A/N: You should only be reading this if you've seen X-Men: First Class, which also means I'm giving you the same information over again, for which I'm sorry. However, I thought I'd include the part of the film where this story begins to drift off, even if it is quite literally at the end. Next chapter shall be my own work, I promise! =)

Anyway, even if it isn't my own work, I'd still love it if you'd review this chapter and tell me what you think, and if I should continue.

Prologue

A small group emerged from the metallic frame of an aircraft, their leader at the front. Looking across the sandy beach that was their crash site, Charles Xavier let out sigh as he watched the tattered remains of the submarine in front of them bend outward until it created an opening. His forehead creased into a frown as his blue eyes took in the two figures that floated out of it.

"Today our fighting stops!"

The others began to form behind him, each of them breathing heavily from exertion as they watched the deceased form of Sebastian Shaw, their adversary, hovering above them in a crucified display. Charles blinked as he recalled the pain which was the result of the hole in Shaw's head, which had a slow stream of blood flowing out of it. He grimaced as the body was released from its hold and thudded to the ground. He heard his team gasp as they then looked up and into the face of his best-friend; Erik Lensherr. Charles began to move towards him as Erik floated the rest of the way down to the beach, their friends doing the same.

"Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters! The real enemy is out there! I feel their guns moving in the water, their metal targeting us! Americans! Soviets! Humans! United in their fear of the unknown...

The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow Mutants!"

Erik pointed out across the sea as he was speaking, and they all began to steadily make their way to the water's edge, where they could make out two large Naval Fleets in the background. They came to a standstill, and he cocked his head to the side as he looked across at Charles, the helmet on his head not hiding his expression: excited.

"Go ahead, Charles. Tell me I'm wrong."

Charles continued to frown, but moved his gaze away from Erik and across the water, his hand coming up to touch his temple as he sought to attain the truth of his friend's statement. He instantly felt the flurry of activity as the guns moved into position, and he brought his hand away from his head as he gaped at the armada of ships. He then turned to Moira, the only human on the beach, and gave a curt nod which sent her running to the aircraft's radio. He heard her in the distance as she attempted to make contact with the Fleet, but returned his attention back across the ocean just as the Captain's gave their crews the order to fire.

He moved back a step, away from the sound of the blasting weapons as they made their way towards the beach. He watched in awe as dozens of rockets flew gracefully through the air, before glancing over to Erik, who already had a look of deep concentration on his face. The magnetic-powered Mutant raised his hand up to help aid him as the missiles came closer, forcing them to lose their momentum and remain unmoving in the air. After he managed to cease all of them, and their thrusters spluttered to nothingness, he twisted his hand, forcing each of the missiles to swivel back around to aim in the direction they come from.

"Eric! You said yourself; we're the better men! This is the time to prove it!" Charles' voice rang out as the Telepath regarded his friend intently. "There are thousands of men on those ships! Good, honest, innocent men! They're just following orders!"

"I've been at the mercy of men just following orders." Erik scowled slightly as he turned his face towards Charles, "Never again." He vowed, before returning his attention back to the destructive shells in front of them. He sent them flying back the way they came by thrusting his hand toward them.

"Erik, release them!" Charles shouted as he watched them, before turning and seeing the determined look on his friends face. "Nooo!" He yelled again as he ran towards him, tackling him with a loud 'Urgh!'

They landed on the sand with a thud, and Charles reached up and grasped for Erik's helmet, trying to pull it off while the man was regaining his breath.

Erik's "I don't want to hurt you! Don't make me." was swiftly followed by an elbow to Charles' head which forced him onto his back, allowing Erik to get on his knees. The team attempted to move forward and stop the brawl, but Erik spotted them and forced them away by their metal strap buckles, yelling "Get back!"

"That is enough!" Charles told him as Erik attempted to keep him on the ground by pushing him down. Erik then turned back to the missiles and lifted his hand again, trying to refocus his attention. He managed to correct the course of a few of them, but Charles' attempt to take off his helmet and his muffled "Erik, stop!" made him look away to deliver a punch to the man's jaw.

As Charles stopped struggling, Erik stood up and walked forward, raising his hand once again to regain control of the missiles, gathering the ones that were left. He smiled victoriously before his head jarred forward slightly and he lost control over the last of the missiles. He turned quickly to find Moira, her pistol pointing at him as she continued to fire at his face. His hand shot up to deflect them as she moved closer, and Charles used this time while he was distracted to stand up.

Charles staggered and began making his way behind Eric, but didn't account for the fact that the last bullet that was deflected veered off him in his direction, embedding itself into his spinal cord, making him scream out in pain as he flopped to the sandy beach beneath him. Charles gasped for air as he felt himself being turned, and the surprisingly gentle touch of Erik as he proceed to extract the bullet from his lower back. He clenched his jaw as he held in another scream as he was placed on his back.

"I'm so sorry!" Erik told him as he rested his head in his lap. Erik looked up and yelled "I told you to back off!" as the team tried again to come to Charles' aid. Erik then spotted Moira, who had moved closer in concern. "You! You did this!" He stated, focusing on the woman's dog tags around her neck, which tightened and began choking her. She grasped at the necklace as she struggled for air, but was unable to break its hold on her.

"Erik, please. She didn't do this." Charles told him from his position on the ground, panting for breath as he struggled to stay focused. "You did!" Erik frowned and looked down at him, and Charles managed to keep his pearl blue eyes open as they gazed at his shooter. He watched as Erik forgot about Moira, who dropped to her knees as he released his grip on her, and stared into his own eyes.

"Us turning on each other...that's what they want!" Erik told him, shaking his head slightly, "I tried to warn you, Charles." He paused as he thought for a second, "I want you by my side! We're brothers, you and I. All of us." He added as he looked up at the rest of the team, before looking back down."Together. Protecting each other! We want the same thing!"

Charles' forehead creased once again as he let out a light laugh. "My friend, I'm sorry, but we do not!" He corrected Erik honestly, his voice soft and sad. Erik's expression went neutral as he gazed down at him. Charles gritted his teeth again as his nostrils flared, bracing himself against the pain that was racing through his body.

He watched as Erik blinked slowly, before looking up to Moira and waving her over.

"Charles!" She whispered as she ran over, "I'm sorry! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright." He stated quietly as Moira traded places with Erik, his head now in her lap. He began focusing more on his breathing again, but continued to listen around him. He heard Erik as he stood up and took a few steps back, moving to face the team.

"This society won't accept us." Erik began matter of factly, but his tone was laced with an undercurrent of sadness. "We form our own. The humans have played their hand! Now we get ready to play ours." He paused as he looked at each of them, "Who's with me?" he asked after a few seconds. When they did nothing but shift on their feet slightly, he offered his hand out to Raven. "No more hiding." He encouraged.

The blue woman in question gave a miniscule nod and began moving forward on unsteady feet. She trudged through the sand, but instead of accepting the offered hand, she moved past him to kneel beside her foster-brother.

"You-you should go with them." Charles panted out, his hand gripping her elbow. "It's what you want." He stated.

"You promised me you would never read my mind." She told him quietly, her gaze searching his face for an answer.

"I know. I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid." He replied with a sad smile, "I'm sorry." He lifted her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss against the back of it, before releasing it. He glanced up at her as she bent down and returned the kiss to his forehead.

"Take care of him." She told Moira, who had been sitting there silently. She got a small nod in reply before standing up and moving the few steps it took to grasp Erik's still offered hand.

Charles closed his eyes as he heard Angel, Azazel and Riptide move over to join them, and was happy to hear no other members of his team had done so.

"And Beast!" Raven shouted across to the other blue Mutant, "Never forget...Mutant and Proud!" Hank shifted his feet, before looking away from her with a soft grunt, and by the time he looked back, Azazel had transported them away.

The team quickly ran over to Charles when they noticed their way was clear.

"Come on; help me get him up!" Moira said as she began to move, "We're gunna get you to a hospital." She told Charles, who grunted as they each began to help him stand.

He grasped Hank's forearm and yelled in pain, so Hank halted them with a quick; "Wait, don't move!" He glanced over the Telepath, ordering softly, "Charles, don't move, okay?"

Charles grunted again, "I won't." He said softly, "I can't-actually, I can-I, err." He paused for a moment, trying to regain his breath, and his thoughts. "I can't feel my legs."

"What?" Moira asked, looking down at him.

"I can't feel my legs." He repeated, the words slowly registering to Charles, as well as his team. "I can't feel my legs." He said again, a knowing, resigned tone to his voice.