Disclaimer: I own nothing related to X-Men, movie or comic.
Ramblings with Ranger: This is a short drabble set in the last scene of X-Men: First Class. This is my take on what Charles was thinking. It was such a great movie, even if they did mess up the Cuban Missile Crisis. Enjoy!
Choice
"You're your own team now. It's better. You're X-men." Moira stated as she looked down at me. We had stopped in the gardens of my home. I could see pride in her eyes.
"Yes, I like the sound of that." I paused and looked at her seriously. I know part of her understood what I was about to say, but I needed to make it absolutely clear. "Moira, for us, anonymity will be the first line of defense." She leaned down, her hand on my knee, even though I could not feel her touch.
"I know." Moira stated plainly. "They can threaten me all they want, Charles. I will never tell them where you are. Ever."
I could hear her thoughts in my head, even though I was not trying to read her. She had a particularly loud, though not annoying, mind. I knew she was infatuated with me, that she cared for me. Had we known each other longer, I would say she might have even loved me. Perhaps I might have even fallen in love with her, in return. Moira intrigued me – there was no denying it – and she was quite beautiful.
I never enjoyed invading another person's privacy – a person's mind is sacred. Yet I had to protect my new family of mutants. What choice did I have? I hated the choice I was faced with, but I saw no other option. I knew Moira would never willingly betray us, but I knew there were others out there like me. She would never stand a chance against them. Even she had admitted it to herself, privately.
"I know. I know." I murmured. Because I did know, I did understand.
There was no choice, not for me.
Trying my hardest to ignore her alluring thoughts, I pulled her down and gently brushed my lips over her soft, pink ones. I could not deny that I wanted to kiss her. Guilt prickled my conscious that I resorted to sexuality to gain an upper hand.
I could feel my power flow, the familiar tingle spreading through my finger tips.
I erased her memory.
If she discovered my tampering, I knew I would have hell to pay.
But what choice did I have?