Chapter Seven
A few days later, Garrett wasn’t getting better. If anything, he was getting worse.
Franklin watched his brother through the window in the door at the clinic.
Garrett was still here, in his own private room.
There was no other choice since he kept shifting into different animals.
The first time he’d shifted into a lion, Franklin had been delighted, thinking that maybe he was getting his brother back.
Shifting in a bed in the clinic wasn’t a great idea considering how big Garrett’s lion was, but it had felt like progress.
Until Garrett had shifted into a bear. After the bear, it had been a horse, and the room had definitely been too small for that.
Reed had had to intervene and use his ability.
He’d stopped Garrett from being able to shift, and while Franklin hated that, he’d also been relieved.
He didn’t know if shifting that quickly into so many animals hurt his brother, but he wasn’t willing to risk it.
Knowing that Reed could stop him helped Franklin feel better, but he couldn’t help but wonder what would come next.
Would Reed have to stay with Garrett forever?
Would he have to keep an eye on him just in case Garrett started shifting?
For now, Garrett didn’t seem to be all there.
According to what the healers had said, he’d retreated into his mind, possibly in an attempt to avoid the pain the scientists and the guards had been inflicting on him.
He hadn’t been like that when Reed had last seen him six months ago, but Reed was positive that eventually, he’d get better.
Franklin wanted to believe that, but he couldn’t ignore what was in front of him. Garrett was terrified. When Franklin visited and talked to him about their past and their family, he didn’t react. He also didn’t try to escape or scream, but that didn’t mean he understood who Franklin was.
But he did recognize Reed. That was something.
Franklin was glad that if it wasn’t him, it was his mate.
No matter what Reed had done, it was clear that it had brought them together and that Garrett trusted him.
He was possibly the only person Garrett trusted right now.
It wasn’t personal, and Franklin wasn’t taking it as such.
He was just glad that his brother had someone.
“You can go in,” one of the nurses said.
Franklin startled. He hadn’t heard her coming close.
He turned to her, plastering a smile on his face. “Thank you. I’m aware I can.”
Her expression was understanding. “But you’re not sure you should. I get it. This isn’t easy.”
She had experience with this. Everyone in the clinic did.
They were taking care of other prisoners from the facility along with Garrett, and some of them were in worse shape than he was.
Luckily, the mutants had gotten their hands on every bit of information in the computers and in the files the scientists had been keeping.
It was the first thing they’d secured once they’d gotten into the facility, which was a good thing because several of the scientists had died.
Good riddance. Franklin didn’t feel guilty for thinking that.
Hell, if he could go back, he might want to kill a few of them himself.
Having all the files meant knowing exactly what had happened to Garrett and the others.
It probably wouldn’t help much since Garrett was physically okay, even though he could shift into so many animals, but it was a start, and they needed to start somewhere.
“I’ve seen this kind of situation before,” the nurse said as she turned to look at Garrett. “The only thing you can do is talk to him. Remind him of who you are and of who he is. Be the light at the end of his tunnel.”
Franklin wasn’t sure he had it in him to be that light, but it wouldn’t stop him from trying.
This was only the first step in getting his family back together.
He had Garrett. Now, he needed to help Garrett get better and to find Leah.
He’d probably have to repeat this process once he found his sister, and he prayed that she wasn’t as bad as Garrett, but only time would tell.
In the meantime, Franklin had decided to think that she might be.
He wanted to be prepared for it when he found her.
He hadn’t been when he’d found Garrett, and it was torture.
Taking a deep breath, Franklin pushed open the door and stepped inside.
Reed was already there, sitting in a chair by the window, watching Garrett.
His mate looked up when Franklin entered, and the gentle smile that crossed his face helped ease some of the tightness in Franklin’s chest. His gaze went to the streak of white in Reed’s hair.
It had grown slightly after Reed had used his ability on Garrett, and Franklin hoped he wouldn’t have to do so again.
He loved the way his mate looked, but it wasn’t good for him.
“How is he?” Franklin asked, though he could see for himself. Garrett was curled up on the bed, his knees drawn to his chest, staring at the wall with blank eyes. He looked small and fragile, nothing like the brother Franklin remembered.
“The same,” Reed said quietly. “But he ate a little this morning. That’s progress.”
Franklin nodded and moved closer to the bed, settling into the chair on the opposite side.
He’d been doing this for days now. He sat here, talking to Garrett and hoping for some sign that his brother was still in there somewhere.
Some days were better than others. Some days, Garrett would look at him, and Franklin would swear he saw a flicker of recognition.
Other days, like today, Garrett seemed completely lost.
“Hey, Garrett,” Franklin said softly. “It’s me again. Franklin. Your brother.”
No response. Garrett continued staring at the wall.
Franklin swallowed the lump in his throat and pressed on.
“I was thinking about that summer we spent at Grandma’s house.
Do you remember? You and Leah were eight, and I was eleven.
We built that treehouse in the backyard, and Dad helped us with the roof.
You fell out of it on the second day, landed right in Grandma’s flower bed.
She was so mad, but you just laughed and climbed right back up. ”
He paused, watching for any sign of a reaction. Nothing.
“You were always fearless like that,” Franklin continued. “Nothing scared you. You’d try anything a hundred times if you had to. You never gave up.”
Reed reached across the bed and squeezed Franklin’s hand. The touch grounded him, reminded him that he wasn’t alone in this.
“I need you to be fearless now,” Franklin whispered. “I need you to fight your way back to us. To me. To Leah. We’re both waiting for you.”
For a long moment, there was only silence. Then, so quietly Franklin almost missed it, Garrett spoke.
“Leah?”
Franklin’s heart stopped. He leaned forward, holding his breath. “Yes. Leah. Your sister. My sister. Do you remember her?”
Garrett’s gaze changed, finally moving away from the wall to look at Franklin. His eyes were still glazed and distant, but there was something there now. “Where?” Garrett asked, his voice hoarse from disuse.
Franklin felt tears burn his eyes, but he blinked them back. That was the most Garrett had spoken since they’d brought him here. “We don’t know yet,” he admitted, his voice thick with emotion. “But we’re looking for her. I promise you, Garrett, we’re going to find her. Just like we found you.”
Garrett frowned, and Franklin could see him struggling to make sense of the words. “She’s not here?”
“Not yet,” Franklin said gently. “But you are. You’re safe now. No one’s going to hurt you anymore.”
Garrett’s gaze moved around the room. Fear flickered in his expression, and Franklin could see him starting to retreat again.
“Hey, hey,” Franklin said quickly, reaching out but stopping short of actually touching him. “You’re okay. This is a clinic in the village. These are healers, not scientists. They’re helping you get better. Reed’s here. I’m here. You’re safe.”
Garrett’s gaze fixed on Reed, and some of the panic seemed to ease from his expression. He trusted Reed. Whatever had happened between them in that facility, it had created a bond.
“We need to find Leah,” Garrett said, his voice stronger now. It was the most coherent sentence he’d managed in days.
“We will,” Franklin promised. He would have done it anyway, but he’d promise anything if it brought Garrett back to him. “We’re working on it. Moore and the other mutants are going through all the files from the facility. If there’s any information about where they took her, we’ll find it.”
Garrett nodded slowly, but his eyes began to droop. He was exhausted. Franklin watched as his brother’s body relaxed, the tension draining away as he fell asleep.
“That was huge,” Reed murmured.
Franklin nodded. Garrett had asked about Leah. He’d remembered her. That meant the memories were still there, buried deep but not lost. If Garrett could remember Leah, maybe he could remember everything else, too, and come back to them. Maybe he could remember Franklin.
“He’s going to be okay,” Reed said, standing and moving around the bed to wrap his arms around Franklin. “It’s going to take time, but he’s going to be okay.”
Franklin leaned against Reed, letting himself take comfort in his presence. “I hope you’re right,” he whispered. “I need you to be right.”
“I am,” Reed said with quiet confidence. “And when we find Leah, we’ll help her, too. All three of you are going to get through this together.”
Franklin closed his eyes. They would find Leah. They would help Garrett heal. Their family would be whole again, no matter how long it took or how hard they had to fight for it.
For now, though, this was enough. Garrett had asked about Leah. It was a small step, but it was a step in the right direction. After days of feeling helpless, Franklin would take any progress he could get.
He settled back into his chair, Reed’s arms warm around him, and watched his brother sleep. Tomorrow, he would come back and talk to Garrett again. He would tell him more stories about their childhood, remind him of who he was, and, memory by memory, he would help his brother find his way home.