, and all I could feel was anger. I was acting on all my worst instincts and impulses. Everyone has a "good" side and a "bad" side. The drug suppressed the good side and amplified the bad."

"So you really were your "evil twin", huh?"

I'm glad he's comfortable enough around me still to tease me so I grin and answer. "I guess so."

"It's nice to have the real you back."

"It's good to be back. To be in control again." Since he asked a question I figure it's my turn to ask one that's been bothering me. "But know I have question. Why didn't you mass? You could have knocked me out with one hit to the head. Saved yourself a *lot* of pain."

"Yes, I would have knocked you out, and given you a concussion. With all those drugs in you I didn't want to take the chance of adding a head injury. No way to know how it would have affected you long term. Besides, you felt so confident that you spent time showing off for the crowd and taunting me. You were drawing out the fight and putting on a show. That meant more time to get you the antidote."

I hadn't even considered what the combination of drugs and a head injury could do. I'm lucky he did. Before I have a chance to answer we're interrupted by Adam's voice on calling for Jesse to come to the medical area for a check up. He tells him tells me to also bring me for another blood test. We do as we're told but only after groaning about it, literally. I almost laugh at our matching reactions.

THE END

A/N Thank you to everyone who read this story, and especially those who also reviewed. If anyone is interested I am working on a new one and also hope to get the sequel to "Home" up as soon as the new season starts, maybe earlier.