A/N: Story time! I got this idea a while back, and I wanted to write something where the younger Erik finds out that Charles is killed. Then this happened. I apologise for any spelling errors, and I'd like to point out that I own none of these characters.

Warnings: One or two swear words.
Enjoy!

"You're like me. You're a survivor."

Logan's words echoed inside his head, despite the fact that it had been hours since Erik's outburst. Fed up of hearing Charles' self-pitying and accusations of betrayal and abandonment, he hadn't realised that the plane was in danger until he'd heard a small outcry of alarm, followed by his name. The hurt look that his friend had sent his way before storming off into the cockpit had been enough to make Erik realise, once again, the size of the rift between himself and Charles.

After apologising to the younger man, for more than just the argument, they'd played 3 games of chess, Erik winning every one. Charles wasn't kidding when he said he hadn't played in a while he mused, briefly recalling the times where it had been an equal battle with both men winning and losing at an even rate.

Now though, Charles was asleep in his chair, whilst Erik had moved back to the couch at the other end of the plane. Envying the other for being able to drop his guard enough to rest, Erik looked the younger man over, finally allowing himself to see what those 10 years had done to the once proud Charles Xavier. It broke his heart to give this broken shell of a man the same name as the bright, young and optimistic Brit who had rescued him from the ocean all those years ago.

You're a survivor

All of a sudden, that phrase had taken a darker turn. Some part of his brain told him that he was reading too deep into those words; however a louder voice broke through.

I survive. What about Charles?

Logically, he knew he wasn't making sense. Logan had said that his older self and Charles had sent the mutant back for them both. Ergo, both of them lived. Yet as he looked the ex-telepath up and down, he couldn't help but wonder why out of the two of them only he had been called a survivor.

"Something on your mind, bub?"

Speak of the devil. Erik paused in his scrutiny of Charles and turned to face Logan, who was giving a look that gave nothing away. Staying silent, the metal bender simply raised an eyebrow at the older man, trying to hide his worries.

"Why do you ask?"

"Because you're looking at Chuck over there like he's about to disappear."

Looking down, Erik swallowed. Under normal circumstances, he'd brush the older man off with some threat and call it that. However these weren't normal circumstances, not by any definition. Pushing down his pride, he bit the bullet and asked what he needed to know. "Earlier, you called me a survivor."

"And?" came the confused reply.

"And, I… I was wondering what… what happens to him?"

No need to specify who Erik meant by him. Logan's mask of calm wavered for a moment, before he adjusted himself in his seat and cleared his throat, well aware of the eyes that were on him.

"…He stops using the treatment if that's what you mean."

The metal bender simply nodded, clearly not fully satisfied. Hearing that Charles would come to embrace who he really was as some point wasn't exactly what Erik was after, but he was pleased to know that his friend would see some sort of sense.

Eventually.

"What else?"

There was a pause, Logan debating on what he should reveal. Sure, the war against the sentinels had brought Magneto over to their side, but this guy hadn't experienced everything that his counterpart had. He'd long ago set aside his anger for the man, but he couldn't quite let go and forget the fights at the Statue of Liberty, Alkali Lake or Alcatraz.

Alcatraz. The cure. Jean.

Memories of her flooded his mind, reminding him of what was and what never could be. Not only had he lost the love of his life, but he'd lost two great friends as well. Cyclops and he had never seen eye to eye, no pun intended, but he'd still held great respect for the team leader.

As for the professor…

He could still remember watching the phoenix tear the man apart, leaving nothing left to bury. Even whilst dying, that all-knowing smile had been written across his face. Charles' death had hit them all hard, left them all feeling lost and unsure. He had no idea how Xavier had survived, but the joy he'd felt in that airport at seeing his old mentor again was incredible. Logan could only imagine how Magneto had felt having his friend resurrected.

After that day, Magneto had worked in tandem with the X-Men, preparing for the war that would inevitably kill them all. Sure, he and the professor had disagreed on some things, but seeing the two of them working together had been astounding. Logan noticed the look on Magneto's face whenever the professor and he were talking. Relief mixed with something akin to fondness.

Looking at Erik and Charles now, it was clear that the bond between them was still there, albeit hidden by pride and rage. Making his mind up, Logan decided to try and help the younger man who was still watching his every move. Sighing, he began.

"Listen Lensherr, you and Charles will fix whatever it is that's going on between you, you will. But…it aint gonna be easy. There'll be days where you fuck something up so badly that anyone else would've killed you long ago, so I'd consider having someone like him believing in you a blessing." He paused, choosing his next words.

"I've known you long enough to know that you've got something planned for when we find Mystique, something that'll help your cause. But listen to me: think very carefully about what's gonna happen after. 'Cause Charles…" He stopped, making sure that he was looking Erik in the eye. "Charles dies, Erik"

Everything stopped. Erik felt like someone had just punched him in the stomach a thousand times over. Charles…dead? No, that can't be true, it can't."But…you said he…"

"That's the thing. Someone up there must owe you a favour pal, 'cause somehow…he's alive again."

Sensing the other man's rising confusion and denial, Logan was quick to add. "No idea how, or why, but he's alive."

Erik turned back to the room's other occupant, who was still fast asleep and oblivious to the conversation taking place. He tried picturing a world without his friend in it, but simply could not. He may not agree with Charles' ideas of humanity, and they may be on opposing sides, but he certainly didn't want the man dead. Never dead.

"Hey."

Something in Logan's voice made Erik pull his gaze away from Charles and look at the older man, stunned by the wisdom and grief that he saw reflected in Wolverine's eyes.

"Take it from someone who knows. Watching the person you care most about die in front of you…it aint fun. But you get lucky- you get him back. Something everyone else can only dream about. Appreciate what you have Erik, 'cause that way you might get to keep it."

Blinking the moisture out of his eyes, Erik suddenly felt very meek and afraid. Logan was giving him a soft smile, and it was a gesture that Erik didn't realise that he was returning. Focusing on Charles once more, broken but breathing, the German didn't lose his smile, instead looked at the man with a new found appreciation.

Neither man said anything else, for there was nothing left to be said. Erik knew that he'd never be able to truly show his gratitude to Logan, instead choosing to re-think his current plans.

His older self had lost Charles once. He'd be damned if he would make that mistake.

The End.

A/N: tada! I hope you liked it :3 Please leave me a review telling me what you think, and if you have any writing suggestions then feel free to tell me. Until the next time.