A/N: okay so technically, really only about 80 words of this is my own original thought, because the rest of this comes verbatim from a deleted scene. I obviously do not mean any copyright infringement, I just wanted to play with why Charles reacted the way he did.

"Abracadabra."

He touched two fingers to his temple and Moira was shocked to watch him disappear before her eyes. She looked around the now vacant hallway curiously, then turned back into her room and saw Charles sitting on her bed, his legs crossed and face smug. He chuckled at her 'oh' of surprise.

"That is insane. How did you do that?" she asked, coming to stand at the foot of her bed.

"I altered what your beautiful mind thought you saw," he replied smoothly. Moira sighed internally, her face falling just a little. "Look, I know you can read my mind," she began. Charles smiled like he already was and liked what he saw. "And what I want to do and what I should do..." He obviously feels our tension too. She steadied herself.

"This is my job, Charles." He stood and crossed the floor to stand in front of her, personal space forgotten entirely.

"Understandable, and I want you to know that I completely respect your deci-"

"Read my mind now," she challenged him.

"I'd rather read your lips," he countered, closing the distance even more.

"Read it," she prodded.

"Alright." His smile reached his eyes as he raised his hand again to his temple, searching her eyes as well as her mind. Her head-voice echoed in her mind with his.

You have to stop flirting with me.

But darling, I can't help it. You fascinate me.

We can't.

Why not? You want this just as much as I do. I can hear your thoughts about me.

Yes, but I can't. You don't really want me.

Ridiculous.

It isn't.

Who else would I want?

Erik.

She was projecting now, images of he and Erik together- playing chess, training, eating meals with the children, and -

Her thoughts came swiftly, definitely. He pulled back out of her mind, his lips pursed and eyebrows raising in surprise. He let out the tiniest huff of breath and suddenly didn't know what to do with his hands. His pride was hurt that she was refusing him, but even more persistently, the nagging feeling that she might be..

"Right." He spoke quietly and turned on his heel, desperate to leave her room without running and losing whatever composure he managed to retain.