(Charles Xavier/OC. One-Shot. Cute stuff. I don't own X-Men! Just Belle)
Charles sat in the passenger seat of the car looking out of the window watching as the scenery went by. He hadn't been out this way in such a long time. It brought back such wonderful memories. Beautiful. He wasn't sure if she was going to remember him. He looked weathered now; tired and unkempt. He was also walking thanks to the mutant suppression serum Hank had made. He wasn't sure how she would react to that.
The car ride had been relatively tense, the driver and 3 passengers sitting silently the entire time. Charles was the one who asked them to make the journey out into the middle of the countryside. He wanted to see her, feel her one last time if he could. It had been 3 years since he last saw her. She had decided to leave of her own accord. It crushed him. It was like losing Raven all over again, though instead of losing a sister he lost his lover.
Before he knew it they pulled into the dirt driveway that lead to the front of her house. It was a simple 2 story house, white on the outside with Blue shutter windows. All the shutters were open to let the sun into the house. Her beat up black 1970 Chevy pickup truck parked precariously near the front steps.
All four men exited the vehicle when they parked next to the truck. He didn't need his powers to know exactly where she was. He walked with the others following behind to the back of the house where he saw her. His breathe caught in his throat. She hadn't aged a day.
In the wide open plain of her Farm she was riding a rather large muscular black horse. The wind whipped her dark brown hair around as she held onto her horse. She was coming up to the fence when she noticed the four men approached. Two of them she recognize immediately. A wide grin spread across her face. She hopped off her horse and slowly made her way up to the fence that housed her steed.
"And what are these four tall glasses of sweet tea doin' comin' my way?" She asked with a bright smile, her southern accent thick as she spoke. She walked out of the fence opening and closed it behind her.
Charles smiled. The first genuine happy smile he had in years. "Hello love. It's been quite some time."
She nodded and came to him with a tight hug, which he was happy to return. "Well look at you sweetheart….You look like you've seen better days." She said with a slight frown.
He nodded. That's all he could really do. He didn't want to get into the details of what happened those years ago when she left.
She smiled again before he had the chance to say anything and turned to Hank. "Hank, suga' you still cooped up in that lab?"
The young man blushed and nodded. "I've been working on a few inventions here and there." He said a little nervously.
She chuckled and came to him giving him a nice tight hug as well which he returned. She let go and stood in front of the group. "Who are your two friends here Charlie?" She asked Charles using his nickname she had given to him the first time they met.
Charles pointed to his right "This is Logan," then to his left "and this is Erik." Both men nodded to her. Logan giving her a wink while he took a drag of the cigar he was smoking. Erik was watching her intently through his cold eyes.
"Nice t' meet ya." She said nodding "I'm Belle-Marie. You can just call me Belle though. Why don't y'all come inside and I'll serve up some lemonade to ya?" She asked starting to move towards the house.
"Belle I don't think that will be nece-" Charles started and was immediately cut off.
"Charlie you know it's custom when y'all come to my house." She said not looking back as she sauntered off. Her hips swaying as she did.
Charles gave a small sigh and walked off after her while the other three followed along.
"Charlie huh?" Logan asked with a smirk on his face. Charles shot a look back at him that Logan smirked even wider at.
Belle's house was simply set up and welcoming. Her dining table comfortably sat six people and was made of a pretty solid piece of polished oak. The men sat around the table as she poured and handed out glasses of lemonade.
As soon as she sat down Charles started his tale. They needed her help to stop Mystique from killing some man, which would stop the birth of some machines taking over the planet in the future which this Logan man was from. She took in the words as she sipped on her lemonade.
"Will you help us?" Charles finished by asking. "You have an extraordinary gift that could be useful to us while we look for her." knowing her being able to conjure fire and control it would come in handy. He made sure to not mention anything about why he was walking now.
Belle took another sip of her lemonade. "Well that's all nice and everythin' Charlie but you forgot to mention something didn't you?"
Charles fidgeted in his seat a little. "No love….I don't believe I did." Though he knew full well what she was going to ask next.
Belle's face went from warm to stern as she spoke next. "Oh really? How about you get to tellin' me exactly why you're walkin' about since last I saw you, you were in a wheelchair? Or how exactly Hank is no longer the lovely shade of Blue he once was?" She asked. Her eyes practically bore into Charles.
Belle began talking to him in her head, like they would before when they didn't want anyone to listen to their conversation but his voice never came. The realization of the extent of his change hitting her as her face changed to shock. "Oh….Oh Charlie…What did ya do to yourself?" She asked a look of sadness now on her face.
Charles swallowed unable to speak. He didn't think he could without breaking. He was already a torn man after Raven left but when Belle left him to come back to her farm, that destroyed him.
"Alright Charlie…I'll come."
She hadn't stepped foot into the mansion in such a long time but she knew this was not how it looked when she left. It was dark now. Dirt and dust everywhere, it disappointed her.
"Charles Xavier what the hell did you do to this place?!" She said rather angry. She was even angrier at the fact that he never once reached out to her. Though, she did suppose she left rather suddenly. He may not have wanted to pressure her.
Charles had a look of guilt on his face when she yelled at him. She used his full name. That was never good.
The 5 mutants stood in the entry way. She let out a loud sigh. "Damnit Charlie. You coulda reached out to me, ya know?" She put her hands on her hips and started walking around near the staircase.
"I didn't think you would have wanted to see me." Charles said honesty. "What with the way you left."
"That ain't no excuse!" She snapped. Her eyes were blazing a little bit.
Erik spoke up next "If you two are quite done, we have some planning to do." He said walking towards the study.
Belle nodded and followed along, crossing her arms over her chest as she did. The other three followed them into the study and they began their planning for the coming day.
That Night….
Belle left the group first. She knew where she wanted to go. She walked the halls to the room she was looking for. When she opened the big door the pungent smell of alcohol hit her nose making it scrunch up. Good lord what had this man done to himself?
She looked about in shock. Charles room was a mess. Alcohol bottles littered the floor and the night stands. There was also a needle on one of his night stands. This was nothing like how it was last time. She wasn't sure exactly what she was going to say to him but she wanted answers. She shook her head and sat down in the bed waiting for him.
It didn't take long for him to wander into the room. He was taken by surprise by Belle sitting on his bed.
"Charlie….Needles?...Empty alcohol bottles?" She sat there. Her face said it all. She was disgusted and saddened.
Charles stood silent for a moment. "I….I couldn't cope with…" He stopped when she stood up and went to him. She gave him a hard smack in the face.
"How dare ya do this to yourself! Couldn't cope Charles?! You knew where I was! You could have come to me any time you wanted! You could have called, done your mind thing!" She said angrily.
Charles rubbed his cheek a little. He deserved that. Now it was his turn to get angry "What? Call you? After you left me to 'think'?" he shot back. "You walked out on me right after I proposed to you Belle! What was I supposed to do? Come running to you after you said you needed some time to think things over about us? You were gone! And as far as someone contacting someone, you could have easily done so yourself."
She placed her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes. "Oh No. Nu uh Mister. Ya ain't turning this on me, ya hear? I ain't the one that is all drownin' in liquor and hopped up on whatever drug was in that." She said pointing to the syringe on the table.
Charles scoffed "Oh don't pretend you care now Belle."
Belle was getting angrier. The air around her getting hot. Her powers were starting to show the angrier she got. "You don't think I care Charles Xavier, is that what's got your boxers in a bunch?" She growled out.
"No I don't."
She made to hit him again but this time he grabbed her wrist before it connected. Belle pulled on his grip and when he wouldn't let go she did the only thing she could think of. She kicked him down. As he fell he dragged her with him. The two began to wrestle on the ground. Both not actually trying to hurt each other.
Finally she got on top of him and pinned his arms to the ground "Damn it Charlie." she said "For bein' so smart and charmin' you certainly are a big dumb ass."
She got off of him and sat next to him. She pulled at the silver chained necklace that she wore around her neck. Instead of a charm being on the chain there was a ring. A simple silver band with a single diamond. She always loved the simple things.
Charles looked at it. Remembering the day he had proposed. Remembering the day after when Belle left. He could use a drink now.
Belle sighed. "You know my past Charlie. More than anyone. You know i ain't got it in me to make anythin' easy on anyone. I just needed some time to think….I'm sorry it took a few years." she said putting her hands in her lap, letting the necklace hang down.
Charles smiled "No my love. You never were one to make it easy on anyone especially myself."
Belle giggled a little. She unclasped the chain around her neck. Taking the ring off of the chain she handed it to him. "Well here's your chance Suga'. Ask me again…" she had a genuine smile on her face.
Charles heartbeat quickened. He held the ring staring at it. He cleared his throat and got on his knees in front of her sitting form.
"Belle-Marie Gainey it would be an honor to call you my wife. Will you marry me?" he asked.
Belle smiled and held her hand out and he slid the ring onto her finger. She stared at it for a second before she looked up at him and gave him a passionate kiss which Charles returned.
She broke it. "Well hot damn I'm getting married!" she said excitedly.
(Please feel free to leave a review just don't be rude.)