A/N: This story is *MATURE*

Charles x Erik

Occurs on the sixth year anniversary of the battle.

(THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH ECHOES OF THE MIND - It was a breif one-shot concept that I wanted to write. )

It was two in the morning on the 6 year anniversary of the end. He had lost mobility, he had lost Erik, and he had lost a part of himself that he didn't know was there. He had nothing left to do but stare at the clock on his bedside table and wait for the sun to come up. He knew he was crying, he did every year. The moments replayed in his mind with the clarity of an eye witness account.

He felt the bed sink behind him, or had he slipped off into slumber? He had known this dream before. The heat of kisses across his back and shoulders. The silent strength of a arm around him. Drawing him back against the other. Charles' closed his eyes letting himself be swept away into his dream with his ghost.

The hand of his ghost slid up his chest and along his neck turning his head toward him before capturing them in a kiss. Charles moaned softly, letting the dream wash away all the pain. He was urged gently to his back while his ghost came over the top of him. Each of his tears were kissed away with the delicate touch of a lover.

His ghost moved to his throat, little nips were left in his wake as his attention moved down the length of Charles body. Over the past years he had regained control of his bathroom and sexual needs, though his legs were as non responsive as ever. In the dream, that didn't matter.

For a moment he thought the ghost had gone, before he felt his tender caresses are a far more personal place. Charles cried out softly into the silence of his room - now completely lost in his dream. Lost in the gentle preparations and attentive touches of his ghost. Charles could do nothing more that writhe and run his hands over the others hair and shoulders.

Then his ghost was back kissing him, Charles clinging to each and every moment. Clinging to the ghost of a past he wanted back. He whimpered into the shoulder of the ghost and felt the other hesitate, before continuing. Then they were together, physically and mentally as Charles joined their minds as his ghost joined their bodies.

Lost to each other in a swirl of pleasure and painful memories. Regret and Passion danced together into the morning hours. When all was done his ghost slumped against him, Charles' nails still biting into his shoulders. Whispered into the safety of the shadows he heard the same words he heard every year on this night.

"Forgive me."

He whispered back with a soft kiss to the temple of his ghost. "I forgive you."

The weight of the other lifted from his chest and he was gone…

The alarm clock on his table went off at 9am, as it did everyday and Charles woke up. The memories of the dream so vivid he couldn't help but hope they were real. He could almost taste the dream, and smell the passion. He rose from bed and showered like normal. It was as he got dressed by the mirror on his bed that he noticed.

Just below his collarbone was the unmistakable mark of a love nip. He touched it while he observed himself in the mirror and smiled to the empty room he spoke.

"I will always forgive you…Erik."

Couldn't help myself … I felt they needed some sort of reconciliation