Suddenly, like a match meeting a fuse, pain ignited in Charles lower spine. He screamed but not a sound left his mouth. He wasn't sure how long it really took him to fall but it felt as if years passed before he felt strong lean arms grasp him as he hit the sand. Charles hadn't felt anything when Erik removed the bullet. Nor had he felt anything since that day on the beach as he lay in Erik's arms. He had watched as Erik's mouth moved but everything seemed so far away…
Erik had then looked away from Charles. Following his gaze, Charles had seen Moira gasping with her hands clasped around her throat. At first thought Charles had believed that she was in just overcome with emotion but, as Charles dragged his gaze back Erik he had struggled in horror at Erik's spidery fingers stretched out toward the CIA agent.
Charles was suddenly blasted with sound. Explosions could be heard out to sea as the waves slid along the shore. "You! You did this" Erik had spat as he constricted his fingers. Charles saw four faint yellow outlines creep into his limited range of vision.
With a swipe of his arm his sister as well as Hank, Sean, and Alex were thrown through the air. "I said back off!" Erik had then snarled at the students before returning his full attention back to Moira.
"Wait, please" Charles had gasped. Erik had looked down at Charles, anger still burning hot in his solemn blue eyes. "She didn't do this, Erik. You did." Erik gazed down in horror. Erik needn't have removed Shaw's helmet to tell Charles what he was thinking.
He knew Erik would always blame himself no matter how much he wanted the world to believe that he didn't care. "Us turning on each other," Erik told the broken man softly "it's what they want. I tired to warn you, Charles. I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of together, protecting each other. We want the same thing." Charles had mirrored his lovers sad stare.
"My friend. I'm sorry, but we do not." Charles had said weakly.
Charles didn't really remember what happened on the beach after Erik's safe arms no longer held him. All he knew was that, when he later awoke in his mansion bedroom, both his sister and his best friend had walked away from him. Walked away. Something that Charles would never again be able to do.
That's when Charles first felt the poison of darkness and the bite of rejection. The two people he would have given his life for had destroyed him and had left his powerless body to rot. They will be sorry. Charles thought menacingly. Those two may have forgotten all that I have done for them but, I will never forget what they have done to me.