Heyo, I just watched what could be one of the best movies of my life, X-men first class. I'm not much of a Marvel fan but this one made me reconsider that fact. Who didn't love the interaction between Charles and Erik?

The beach scene touched my heart and then my mind was filled with AU senerios. . So I internally squeeled when I thought about the possibilities of doing this.

It's a one-shot for now but it might develop into a multi eventually when I get the time. Sorry if this sucks. Oh and this is totally AU.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything but the plot.

A voice filled with desperation.

A voice filled with hate.

A bullet deflected to the left.

A bullet deflected to the right.

A bloodcurdling scream.

When I heard the scream, the world seemed to slow as I turned around. The missles I was focused on only moments before was forgotten when I saw Charles falling forward towards the sand.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

I caught Charles before he fell and removed the bullet that hit him and hoped I was not too late. But deep within my mind I knew that I was already too late. The damage was already done. Shaking my head I shoved the thought out of the way. This was not important. Right now, Charles was important.

I carefully turned Charles over and gently cradled him in my arms. His face was contorted in pain and I knew this was only the tip of the iceberg. My friend, no, my brother was suffering so much more. His skin was so pale and tears slowly streamed down from Charles' eyes. I could feel my own tears threatening to fall. Charles was dying, he was bleeding to death. His breaths were getting more ragged and I could feel blood, his blood, trickling through my fingers.

This was my fault. I, and I alone, had hurt him. I had hurt Charles, the person who deserved anything but that. But this can't be my fault. I refuse to believe this.

The protector always protects. I was supposed to protect Charles, not harm him!

In my anger I looked up and searched for someone, anyone, to blame. My gaze landed on Moira.

The human.

She did this, she was the one who shot Charles. I outstretched my hand and willed the dogtags she wore to obey my command. 'Choke her, choke her, choke her,' I repeated the mantra over and over. This human will pay for hurting Charles.

I blamed her for Charles' pain. I blamed her for everything. "You did this!" I shouted in rage. Moira grasped her dogtags in a futile effort to stop them from suffocating her. She started to gag and her efforts grew more desperate. I made the dogtags constrict even more as my anger built up. She will not go unpunished.

"No, Erik. You did this."

My anger dissolved at once when I heard those words. The dogtags stopped choking Moira as my focus was directed back at Charles. I knew he was right, it was my fault but I still couldn't believe it.

"Charles, can't you see? This is what they want, us turning on each other. But we are brothers, we want the same thing." I didn't know who I was trying to convince anymore. Myself or Charles. Charles or myself.

"Oh my friend. I am sorry, but we do not." Charles' voice was filled with agony and regret. He swallowed a cry of pain and looked deep into my eyes. Instead of blame and hate, I only saw forgiveness and understanding.

He didn't blame me.

But that only strengthened his statement. We really don't want the same thing. We are too different. Charles is filled with so much kindness and love. He wants a world where humans and mutants exist in harmony and peace. I am filled with hate and anger. I want a world where mutants reign supreme over the inferior humans.

"Erik, I know you have suffered greatly in your life but you do not have to suffer forever. Can I...s-show you?" I nodded and brought a hand to my helmet and took it off. Charles looked at me with thanks but it was immediately overtaken by pain. Shakily, he raised his hand and touched my forehead with two fingers.

I closed my eyes as I was flooded with feelings of security, warmth and peace. The tears I was holding back finally fell as I started to sob. All my life, I thought I would ever feel these feelings again. I never lost them after all. Charles smiled up at me and his hand fell away from my head, his strength drained from his action.

"I hope that now, you will finally be at peace, my friend."

With that his breathing slowed and he closed his eyes, falling into unconsciousness.

"Charles...I promise I will never fail to protect you again." I whispered as I held him closer to me.

Peace was never an option.

No, peace was always an option.