X

by Kenliano

In the moments before his death at the hands of the Phoenix, Professor Charles Xavier muses on his past actions.

All my life, I thought I knew the effect I had on the minds I touched. Now... I see I how wrong I was.

To learn as a young child that you have the power to make anyone think whatever you want them to takes a lot of getting used to. I honed my skill, invading countless minds in the process.

But I am a professor of genetics, not of psychology. I thought that since I could see the results of what I had done, I must have understood. So, I did what I, arguably the greatest telepathic mind in the world, thought was best: I caged the beast.

But the talons of the Phoenix have proven their ability to best the strongest bars I could forge. I can see what I've done. I've created a monster. I mangled the beautiful mind of a precious young woman because I feared she could not handle the power that is naturally hers.

Perhaps I should have trusted her more. Perhaps I should have had more faith in her ability to learn to master her abilities. I may have doomed us all.

Jean... If you can hear me... I'm sorry.