Part 2 of the Marcus Reprogrammed series [they're not all part of it I promise]

Summary: Daniel wakes up in the middle of the night, fearful and scared of his brother.
Rating: Teen and Up 
Warnings: ---
Publish date: May 27, 2020
Words: 1,050

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I'm scared. I'm so scared.

I'm alone in a bright room. I'm tied to a chair.

Where am I? What am I doing here?

"Dad!" I shout. No words come out. "Dad!" I try again. Still nothing.

I hear a laugh. I can't see anyone, though.

Until a door opens, and in walks my brother.

"Marcus!" I shout excitedly. Marcus will save me. He's my brother. He's strong. He'll get me out of here.

He looks at me, but doesn't say anything.

In walks Giselle.

"You!" I shout, feeling tears prick at my eyelids. "Please. Not again." The tears start to fall.

It's happening all over again. I didn't think my brother would turn back to the dark side. He did, though, and I was his next victim.

He pulled out his knuckle blades and slowly walk towards me.

This isn't right! Marcus is my family! He loves me!

I guess he just had me fooled...

He approached me and bent down, so his fist was level with neck.

"I will never EVER be your brother." He whispered, before shoving the blades into my neck.

I jolted awake, suddenly hyperaware of my surroundings. I was in my capsule, in mine and Marcus' room. I wasn't in a bright room, and I definitely wasn't being tortured.

But it sure was dark in here, and the tears were still running down my face.

I slowly got our of my capsule and looked around our bedroom. Going from a bed to a capsule was certainly a weird change, but it's one I can live with. Especially since I way more in touch with my bionics.

I turn to Marcus' capsule and found it empty.

"Oh sh-" I whispered, my heart rate increasing extremely fast.

What that wasn't a nightmare? What if I actually died and now I'm in this hellhole that is my dark, deserted bedroom? Marcus isn't here because he's in the overworld, probably torturing more people!

And to think I trusted him. I should've never been so weak. I should've taken the crew's stories to heart, instead of just brushing them off because of slight reprogramming done to him!

I feel my knees grow weak and I fall to the floor, tears streaming down my face. I had just adjusted to my new bionic life, and now it's all been taken away from me! I'll never have a chance to go on a real mission or be on TV or graduate highschool or even START highschool-

I let out an ugly sob noise and cry hard into a pillow.

"Daniel?" I look up to see Marcus in the doorway.

I shook my head, still bawling, "No. Please! Just let me die!"

Marcus let out a terrified chuckle and ran up to me, "Woah, buddy. Dying?"

"GET AWAY FROM ME!" I screeched, crawling back a few feet.

Marcus' face was a mix of terror and guild, "Danny? It's your brother?"

I shook my head, not meeting his eyes.

He approached me slowly and wrapped his arms around me. I felt like I was suffocating, but I wouldn't move.

I cry into Marcus' shoulder, my brain and heart still running at three miles a minute. I still felt fear, but I knew it wasn't from Marcus. It really was a dream.

My breath starts to slow down, and Marcus pulls away. I immediately feel the coldness of reality hit me as he does. I'm not dreaming now in the slightest.

"Now..." Marcus starts, seemingly unsure where to start. "What's all this about dying?"

"I-" I started, but then I realized how pathetic it would all sound. Marcus would see me as a crybaby. He probably already sees me as a wimpy 13 year old who's just trying to be quirky. "Nothing."

He tilted his head. "I don't think so." He put his hand on my shoulder, "You can tell me. If you want. I'll listen."

I tried my best to grasp back on to the dream I had just had, but all I could remember is waking up thinking I'm dead. Yet, somehow looking at Marcus' face reminded me of the dream.

"I thought I died." I said, defeated. I was sure Marcus was about to burst out laughing.

But he didn't, he just helped me up and walked me over to the little twin bed in between our capsules. It used to be my bed, before I moved in with my real dad and got a capsule. I wanted to keep it, because it's a reminder that even though I'm bionic, I'm human. It's also a nice bench in times like these.

We sat down on the bed and he handed me a little fidget cube. "I had a nightmare." I continued, pressing the buttons on one side of the cube, "I don't remember it much, but I remember thinking you were evil again when I woke up..."

Marcus looked away, "Oh" was all he said.

We sat there in silence for a moment.

"Dad reprogrammed you well, right?" I asked, switching sides on the cube and spinning the spinner on a new side.

Marcus looked down at me and smiled a bit, "Yeah. He really did."

"You're not gonna be evil again?"

He took a deep breath and said, "I don't want to be, no."

I smiled, "Good," I said, deciding to drop the heart-to-heart moment, just in case things got too sappy, "Because I would hate to be related to an evil mastermind."

I hopped off the bed and he laughed, "And an evil mastermind would hate being related to a brave bionic hero." He said, jumping off the bed, too.

"I know." I said, smiling at him. "I'm gonna go back to bed."

Marcus nodded, "Okay."

I was about to close the door to my capsule when he spoke up again, "Wait!" He said. I opened it a bit so he could still talk to me. "I'm sorry. You would never have those nightmares to begin with if I just... never was evil."

I gave him a sympathetic smile, "It wasn't your choice."

He simply nodded, "I'll always be your brother, Daniel." He said, "Don't forget. "

I shook my head, "I know. I won't."

And with that, I closed my capsule and slept the rest of the night soundly.