Authors note: Thank you all so much for the reviews/follows/favs! I'm so glad so many of you are liking this story. This Chapter is mostly filler and set-up. Oh! And I'll give a cookie to whoever can figure out which mutants I'm referencing in "the alley scene." XD Next Chapter will be up next week. Probably on Wednesday again. Can't wait to see what you all think. Anyway, on to this chapter.
It wasn't that Hank had a problem with Erik being here... It was just... He had a problem with Erik being here. He had never been particularly fond of the man, even before he became a mass murderer. And now he was going to be staying just a few doors down from Hanks own room? No thank you.
Not that Hank slept much in his own room to he honest. It was easier to just have a cot down in the basement. Where he spent most of his time when he wasn't teaching. But it was the principal of the thing.
Charles must be out of his mind.
"I'm not."
Hank jumped and turned around. Almost spilling one of the test tubes he had been holding as he saw Charles sitting in the doorway. Had he been reading his mind?
"Sorry. You were projecting." Charles offered as an explanation.
Hank frowned and put the tubes down. "Are you insane? Because Erik can't be up to any good. He's-"
"He has a daughter." Charles said. Cutting him off. "He just needs somewhere safe for her. He won't try anything. Not with me here. Especially without that helmet."
Hank blinked a few times. Trying to process the new wave of information. "A daughter?"
"Nina." Charles said with a small smile.
Hank looked at him for several seconds. Slowly starting to realise what Charles had even come down here for. For reassurance. It wasn't often that Charles let his guard down. Let himself be vulnerable. He just couldn't with all the children relying on him. But when he did, it was with Hank.
It used to be Erik. It should be Erik. But that would never happen. Not anymore.
"You're right." Hank found himself saying. "He won't be a problem." I won't let it become one.
Charles smiled sadly and nodded. "Thank you, Hank."
Hank nodded and offered a small smile before turning back to his desk. Pulling out a pair of glasses he had been working on. "I think I've found a way to control Scott's mutation. I had some ruby quartz laying around in the lab, and I think if I put them in these," He held up the glasses. "It should keep the beams from hurting anyone."
Charles nodded and wheeled farther into the room. "That's good Hank. That's really good."
"He's one of the three, right?" Hank asked as he put the glasses down.
Charles didn't have to ask what he was referring too as he nodded. "I think so. The timing is right."
Hank nodded and smiled a little. "That's good."
"I just wish I could find Logan." Charles admitted as he looked down.
"Still no luck with Cerebro?" Hank asked as he tilted his head.
"None. It's as if he doesn't even exist anymore."
"You'll find him." Hank reassured.
"I hope so." Charles said with a half hearted smile. "Thank you again, Hank. I'm sure Alex will be just as happy as Scott that you've found somthing."
Hank nodded and picked the glasses back up. Planning on going down to the lab first thing to finish them.
"I'll leave you to your work." Charles said as he started to wheel from the room.
Hank nodded. Already thinking about how to fit the lenses into the frames as he passed Charles down the hall. Heading toward the elevator.
Charles watched him with a shake of his head. What would he do without Hank? He was just as valuable to the Schools success as Charles. Maybe even more so. And he was almost literally the only reason Charles was even still alive.
Turning down the other hall. Charles headed toward Eriks room.
Charles wasn't entirely sure what he was expecting to find, but certainly not this.
The door was open slightly, so Charles let himself in. But stopped as soon as he saw the precious scene displayed before him.
Erik was laying with Nina on the bed. Smiling, actually smiling, as father and daughter read each other paragraphs from an old children's book. Erik occasionally changing his voice in certain ways to portray a character. Earning a giggle from Nina.
"And Papa bear said," Erik paused for dramatic effect. "Who's been in our house?"
Nina gasped and covered her mouth. Giggling.
"And Mama bear said, who's been sleeping in our beds?" Erik tickled Nina after that one. The girl erupting with giggles.
Charles recognised the story. 'The three bears.' but it was a slightly different version than the one Charles had read with Raven.
Charles was hesitant to break up the moment, but he did have a class to teach in a few minutes, and he did need to speak to Erik.
He cleared his throat and wheeled a little farther into the room. Two pairs of eyes looked up at him. The same eyes. Charles noted. Charles also noted the faint blush that had spread across Eriks face. But didn't comment on it.
Addressing Nina, Charles smiled as he reached the bed. Already at eye level thanks to his preminit sitting position. "It's very nice to meet you Nina. I'm Charles Xavior."
"I know who you are." she said as she met his eyes. "Papa used to talk about you in his sleep."
Charles looked up at Erik. Surprised. Erik just looked away.
"Is It alright if I talk to your Papa for a few minutes, Nina?" Charles asked as he looked back down at her.
Nina seemed to think about that, Charles could feel the thoughts she was unknowingly projecting, before nodding. "Yes."
Charles smiled before looking up at Erik. The smile fading.
"Epobaw się z niedźwiedzia, Nina." Go play with your bear, Nina. Erik said to her. And Nina responded. "Okay Papa." Polish? Charles thought as watched.
Nina kissed her Papas cheek and moved over to the other side of the bed, taking the book, and picking up one of her toys. Charles moved back a little to let Erik stand and follow him out from the room. Noting the hint of a blush on the older mans cheeks.
"What is it, Charles?"
"If you're going to stay here, I need to know the extent of her powers." Charles said. Cutting right to the chase.
"And how do you plan on...?"
"The same way I do with all my students. Test them."
Erik looked at Charles for several minutes. And even if Charles wasn't a telapath, he could tell that Erik was weighing the pros and cons. His own desire to know his daughters limits and potential against his mistrust of Charles, anyone, dougn anything with his daughter. But his desire won out eventually and he nodded. "Fine. But I want to be there."
"Of course." Charles said as he inclined his head. "I have a class to teach in a few minutes, but I'm free in about an hour. You both can meet me in the gardens?"
Erik nodded and glanced back inside the room at Nina, than back to Charles. "If you hurt her-"
Charles scoffed lightly. "Really Erik. What do you take me for?"
"A threat."
Charles stiffened at that and looked away. "Fair enough." he said as he turned his chair and started to wheel down the hallway.
Charles could feel Eriks regret washing over him like a wave, but the metal bender didn't say anything. So Charles kept going.
"Hey! Watch it freak!" A man yelled as Kurt was shoved agaisnt the wall. "I'm walking here."
"S-sorry." Kurt mumbled. Curling in to himself a little as he hid his face until the man passed.
It had been a little over an hour since Mystique had left him. He hadn't wanted her to leave, but she had been very insistent upon it. He had hoped that she would have been different than the others that had cast him aside. But it seemed he was doomed to be alone.
It wasn't as if Kurt wasn't used to being alone, he just didn't like it. Didn't want it.
He, for his part, had made fast friends with the women who rescued him. But she had still left him... Wherever here was. He thought he was still in Germany, but who knew.
He had a new ID and a passport, but Kurt had no idea where to even start. Or where to go.
He stepped out onto the street and pulled his collar higher toward his cheeks. A subconscious habit he had picked up throughout the years. Looking around, he picked a direction and starting to walk, not really caring where he went.
It had started to rain, so he tried to stay under as many awenings as he could. Before ducking into a covered alley and shaking himself to dry off.
He looked around at the darkness and sat down. His back agaisnt the wall. Listening to the people walking past on the street.
"Stupid mutants cheating at cards. Swindled me out of my money!"
"The other one touched me and I almost died!"
"I saw one fly the other day."
"And what about that maniac one? Magneto or something stupid like that? Where's he gotten to? Propbaly up to no good I recon."
Kurt wasn't entirety sure how long he had been sitting there, listening to the hate filled comments of the people passing in the street. But he knew he had fallen asleep at some point because he jolted awake with surprise at a clanging noise from farther down the alley.
Kurt raised his head and stood, walking toward the source of it slowly. Curiosity getting the better of him.
Suddenly, the darkness was pierced by a giant ball of purple light. Kurt stared with surprise and confusion as he titled his head.
The light faded to reveal three figures standing in the middle. People who could only be mutants. And looked as though they were probably up to no good. Kurt was just about to teleport away, before he got a good look at who it was.
A tall grey-blue skinned man and two women. One he had seen before at Calavans. What was her name? Psylock?
"Vhat is dis?" He asked hesitantly. Eyeing all of them, prepared to disappear at any second.
"Ah, my child." The man stepped toward him, a smile on his face. And Kurt took a step back.
"Don't be afraid." He continued. "I'm here now. And I will help you."
Erik smirked as he watched Nina run across the garden, chasing a butterfly. After Charles had left, he took her outside early to wait for him. He knew how much she loved the outdoors.
"Papa! Come play!" she called to him.
"Later, dove." Erik said with a soft smile.
She frowned, but quickly continued to play regardless.
Erik watched her for several more minutes before looking out across the grass. The other students were staying away from them. Trying not to be obvious about it, but Erik noticed anyway. Not that he disapproved. He would have done the same thing.
"Ah. There you are."
Erik turned to see Charles wheel toward him with his usual pleasant smile.
"Sorry I'm late, Lee needed help with her homework." Charles offered as explanation.
Erik smirked a little and looked down at him as he crossed his arms. The Charles he had known would have scoffed at the idea of helping teenagers with such things like homework. He really had become a teacher.
"Shut up." Charles said. Smirking just a little.
"I didn't say anything." Erik said with a grin. Slipping back into an old teasing tone he hadn't used in decades.
"But you were thinking it."
Erik rolled his eyes and turned back to looking out at Nina.
Charles turned as well, watching her with what Erik had decided to call his teacher eyes. "How long has she displayed a mutation?"
"Since she was four." Erik answered.
Charles nodded and followed Nina with his eyes. "Do you have any idea how it works?"
"None. She's just always had animals around her."
"Can she understand them?"
"She talks to them, but I assumed it was her imagination."
Charles nodded and wheeled forward just a little. Getting a better look at her.
"Nina, komm hierher." Erik said. His German slipping out, out of habit. He saw Charles glance up at him, but he didn't say anything as Nina ran up to them. A grin on her face before she spotted Charles and stopped.
"Hello again." Charles said with a smile at her. Leaning forward a little. "I have a few questions for you if that's alright?"
Nina was really sweet. Listening and learning quickly. Charles now knew much more about her mutation. Though he would have to talk Hank to see if he could make some more sense of the science behind it.
She couldn't yet call animals to her at will, but it wouldn't be long until she could. Her mutation was still in its developing stages. And it posed no harm.
As Charles wheeled into his room later that night, he thought back on the day with a sad smile. Erik was back. Maybe not the same man that he had been, but he was closer than he had been in years. And he seemed, so much more happy now. Content.
And the fact that he had married, and had a child with, a human women, spoke volumes about how changed he was.
Just because someone stumbles, looses their way, doesn't mean they're lost forever.
He could still save Erik. He could, maybe someday, have his friend back. And that was more than enough for now.
A soft knocking sound came from the door, without even thinking about it, Charles answered. "Come in."
The door pushed open slowly, revealing Erik standing in the archway with an already set up chess board in his hands.
"Erik?" Charles asked with surprise. Turning his chair to face him fully. "What are you...?"
"I thought, maybe, we could play a game?" Erik asked.
A surge of long pent up resentment threatened to overtake Charles, but he pushed it aside. Erik was trying. Really trying this time. And truth be told, Charles would love a good game of chess.
"I'd love that." Charles answered honestly.
Erik smiled, a sight Charles hadn't seen in, well, decades, and walked into the room fully. Setting the set down gently on the table by the fireplace. Taking a seat next to it.
Charles wheeled toward the table, stopping when he reached it. "What's this really about, Erik?"
"Would you believe me if I said I just missed you?"
Charles looked up and met his eyes. Seeing only sincerity in them. "Your move." Charles said instead of responding as he moved a pawn across the board.
Erik smiled a little less, but moved his own pawn. "The School's been working out I see." he said. Clearly trying to make small talk. And Charles decided to cut him some slack. It had been ten years since he had seen Erik. And he had let go of his hate. It wouldn't do any good to punish the man any farther than he had been.
"Yes. It feels good to help all the children that come through here." Charles said as he made his move. "And I enjoy teaching."
"Careful, you're a professor now, you might finally loose your hair." Erik teased. And Charles found himself chuckling.
They fell into a comfortable and familiar silence after that. Only broken by the crackling fire and the sound of chess pieces sliding across the board.
