Man on a Mission
"Here come the dreams of you and me
Here come the dreams…."
"I have faith in them; Hank there is gonna be a time when we are all together…"
Erik Lehnsherr is not the kind of man that cries, no he is not, not at all. He did not cry when the natzis took everything away from his family, he did not cry when Shaw killed his Mama in front of him and he did not cry when they incarcerated him for a crime he did not commit. But he does recall crying when Charles brought up that lost memory of his last Hanukah, lighting up the menorah with his Mama. He cried, but he did not just cried for the memory itself but he cried because it was presented by Charles, the man he knew one day he will let down by his personal agenda, the one that was so different from Charles's. The man he knew from day one will be the death of him. The death of all of his ideals and goals. And lastly he recalls crying after leaving Charles and the children behind on that godforsaken beach in Cuba. He, of course cried for obvious reasons, like leaving the person you loved the most, lying on the sand paled face and hands, needing medical attention because of you and your arrogance. And then, well you actually find out he made it out alive, and you thank god and all the saints that you don't believe in that he made it, that his heart is still beating, that he can still find you when you need him the most. Then Janos tells you that he is paralyzed and will never walk , Shit!
But here he is levitating, dressed up with his attention whore cape, leaving his dammed helmet behind, safely under Charles's care. When he feels tears, real tears, they prickle in his eyes. They burn like fire, fighting their way out and he let them stream down his face because well he doesn´t have a choice. He cries and he is not sure why, is he crying because he failed yet again or is he crying because he is leaving his Charles back again? But maybe he is not crying for any of those reasons, perhaps he is because of the last thing Charles´s projected to him. "I still have faith in you, my friend"
Faith in him?, only his Charles would have faith in such a hopeless and idiotic man .His Charles, with his eyes bright like a perfect daytime sky, his lips soft like silk and his mind so calm and hopeful. His Charles, the one that could never be claimed as his.
Suddenly, it hits him, if that lumberjack the one he threw into the Potomac was right, they would work side by side one day. But that will never happen now, given that they somehow altered the present to change the future. They changed the future once they could change it once more right?. He could or rather he and Charles could find a middle ground, because finally Erik was willing to do was willing to do everything to be with the man he loves, he was willing to risk anything and everything to be by his lover´s side to make it up for all of those wasted years. Now, don't be wrong, he still thinks that mutants are the future and the humans are the past but maybe his friends are not so wrong after all. Dry your tears you have it in you to be with the man you love in a better more solid future… Now Erik Lehnsherr is a man on a mission. And a man on a mission cannot be stopped, especially if the name of that man is Erik Lehnsherr.
First, he needed a team, a team of his own just like the one he had ten years ago but right now he absolutely didn´t need the Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, he just needed a Brotherhood simple as that ,a unit where they can all help each other and be a family supporting each of their needs. The make his plan set off he needed the help of the only person that could understand the essence of Charles. Yes, he needs Mystique or better leave it as just Raven, Charles´s sister. Now that would be one complicated conversation but he was open to everything to complete this mission.
But... How would you talk to the person you once tried to kill in order to secure your own future? How could you possibly ask for help to the girl you led on, seduced even slept with her just to keep her by your side? Man, he was screwed. But he was one persistent son of a Raven knew that.
Finding out her location was not hard, but tracking was a piece of cake to him(tracking and killing natzis was his strongest suit for nearly twenty years).What did surprised him was finding out that Mys..Raven was working as a fucking waitress at a diner, and for the diner to be in Boston, well that is not the Raven he trained.
He walked into the place on a Saturday morning wearing a hat and a pair of sunglasses because you know he appeared on national television trying to kill the president one month ago and only an idiot or a caveman would not recognize his he sat a girl with red hair approached him. Said girl was about to speak when he stopped her and politely told her that he wanted to be attended by the blonde girl named Raven.
"I´m sorry sir, but this is not her section"
Erik just nodded and gave her his best shark like grin. Sean and Alex said one time that he could stop an entire carnival if he just stands in the middle of the street smiling just like that. He knew that and he also knew that his smile was somehow attractive for women and for Charles.
"I am sure uhm…Pascal? That you could break that rule just for ?"-He continued to seduce her just enough to bend her
The girl bit her lip and nodded. She then called Raven´s name and told her that a hot guy wanted to be attended by her.
Raven approached the boot where Erik was sited. The way Erik was positioned on the boot made it impossible for Raven to realize that the man was Erik. So she just walked to the place and with the same monotone voice she said:
"Hi I´m Raven, Pascal told me you wanted to talk to me, what can I do for you?"
Erik then lifted his head and smiled. The slap that Raven gave him will haunt his face forever.
"Wow! Second time in a row that i´m meeting with an old friend and i´m welcomed like that?"
Raven contained all the anger just trying to keep it cool, when she noticed that all of the eyes of the place were set on them.
" ¡Don´t worry folk is nothing is just that this bastard left me and then did not call!"-Raven said nonchalantly
People then started screaming things not so friendly at him
"¡Alright that is enough leave the poor guy alone!"-Raven then gave him a glance and started to walk away until she felt a hand wrapped around her arm.
"Leave me alone"-Raven whispered to him letting herself go of his wrap.
"I can´t Mystique". He pronounced her name really loud.
"¡I won't talk to you ,okay?, leave me the fuck alone. It's over I will no longer be the rug where you can wipe off your fucking shoes!" Raven then walk out of the diner, leaving her apron on the front desk with the cashier.
Erik followed her till the end of the street. Raven will often turn around to see him and then hurry her walk
"! Raven please stop, this is far more important than all of that this is about your brother!". Erik knew that will stop her.
She then turned around and walked to him
"Please tell me he is alright?Is he alright?".Erik smiled knowing how much she still loved Charles.
Raven kept on going. "Tell me that the fucking government doesn't have him. Please!"
"I see you still care about your brother uh?".Raven was about to punch him in the face. "He is fine!. But I need your help with something. Something that has to do with him"
"Something like what?"
"I think I can get him back"
"Goodbye Erik".
Erik knew it wasn´t going to be even considered letting Raven go,but truth be told he needed her in order to get his mission going.
The first time Erik talked to Raven he knew she was not like Charles she did not have the same pacifist wanted to be free,she wanted to rule the often thinks they would be the perfect match,if he wasn´t so desperately in love with just whishes he hadn´t used her the way he did and most of all he wishes he hadn t take her away from his brother and now he is here to get that right.
Raven noticed that Erik has been sitting in the same boot for about 6 hours every day since their first encounter two weeks even felt sorry for the poor she would not give was stronger than just wanted to work and earn her money to send it to Germany!.
A part of her is over with the whole mutant freedom stuff,after the white house incident and saving Logan,but the other part, the most honest part of her is not remotely close to be done helping her brothers and sisters. And Erik like it or not is her brother as well.
"Are you done with that coffee? You have been playing with that bread for nearly an hour now. Do you want anything else?"
Erik looked up to Raven and slightly nodded.
"I want, if you could, talk to you in private"
"No Erik I will not talk to you in private, now if you please I have to keep on working"-Raven walk away from his boot.
"Dammit"
It continued that way for nearly a month, when Erik was about to stand and leave, she seated next to him.
"Look I'm not even going to mention that you tried to kill me last month, but I have to know, why are you still here?"
Erik contemplated telling her the entire plan but first he need to be sure she was in.
"Once a wise man told me that hope is the last thing you lose, that man saved my life Raven and I come to the realization that I cannot live without him and I need your help"
Raven looked straight into his eyes and she could tell that he was being honest about it it was not some twisted scheme of him.
"Okay, but why would I help you?"
"Because you also love your brother and even if I am not a telepath I know that you are dying to run into his arms and implore him forgiveness for leaving him"
"I would have never left if you didn´t ask me too"
Erik felt not for the first time the weight of the world on his shoulders. He knew it,it was just the truth,he did take her away.
"I know and i´m deeply sorry for that and for trying to kill you in front of Charles"And for a little while they stayed silent.
"You don't know how much I have been holding those apologies".Erik blurted out.
Raven took a deep breath
"You know,I don't even care about you taking me away from Charles, from Hank, from my was my decision to make not yours you did not force me into anything "Raven stopped and drank a little of Erik´s water. Erik continued to stare at her.
"And for the whole trying to kill me debacle well I would have done the same thing but I ´ve succeed"
Erik rolled his eyes and Raven giggled. She turned serious again
"Anyway, the thing is what hurts me the most was the fact that you seduced and you led me on,you gave me all the wrong signs that led me to believe that you had feelings for me and….i even believed that I loved you for a while. All those times that we did it, after we did it you never looked at me,you never stayed for the night and you never kissed me the way a girl deserves to be those thoughts would never leave me,that broke me,it turned me into something I could not even recognize"
Erik let it all in and took a deep breath
"I….what I did Raven is disgusting and I don't deserve your forgiveness. You have to know that I never tried to hurt you. I wanted to feel that flame that I have only felt with one person and I thought that by sleeping with you with such a beautiful specie I would feel better with myself but I was just trying to cover up my lost…"
"Your lost? Erik we both lost something that day on the beach, maybe we did not lose the same relationship but we both lost the person that means the most to us"
Erik drank his water and continued "Raven I did not only lost my best friend that day, I also lost my lover"
Raven nodded
"Of course you did". She held his hand for a second. "And that makes all we did worse and creepier"
They both laughed.
"Could we work together once more?"
Raven took a minute to think and then said:"You said something about getting Charles back and, im honestly worried about that because you saw how bad he was and look at you, you think you are any good for him?"
Erik looked down for the first contemplated his answer for about two was absolutely was no good for course he knew was a megalomaniac, selfish and dangerous Charles doesn´t need him at all, perhaps the best thing for Charles is to forget about him and their time together. As hard as it might be. There was a real possibility that he does not even love Erik anymore. But he was selfish and that sometimes is a fucking blessing.
"I´m being selfish of course I am, but there is a part of me that believes that Charles and I could somehow be together. I want to help him, exact same way he helped me achieve greatness,I want to give some of that back.I want him to be the same man he once man you and I this plan of mine is gonna change humanity and is gonna bring Charles and I together,we will work side by side .I´m sure of that and now I believe that this is my mission, to save this world from it´s own destruction"
Raven snorted. "You and your dramatic vision of the world, always trying to impose yourself to the universe"
Erik rolled his eyes and continued "I'm being serious, this plan will probably save all of us, our kind and humans without the need of a won't have to kill anybody for me this time,I swear"
Raven looked at him without blinking "Erik Lehnsherr and a plan that doesn´t involve killing every human on earth? I have to say I'm quite intrigued"
"I have to do it, for Charles. I will tell you all about it but not here it doesn´t feel safe" Erik looked around and noticed a pair of eyes fixed on them. The guy seemed extremely familiar, he just couldn´t place his his damned memory, it was another sign of him growing ,he will take care of him later. Somehow.
Raven nodded and took her apron off the table. They headed towards the door but not before her giving her apron to the manager and telling him she will probably not come back at all.
Erik smiled to himself. They went to her apartment that was two blocks away from the was a small but cozy place to live. When they arrived Raven told him she needed a shower and also told him that there was whisky on the last drawer of the took a glass and ice from the fridge and sat on the couch looking outside the window, drinking his he felt that tingle again on his mind. That warm feeling again, which meant that his Charles was using Cerebro to amplify his brain waves, which meant that he was recruiting or was looking for someone specifically, maybe him.
"Meeting with an old friend I see? I just hope you are not planning anything illegal with my sister". Erik heard his once lover´s voice loud and clear. It warmed his heart and made his soul happy. He forgot how nice were their telepathic conversations.
"I´m surprised to hear from you, old glad , actually to hear your voice and to know you are safe and sound, I was worried for a while that I did not hear from you. I thought that maybe…."Erik sent to Charles.
He heard Charles´s laughter and that only put a smile on his face. If somebody could see him they would think he is an insane person talking to ,he kinda is insane.
"Oh my dearest friend, I have never been more safe believe me, I have two strong pair of arms that would never let anything happen to me"
Erik felt jealousy climb over his spine. Two pair of arms?
"Two pair of arms Charles really?, McCoy wasn´t enough that you have to find another bodyguard for your own safety?"
"I´m talking about Logan, the guy from the future, the one you threw into the Potomac,remember?,he is living with us now helping us setting up the school"
Erik frowned, that lumberjack survived that?. He was a survivor indeed.
"You are setting up the school again Charles?, I'm…so proud of you, my friend"
"I bet you are. I'm sorry Erik hank and Logan are fighting over light bulbs, I have to stop them before they destroyed the entire lab, see you soon I hope my friend and tell Raven that I love her and that my doors are always open for her, the same extends to you"
"Bye Charles, I promise that we will see each other very soon. Sooner than expected"
They break their telepathic link and Erik is left feeling both content and sad. He whipped his Charles! Why are you the only person able to make him sob like a nine year old girl?.
He started walking around the apartment wondering what took Raven so long.
He did not lie to her, about his plan. This mission of his, the one he was planning will change the world forever. Will change the relations between humans and mutants for good. It would show the world what the mutants are capable of, once they are given a chance. It was the perfect combination of Charles dreams of unity and living in peace and Erik´s desire of mutants taking control. He had to admit that even if he will fight to death for making his mission a reality there was a chance that it will fail, that is why he needs Charles by his side.
Erik started looking around the small apartment, he was passing right beside the wall when he saw a picture of him, of him and the brotherhood, they were all hanging in that yellow wall. There was a picture of him with Angel and Azazel just after a very exhausting fight, they were sitting on a really old couch, drinking tequila and looking extremely tired. Then there was a picture of him with Raven and Emma having dinner with a serious expression on their faces ,planning what their next move was going to be. There was a picture of Riptide, Emma and Angel on a boat(because if you think that just because they are a group of very dangerous mutants on their quest to rule the world, they can't take a few days off you are wrong).Then there was his favorite ,he remembers the day crystal clear. They were celebrating that they saved a group of fifteen young mutants that were being held prisoners by an anti-mutant agency, they were experimented on and butchered. It was also the day before he left for Dallas. In the picture they were outside their cabin in the woods in a small property that used to belong to Shaw. They were hanging around the fire, drinking wine and laughing and just forgetting all of their problems and behaving like a family, like the one he and Charles used to have. The Brotherhood helped him keep his mind off of Charles and the kids that he abandoned, they make him feel useful, for a little while they were a family. He missed them like hell, he really did. He misses Angel´s laugh, he misses Azazel´s thick accent, he misses Riptide´s gesture with his hands when he was using his powers and he even misses Emma´s snarky comments. He will honor them, he promised to himself silently. He was taking a sip of his whisky when suddenly a picture shocked him to his marrow. It was a small child, blue skin and yellow eyes. The picture seemed to be taken on a circus. The child looked just like Raven and….Azazel?
What? Could that be possibly? Perhaps Raven was hiding something extremely important to him, because that child was the perfect combination of her and after he was put on jail, Raven looked for comfort and found it in Azazel,in his really faithful friend and the consequence of that relationship was presented in the form of a baby, a mutant baby. But the child apparently was on a circus, Raven will never let his child be paraded like a freak, especially after everything she went through as a child herself.
"So you have seen the pictures, they were the few that survived. I miss them like crazy you know?. My biggest regret is that I didn´t get in time to save them…"Raven stopped talking when she realized that his eyes were still fixed on the picture of her small child. She has some explaining to do…..
Meanwhile somewhere in the country.
Moira was tired of driving, really.
"When you said we were going to Paris I thought you meant France, not this stinky state". Emma said from the copilot seat.
Moira rolled her eyes at her comment. She looked at the reviewer mirror and saw that Riptide was having fun making little tornedos and Angel was sleeping. At least someone was resting properly. It has been a eight hour long trip and she was the only one able to drive because Emma and Riptide were both injured.(Emma has a broken arm and Riptide has a broken leg, and that is just great, it makes them all even more slow).To make it all better Angel does not even know how to drive.
"And couldn´t you just have read my thoughts?"
Emma looked outside and closed her eyes. "If only..".
Moira was worried about them, even more so she was worried about Emma´s traumatizing experience in that horrible lab and how badly it has affected her powers.
"Well Azazel is already in France, so how are we going to tell him to come here?". Riptide asked
"The good old fashioned way, "
Moira rolled her eyes for the second time "A phonecall,really Emma?. He doesn´t even have a phone for starters and don´t make me start about giving a ´t you think that the CIA is checking all the calls?"
"Why are we even here,anyway?.Azazel could teletransport us to anywhere in the fucking planet and we are here in the middle of nowhere". Angel was finally awake and already complaining about something as always.
"How did Charles did it anyway…".Moira thought to herself
"We are here to collect a very good friend,a really good old friend"
They just stared at her.