Late September, 1963.

It was a strange sight that greeted Hank, Alex, his younger brother Scott, and Sean one Wednesday night when the telepathic voice of the professor beckoned them to join him in his study. He hadn't explained why and they hadn't had the chance to ask but what they found they wouldn't have guessed in a million years. Erik - Magneto, wearing his helmet, was standing beside Azazel, Angel, Riptide and Emma Frost who was in full 'diamond mode'.

Hank snarled in warning and charged at Magneto, gripping him by the throat and lifting him into the air. He was surprised that the man didn't fight back and when his 'friends' moved to aid him he raised a shaking hand to order them to stop.

"Hank, please, let him go," Charles said calmly.

"Professor, he..." Beast growled.

"Is here to talk, not to fight."

"With this helmet you never know!" the young scientist replied angrily.

"And if he chokes to death we'll not know, either," the professor countered and Beast, reluctantly released his former comrade. "We've been talking for some time before I called you down here," he said to his students.

"You should've called us sooner, they shouldn't be here," Alex crossed his arms.

"Bring it, little man," Riptide smirked back.

"We could take you out, blindfolded," Sean hissed.

"Enough!" Charles called in their minds and all attention turned to him before a war broke out. Silence fell in the room and he let out a sigh born of frustrated patience and shredded nerves. "You can stay," he said eventually, "All of you, if you wish," he said to Magneto's Brotherhood.

"Professor, you can't be serious!" Sean exclaimed.

"I am deadly serious," the professor narrowed his eyes at the group of mutants across the room.

Azazel looked to Erik who nodded to him slightly and the red skinned mutant sighed. "I stay if you do," he said to the German.

"Count me out," Emma crossed her ams, "If I'd known this was what you had in mind I wouldn't have come in the first place."

"Me too," Angel shook her head and walked closer to Emma.

For Raven it was no contest. She'd been longing to return to the manor, to her brother and all those long talks with Erik had paid off. It was what they both wanted but they knew it would take time for things to get back to how they had been before.

"You are sure?" Charles asked Angel who nodded. He then turned to Riptide who gave a similar nod, "Very well, then I suggest you leave. I'm sure Azazel wouldn't mind taking you wherever you wish to go."

Once again, Azazel looked to Erik, "Take them back to the warehouse," he said and the red mutant obliged, vanishing in a puff of smoke and then returning a second later, minus three mutants.

"The professor may welcome you, but you have no idea what he's been through because of what you did, because you left," Beast snarled through his teeth at Erik and Raven. She lowered her head in silent agreement and Erik did his best to hold back his anger.

"Charles..." Raven began sadly, moving towards her brother, intending to give him a hug but he held up a hand to stop her.

"Hank, Sean, would you take Azazel and Raven into the kitchen, I'm sure they're rather hungry. Alex, I think it's time for bed," he added sending a brief glance at the young boy that was practically hiding behind Alex. His tone left no room for arguments.

"Professor..." Sean began to protest.

"Please," the man breathed and they slowly acquiesced.

Azazel made no effort to move as he studied the professor through narrowed eyes. "Peace, Azazel," he heard the mans' voice in his mind, "I mean you no harm, but I will know if you mean harm to others under my roof and I won't allow it." The red mutant let out a quiet growl in acknowledgement and went to leave with the others.

"Not you, Erik, you and I need to talk," Charles said aloud when the older man made to leave.

When the door clicked shut behind Sean, the last one out, Charles wheeled himself out from behind his desk and moved in front of the fire. "Sit down, please," he said to Erik.

Erik slowly walked across to the chair opposite to Charles and observed that the wheelchair in which he sat was made entirely out of plastic.

"Is it...permanent?" he asked.

"It's highly probable," Charles answered emotionlessly.

"Mein Gott..." Erik breathed quietly, "I didn't know...I never...I thought..."

"I understand."

"You have every right to hate me," the older man mourned.

"Why are you here, Erik? Why now when you've been doing everything to avoid me for almost a year?"

"I didn't want to fight you," he corrected.

"No, you don't," Charles said gravely.

"Surely you know what happened, you might not be able to read my mind now but their minds..."

"You know fully well that Emma wiped it from their memory, very sloppily too I might add. They remember a dark night, a distant image of a faceless young child crying but no details, I saw her taking their memories through their eyes. Don't take me for a fool."

"I didn't think it would work," Erik shrugged, "She's nowhere near as strong as you."

"No, she isn't. That's why she shouldn't tamper with people's memory, she could cause irreparable damage."

"I didn't have a choice."

"There's always choice."

"Not always."

"Erik..."

"Listen to me," Erik pleaded, standing up and pacing around. "I didn't want this. I never meant for you to get hurt. I'd never want that. You trusted me and I betrayed that trust at the first test but surely you understand why I did what I did."

"I don't condone it."

"He was a threat and I removed him. It needed to be done. What would you have done if I hadn't killed him? Locked him away only for him to be released and let loose on the world again?"

"I don't know, but no one deserves to die like that."

"...Like that...how do you know how he died, you weren't there?"

"I was inside his mind," Charles said, "He was frozen, remember."

"...Does that mean..."

"It does. I know what you did, I saw your face, I felt his death."

"I didn't think..."

"No, you didn't," Charles shook his head, "You were fuelled by your anger."

"You could have let go."

"He would have killed you if I had and I had no way to talk to you," he said, momentarily glaring at the shining helmet.

"So not only did I cripple you, I also killed you," Erik realised, "That's what Beast meant."

"Among other things, yes, that's what he meant."

"Es tut mir leid...Charles, I didn't know...I swear to you..."

"I know."

"...I should go..."

"Don't," Charles said, "Don't do anything out of guilt."

"Then what am I supposed to do?"

"Do what you think is best for you, that's what you've always done, isn't it?"

"And look where that led," Erik scoffed, gesturing to the wheelchair.

"On certain issues we may never see eye to eye, but I believe that is why we are stronger as allies than enemies."

"That's what I wanted..."

"Allies for peace, not for war."

"War is coming, Charles, whether you want it or not."

"Maybe, but your way would lead to our destruction."

"I want only what we deserve!"

"You want only what you've always known," Charles said, "Chaos, war, anger. There are other ways to live."

Erik in his anger and frustration, had everything metallic in the room quivering with his rage, "Be calm, Erik," the younger man told him and after a minute, he reigned in his temper.

"I may not always agree with you," he stated, "I may never earn back your trust. But I am here to make amends. I am here to tell you that I will never bring harm to you again nor will I allow anyone else to do so."

"I don't require a bodyguard."

"No, that's Hank's job obviously," Erik remarked.

"I am well able to defend myself if necessary. I don't need my legs for that."

"This isn't easy for me," the older man ground out, "And you're not helping."

"I'm not trying to make it easy, whatever 'it' is."

"I want to fight by your side again, I know I've no right to ask..."

"I've already said you are welcome here. You have no obligation to me whatsoever, I will allow you to stay because you have asked me and I will not turn anyone away if they wish to be here."

"No obligation," Erik repeated incredulously, "Look at what I did to you! I have every obligation!"

"Well...should you ever decide to tell me what prompted this decision I'm sure it will prove to be interesting to say the least."

"You won't read my mind to find out?"

"I won't, you have my word, as long as I have your word that there will be no more killing, by you or by Azazel."

"...Very well..."

"Good," Charles gave a slight nod of approval, "I will know if you lie to me."

"I don't doubt it."

"Who was the boy?" Erik asked after a minute.

"Scott Summers, Alex's brother," Charles answered.

"How long..."

"Almost nine months."

"So...not long after..."

"Alex wanted him to be safe. They're scared of you, Erik, and I don't blame them. You did little to earn their trust and whatever there was, you destroyed."

"I know."

"You clearly weren't bothered by that thought when you left."

"No, I wasn't," Erik admitted.

"You're not going to tell me what happened to make you change your mind, are you?" Charles tried again.

"No...maybe...perhaps, one day, I will."

"As you wish," the telepath shrugged. "It's late and I'm tired, do what you want but I'm going to bed. Goodnight," he finished and left the room leaving Erik alone.

Mein Gott - My god

Es tut mir leid - I'm so sorry