1988.
Erik was curled up on the sofa, with the appearance of one in a state of slumber. He was initially in that hazy place between wakefulness and dreams until clarity found him. Yet he kept his eyes closed; he could hear the hushed voices of his mother and his aunt as they discussed the condition of Erik's uncle, whose recuperation in this hospital was the purpose of their visit. It was raining hard outside; its constant lashing at the windows would either drive one into restiveness or lull one into inactivity. Erik breathed softly as he listened to the sounds about him, still feigning.
"The doctor said if this damned fool dares to push it again, he's going to be a tenant in here. God knows I've told him countless times he's not as strong as he used to be-"Erik heard his aunt grumble, with a trace of affection in there somewhere. Erik tried not to smile. His aunt and uncle are never without their bickering whenever he encountered them, especially during holidays or family reunions. He could not understand why two people who are in constant hatred of each other ever endured living under one roof for almost fifteen years. Adults can be funny that way, he supposed.
"Keep your voice down! Erik's sleeping-"His mother hissed.
A snort from his aunt and then her voice softened."Look at this idiot! If he wasn't sedated, he'd be the first to complain about the tiniest noise. I tell you, we've been in and out of the hospital more times than I want to for the last couple of years. He's such a stubborn bastard! He won't take anybody's advice! All he wants is to have his way or it's the highway!"
"Well you can argue all you want once he's awake. I'll even give you something to club him with-"Erik's mother said, sounding amused. Everyone in the family considered it an amusement that these two fought a lot and yet they stayed together. Their reputation preceded them that they are notorious even to their distant relatives in the old country.
"I'm glad I was able to get your jollies up, Edie. I swear you and your entire family can be insufferable sometimes-"His Aunt said in a dry, resentful voice.
He distinctly heard his mother snicker and then soft slapping sounds as the two women probably tried to hit at each other. Both of them are chuckling and then Erik's mother spoke in a low voice again.
"You must be hungry. You haven't eaten anything since this morning. Do you want us to go and get something to eat at the cafeteria?"
His aunt sighed audibly."I should be dieting anyway, maybe that will help me get back my figure. I don't understand how you keep the weight off! I'm jealous really-"
"Don't be! It's a genetic thing that's why Erich is also thin. Come on! While Erik is still asleep. When he wakes up and he doesn't find us, he's sure to stay put. I've taught him enough not to wander on his own-"
His Aunt begged to differ, making an exasperated utterance."Edie, boys will be boys! I bet you a dollar the moment we leave he's going to go wandering off by himself-"
"No he won't! Erik is a good boy! And for a twelve year old he acts more like the adult sometimes. I guess he takes after his father in that aspect-"
A moment of silence, then the rustling of fabrics and the sound of squeaking from the vinyl chairs. Both women had stood up. Erik heard the muffled sound of fluttering paper and then Edie spoke again.
"I'm leaving Erik a note, in case he does wake up. I'll get him something to eat once we get back-"
"Alright then-"
More rustling sounds, shuffling of shoes, then the door snapping close and when Erik was sure both women are gone, he lifted his head up and peered at his Uncle Erich, who was sleeping soundly in the hospital bed, several tubes hooked up to him from under the sheet. His head was wrapped up with a fresh set of bandages and his eyelids are swollen but Erik knew the swelling will eventually subside. Erik heard the doctor inform his Aunt earlier that it took 37 stitches to close the large gash on his scalp. They had run a CT scan of his head and they found no serious damage. Now his Uncle would probably think twice before trying to fix the roof all by himself just because his Aunt indirectly drove him to do so by calling him 'old' and 'incapable'. Erik sat up straight and stretched, wondering if he really should go venturing outside. He let out a quiet yawn and on slippered feet, he walked towards the door and turned the knob. He peered around outside and then he looked back at his Uncle. A nurse would probably check up on him and he was sure his Uncle would not wake up any moment soon, casually perusing the note his mother had left for him on the movable dining table meant for patients. Maybe just a quick look around and then he would head back.
He wasn't sure if it was defiance that drove him to do what his mother assumed he would not do but he walked briskly down the hall, almost skipping amiably as he went on his adventure. He felt strangely excited for some reason. Thinking back on that day, he wondered if something else was at work that drove him to that exact moment in time to go roaming about the hospital. Erik thought he would not take long, but there was just so much to see. He knew it was an odd, morbid fascination but he liked seeing all this activity about him. Doctors, orderlies and nurses alike ignored his presence. He saw people on wheelchairs and crutches; patients in loose hospital gowns and their visitors. Everyone was constantly moving and talking. He saw something of interest when he got to the ER and saw an unconscious man being wheeled on a gurney, his head bleeding as nurses hurried to stabilize him and check his vitals; a bottle of clear fluid, hanging from a metal hook was attached to the man's gurney and a rubber tube with a needle at the end was plunged into the man's arm with practiced accuracy. They guided the man's gurney into a large elevator and then they were gone. Erik walked on, his feet seeming to take him randomly into every nook and cranny he could explore.
He became witness to some nasty things as he ventured farther. He passed by an operating room and when the swinging doors opened wide, he saw men in green surgeon gowns standing before a metal sink inside, perhaps preparing to sanitize themselves; blood and gristle had stained the front of their outfits and their gloves as they chatted idly with each other after an operation. Erik hurried so as to avoid their attention and then he passed by a research room, the title on the door said 'Pathology'. The blinds were pushed back, allowing him to see jars of human bits and pieces on one of the shelves when he snatched a glance through the glass. He saw a couple of men bent over their microscopes. He wondered if it was a spleen or a kidney he was seeing as he gazed at a suspended piece of dissected organ floating in a jar. He also saw a large fetus, submerged in some pinkish water. He was sure to brag about this to his friends and they would admire him for his gall and his strong stomach. He passed by the dispensary next, seeing countless of large plastic jars of medicine and pharmaceutical miscellanies. The halls were long and brightly lit, even though outside it was dark and gloomy. He could perhaps even perform his personal marathon in this place if given the opportunity. It was that huge. To his shock, he saw his mother and his aunt walking towards him some distance away but they had not seen him yet since they were deep in conversation. It was a good thing he saw them first.
Out of his fear of being caught soon, which would have ended his wanderlust in humiliation, he entered the room closest to him and quickly but silently closed the door. He let out a breath as he pressed his ear to the wooden door, hearing the murmurings of his mother and aunt as they passed by. He did not think on his actions, suddenly entering this room the way he did. When he realized that he might have entered a patient's room, he turned around and he was not surprised to find an old man and he was staring alertly at Erik from his bed. Erik froze; he just had that kind of luck. He was going to get into a whole lot of trouble if this man pressed the call button for a nurse. His mother would give him all the flavors of hell for this. Erik was about to back off, preparing to make a run for it anyway but the man called out to him instead.
"Young man, don't be afraid!"
Erik stopped; he hesitated for a moment and then he warily looked over at the old man once more. He didn't look like he was deathly sick. He was bald and he has very bright blue eyes that are clear; his skin pale and slightly wrinkled. He was sitting in a dignified way, back straight up against the pillows and his expression even looked like he was amused.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to-"Erik began.
"No, not at all. Your curiosity got the better of you. Isn't that the case?"The man said in a soft yet deep voice. He sounded like he was not from around here; probably he was some dandy from England.
Erik nodded, looking contrite. The man still kept on smiling and pointed to a chair close by. Next to the chair was a wheelchair.
"Please, sit. Let us talk for a while. If you prefer, you may get yourself some refreshment from one of the cupboards or perhaps a cool drink from the refrigerator-"
"No thank you, Sir. I...I'm sorry that I'm intruding-"Erik said shyly.
"There now, don't worry about that. I need some company anyway. Are you here visiting someone?"
Erik nodded, still looking worried. He was not in the least bit frightened of the man but of being discovered. He could see that the old man wasn't out to squeal on him. He also didn't look like some old pervert or anything. The man kept regarding him kindly. He felt so at ease in the man's presence that he felt his fear and hesitation melt from him, the more he regarded him. His mother had warned him to be careful around strangers but the man had no aura of threat or ill-will on him. He had a good feeling about the guy. There was just something about him-
He went to the chair as directed and sat down, mesmerized by the man's eyes. The man may look like he was healthy but he was actually very ill. He had numerous tubes and cables hooked up to his bed, leading underneath the sheet and up into his striped blue pajamas. An electrocardiogram was beeping steadily next to his bed along with other medical equipment meant to regulate and record his condition. His hands looked frail and slightly palsied. It was the man's eyes that drew him on; bright and lucid blue, looking at him in such a tender way, almost with affection.
"The person you are visiting, is he or she quite ill?"
"No, Sir. It was my Uncle. My Aunt teased him into climbing up their roof on the third story to try and fix it and he fell-"
"Oh my!"
"Don't worry, Sir. My Aunt said he's hard-headed anyway and he'll live. He's recovering right now after being stitched up on the head. It was a miracle he didn't break his back or anything else-"
"I most certainly hope so! A hard head does come in handy because we humans are such frail creatures. Some are quite fortunate to be hardier than most. Nevertheless, your Uncle should leave off trying to be a handy man when he clearly has no talent for it-"
Erik suddenly giggled because the man had said something funny without meaning to. He could see the obvious bewilderment in the man's eyes and when he realized what he had said, he laughed with Erik. Then a silence fell between them but it was not uncomfortable. The man was regarding him in such a strange way. Erik gave the man a shy smile, his fingers laced in front of him. The man still kept smiling at him too.
"Pardon my befuddled words. Medication does affect one's mental capabilities-"
Erik was warming up to him that he suddenly felt audacious to speak freely.
"It sounds like a legitimate excuse to get high and say what you wanna say, Sir-"
Both of them chuckled in amusement because what Erik said was true; To the old man, Erik somehow reminded him of someone he once knew. He was also warming up to him, leaning back on his pillows comfortably. He liked the boy for being outspoken, yet at the same time he showed respect for his elders. Good qualities that are rare for young men of his age.
"I think a proper introduction is in order for us both. What is your name, young man?"
"Erik. Erik Lehnsherr, Sir-"
The man's eyes went wide, the color draining from his face and then his mouth fell open, unhinged; Erik mentioning his name meant something to him. His face crumpled up, as if he was in pain; his lower chin began trembling, sweat misting his forehead. His blue eyes trembled in their sockets. The heart monitor hooked up to the man started beeping in rapid succession. Erik looked at his face searchingly, suddenly worried.
"Sir?"
He wondered why the mention of his name made the man behave like this. The man realized his actions were agitating Erik so he struggled to compose himself. There were tears in his eyes but he wiped at them quickly, trying to give him a reassuring smile again but faltering.
"I'm...I'm sorry Erik. I didn't mean to frighten you-"
"I really shouldn't be here, Sir. I should not be disturbing patients-"
The man lifted his head up, concerned. "Erik, you are not disturbing me, not in the least bit! I'm glad that you are here and that we are able to meet. Please, stay-"he said affectionately, his eyes still dewy. Erik could feel the kindness in the man, his yearning for Erik to stay was out of a genuine need for his companionship. He was about to stand up and leave but he sat back again and regarded the man curiously.
"Alright. I'll stay-"
"Thank you-"
He did not know what to say at first because the man still appeared somewhat excitable so he kept his mouth shut. The man was the one who looked nervous around him this time, as if he had seen a ghost. He could not seem to stop staring at Erik's face. A tear slid down from one eye again and he did not bother to wipe it. His eyes had narrowed and he appeared to be in a state of dilemma.
"Erik, may I tell you something? Please don't be afraid of what I am about to say. Hear me out if you can-"He said urgently.
Erik grew wary again, wondering if the man was about to say something crazy. Erik would beat out of that room like a bat out of hell if he did start spouting crazy shit, no matter how kind or mild-mannered he looked. This entire thing was beginning to disturb him. Erik sat stiffly, about ready to bolt if needed. When the man heard his name, he was spooked; he was going through some intense emotions and it was showing in his face.
"I sense that we have met before, the moment you came in I felt it. And you feel the same, don't you?"
Now it was Erik's turn to be shocked, his eyes widening and for no reason at all, his heart beat was quickening. The hairs on the back of his arms suddenly stood up, his skin erupting with goose bumps. He did not know why he felt like that but what the man said...it sounded like the absolute truth. He felt as if this man was familiar to him, no wonder he was at ease with him from the beginning. Yet he was frightened by these feelings that arose from him, unbidden. Erik's numb lips began speaking for him.
"H-how could we have met, Sir? I've never seen you before in my life! If you meant when I was little, I don't remember you at all-"
The man gasped painfully, reaching up to touch his own chest, as if it hurt him. He looked like he was about to have a fit. Erik glanced up at the heart monitor again, it was jumping erratically and spiking violently from time to time. That did not look good at all. The man's chest was heaving with effort as he struggled to say what he had to say, determined for Erik to hear him out. Erik stood up nimbly and went to the man, putting his hands onto those frail shoulders. He was really scared now.
"Please Sir! Should I get a nurse? Please just...just stop getting worked up, ok? You look like you are getting worse-"
The man shook his head abruptly, reaching for Erik's arms as well and holding his gaze."Let me say what I have to say, Erik...before we run out of time-"
He was close to hysterical tears himself. He did not want this poor old man to die, not because of him. That would be the worst. He tried to pull away again but the man reached up and held him fast by his wrists, with the last vestiges of his waning strength.
"I met you a long, long time ago and you were a grown man-"
Erik's brow furrowed, his face slowly started to shake his head in denial. This was just insane! Was this man possibly rambling? Erik had assumed he still had his mental faculties all together but he was wrong. He must have mistaken him for someone else. The man could see Erik's obvious disbelief, thinking he was coming across as absurd and senile that the old man was forced to give proof of his familiarity with him.
"That scar above your upper lip! You acquired it when you jumped down from your mother's bureau, because you thought you could jump like an acrobat; you were nine when you received it! Your mother's name is Edie, your father's name is Jakob. You have Irish descendants and you always wished you could fly up in the sky like a bird-"The man said quickly and then he was drawing in a wheezing gasp, his face going pasty, eyes riveted to Erik's face. Erik felt as if he had been doused with ice water. How could this old man know all those things about him? The man could see the fear in his eyes, confirming Erik's undeclared affirmation that what he said was true. But he still kept holding him, his face resolute; cheeks hectic with a high color now, knowing with certainty that what he said had hit home.
"I'm telling the truth, am I not? I know these things because you told me about them-"
"That's just crazy! How could you know that about me? I've never met you before!"Erik said in an shocked, far-away voice.
"You have met me! You sought me out years ago...in the...in the past. And yet, it seems we were fated to meet like this, in this present time. I see it now. This moment will start it all. You will become a man out of time. You will go back; back to our fond and wondrous days together. One day, we will meet for the first time and you will tell me...you will tell me all about yourself and you will change my life-"The old man's voice shook with his feelings.
Then the man released his arms and collapsed back into the bed, his intense emotions exhausting him. Erik cried out in fear when thunder rumbled from outside, snapping him out of his paralysis and shock; he began to stagger backwards. The rain still won't let up that it made everything murky, inside and outside. Erik rashly drew away from the bed and almost ran out the door, pulling it open violently but then the man called out to him in a feeble voice.
"Please, Erik. Come back to me-"
Erik felt his heart suddenly wrenching at those words, tears streaming down his cheeks and his face scrunching up in his agony. He felt sorry for the man and at the same time, he felt strangely drawn to him that he could not leave him just like that. He was saying all these crazy things that scared him but for some reason, what the man was saying seemed to go deep into his very being. Erik slowly closed the door and went back to the man, who was looking deathly pale and ill. He leaned over him and not knowing why he did it, he hugged the man softly, so as not to hurt him.
"Sir, don't die-"Erik said in a choked voice, the sobs threatening to rise out of his throat. He pulled back to look down at him. The old man reached out and touched Erik's cheek tenderly, his gaze equally gentle and calm.
"Oh, my Erik! My dear sweet Erik! It is you! How cruel that we should meet like this! I've missed you so much! I know that what I am saying is hard to believe but it's the truth! We will meet again...in better times. But you must promise me that you will come for me. You will, won't you?" Erik nodded, not caring to understand what he was agreeing to as long as it appeased the old man. Then the man reached under his pillow and held out a pocket watch for him to take. It had an engraving of some sort of bird on it. He pressed the watch into Erik's palm and Erik took it, openly weeping before the man now. He was getting worse. Erik could see his eyes are glazing over, the machines monitoring him seeming to flash in warning. The door was suddenly sprung open and in came a nurse, who was alerted by the state of the patient through her own monitoring equipment outside.
"What are you doing here?"The nurse demanded from him but she pushed past him to take care of the old man first. She touched his clammy forehead and his pulse. She held his wrist gently, trying to see if he was coherent and capable of responding.
"Mr Xavier? I'm going to inject something into your medicine tube. It will give you a sudden jolt. Please remain calm-"The old man was able to nod once and she pushed the plunger in, releasing the medicine into his bloodstream and Mr Xavier started from his bed as if he was shocked and then his body relaxed, settling back into the mattress, his breathing uneven, the sweat made his pillow and his collar wet. The nurse gently swiped at his perspiration then she looked over her shoulder and glared at Erik.
"You! What have you done?"Erik stood rooted to the spot, his eyes wide. He felt as if he was going to collapse unconscious any moment. He was sure to get into deep shit now.
Mr Xavier managed to gasp a response for both him and Erik."I know him-"
The nurse looked back at him worriedly."Mr Xavier, in your condition, you should not be engaging in anything stressful-"
"He's no stress to me. He's my friend-"Mr Xavier said breathlessly, struggling to get the words out.
"He's your visitor?"
Charles Xavier gave a weak nod, eyes downcast then he lifted his head up and resolutely held her stare. The nurse finally accepted his response and let her anger subside. She reached for Erik's shoulder."Son, we must not upset him. He's very ill. Please don't stand so close to the bed next time-"
"I gave him a gift-"Charles said indignantly, giving his nurse a chiding look. She shook her head minutely at that and then a small smile came to her lips. She looked over at Erik, who was sniffling quietly and hoping the nurse does not report on him.
"He's a stubborn one, that Mr Charles Xavier! I'm surprised he even has visitors. You're the first one I have seen so far. He told us he has no family or friends; Well, none that are still alive, I guess. Come on, let's leave him to rest. I need to get his doctor. Are your parents here with you?"
"My... my Mom-"Erik said meekly.
"Well where is she?"
Before Erik could respond, Mr Xavier suddenly started to have some sort of fit on his bed, his head stuttering against his pillow and his eyes rolling upwards. He was making choking sounds, alarming both Erik and the nurse.
"Damn it!"The nurse cried out and hurried to get help for Mr Xavier. When she dashed off, Charles Xavier stopped his epileptic act and relaxed back in his bed, chuckling softly.
"Ah, that got rid of her-"Charles winked at Erik, giving him a naughty smile.
He could not help but utter wild laughter at what Mr Xavier had done. He was sick but he managed to accomplish such a ruse. The old man just kept on smiling at him affectionately, unable to draw out laughter from himself at this point. Erik stopped laughing when he saw Mr Xavier shut his eyes for a moment and shiver. His actions were finally taking their toll on him. When he opened his eyes, Mr Xavier gestured for Erik to come towards the bed again. He looked paler, his skin taking on a grayish cast, his movements weak. He was pretending to be well but he was nearing his limit. Only his will power propelled him to still move and live, to spend what little time he could with Erik. Erik immediately went to him and he automatically reached out and held Charles's gnarled hand in his. Charles's chest was heaving again, wanting his last words to issue forth from his lips. Erik could see how much effort the man was exerting, just so he could speak to him. Charles looked at him tenderly again, his expression full of his affections for him.
"Find me-"Charles said softly and then he closed his eyes one final time, his head drooped to the side and then he was still.
Erik was at a loss for words. He did not know what to do with himself, how to respond to a dead man and so he just kept holding his hand...until the other's hand grew cold and loose in his. The nurse and her colleagues came in, found them like this and parted them. Erik wept for Mr Xavier, his heart breaking. It was a feeling he had never felt before for anyone else. His first heartache was for a person he did not even know. Mr Xavier had died quietly, a small sad smile still on his lips. The nurses and his doctor tried to revive him but he was dead and beyond their reach. Erik did not bother to stay. He gave Mr Xavier one last look while they attended to his body and then he fled from that room, making his way back to his Uncle Erich's room and encountering the wrath of his mother.
Erik was not the same ever since that event at the hospital. He became quiet and introspective for several weeks. He can't seem to stop thinking about Mr Charles Xavier; the man's memory haunted him even though they knew each other for only one day and for a short span of time. Erik was sitting before their TV at home; he had his Walkman on, but he was not really seeing what he was watching and he was not listening to any music at all. He was supposed to be watching one of his favorite shows, Knight Rider but right now it looked like a blurb of fuzzy colors before his glassy eyes.
I'm a man out of time?
The things Mr Xavier told him were preposterous and yet Erik had a clear grasp of what he meant. That he had traveled back in time somehow and had met Mr Xavier when he was younger. If he were to accept what Mr Xavier said, then they must have been very close friends in the past because Mr Xavier spoke to him so familiarly and he knew things about him that not even his closest friends knew about him; about his dreams of flying or how he got his scar on his upper lip. No one had asked him about those things. Those were intimate details he had kept only to himself. And where did that old man get the knowledge about his ancestry or the names of his parents? It was as if that chance encounter when Erik entered his room to hide from his mother was no chance encounter at all; that there was something greater at work here. Erik felt goose bumps forming on his skin again. He shivered as if cold and laid his head on his crossed arms, his stomach still flat on the carpeted floor. His mother saw him in his dark musings while carrying some packages then she came towards him and pushed back one of the earpieces covering his ear.
"So are you watching that or are you listening to some songs, Erik? Make up your mind!"
He groaned and got up from the floor, finally turning off the TV. He gave his mother an annoyed look for interrupting him while he was lost in thought, regardless if it was frightening and announced that he would be going to his room.
"Finish your homework while you are at it, kiddo! Been seeing you staring off into space doing nothing. Not good!"
He nodded but she called out to him again. She went to him as he stopped at the landing to face her and she touched his head."Are you ok? You look like you've been out of it lately-"
Erik pushed her hand away, making a face."I'm fine, Mom-"
"You sure? Because ever since we got back from the hospital, you've been acting weird-"
He rolled his eyes at her and continued up the steps."It's nothing!"
Edie did not say anything more and kept on watching him as he trudged up the steps and then he entered his room and was gone from her sight. She let out a small sigh. She wasn't sure if it was because of her recent divorce from his father that had him acting like this but she thought it might be related. They had only been in this new house for a few months and Erik was still getting settled into this change in his life. She went off to the kitchen to prepare their dinner.
Upstairs, Erik lay on his bed and then he took out the pocket watch that Mr Xavier gave him. He had been carrying it around with him, even to school but he never took it out in front of the other kids because they might break it. It was beautifully crafted; the engraving was that of a Raven over the cover, spreading its wings and it was made from a dull, silvery metal, still attached to a short chain. Erik pushed the button at the top so that the cover will spring open and he was presented with the faceplate of the watch. It was still working, the dials moving without a hitch. There was no writing inside of the watch, no initials or anything special about it but it was very old, that he could see. There were some scuffs and wearing on the surface of it, as if it had been held many times. He stared at it for a while, his thoughts still on Mr Xavier. His face crumpled up with a realization.
What was he thinking? Why was he acting like a sentimental sack of shit over him? For all he knew, that old man was probably laughing at him from the afterlife, thinking he had played a sick joke on someone young and getting away with it! Why, he tricked that nurse into thinking he was having a fit even before he died! But then, why would a terminally ill old man do something so cruel in his dying moments to a boy of twelve? And the way his eyes looked, the earnest and open kindness; the affection in them...it felt real, it wasn't fake. Erik curled up on his side, holding the watch between his palms. It's not possible. He had always been practical-minded about a lot of things, like when his parents divorced, he knew it was for the best and he had come to accept it, choosing to live with his mother. It's not possible for a person to travel back in time. He understood about the concept but all of that just goes under the category of science fiction. He'd watched some Dr Who episodes, the lead played by a guy named Tom Baker and he found them exciting, toying with the fanciful thought of time travel but then it was all just fantasy, it does not belong in the realm of the real.
It was giving him a headache, these attempts at trying to work out the mystery of Charles Xavier. Not only that, some small part of him was frightened of it. It was simply too strange; how the man spoke to him and how he reacted to the old man, like they knew each other. This was beyond his young mind to comprehend. He pulled one of the drawers of the nightstand next to his bed and shoved the watch in and slammed it close violently. He had come to a decision to forget about the entire thing. He had not told anyone about it yet so he can put it completely out of his mind. It was just some crazy, twilight zone thing and people might think he was nuts if he talked about it. Best to forget it. As the days passed, the watch became a forgotten relic and thoughts of the old man drifted away from him; he went to school, played and spent time with his friends, poured his interests in arcades and video games until he finally pushed it out of his memory and he lived his young life as any young boy should. There are small moments when they would try to rise up again, his memory of that man. They come to him in his dreams, of the blue eyes that are full of love and affection, of their hands touching when the watch was given to him. In these dreams, Charles was a young man like him, his face was a blur but Erik sensed he was drastically younger looking than when they met in the hospital, his head covered by brown wavy locks and his fingers smooth and delicate; then the encounter would mercifully fade away from him when he wakes up. More years passed and he began to have no recollection of that incident; it did not even rise out of his subconscious or his dreams any more.
But time...never forgets. Charles Xavier was right. That moment in the hospital will start it all.