The Scientist
New York City, 2010:
"It's quite a thing that you're about to do, Charles. Do you think you're really ready?" Moira McTaggart asked Charles Xavier, sipping a glass of champagne, graciously provided by their hosts.
"The world needs to know this, Moira. You know that. How much longer can we wait? Besides, someone is going to make the announcement sooner or later." Charles replied, taking a sip of his own drink- a double of scotch, neat, feeling the warmth slide down his throat into his belly. I could probably do with another three or four of these, but that would be dangerous. It's harder to control my powers when I've been drinking.
"You know that I don't ever think the world is ready. But you may be right- there's not likely going to be a better time to tell everyone coming.
Whatever I do think of the world, though, I do know one thing, Charles-" Moira gently plucked the glass from Charles' hand. "You've got to be sober when you're telling the world that mutants are real. Nobody's going to believe you if you're swaying on the lecturn." She set it aside. "It's not like you to be this nervous anyway. You've been through much worse in your life, really. It's only scientists and a few reporters out there, not the President, the Queen of England and the Pope."
Charles knew there was more to it than just that, that Moira hated to see anyone drink more than a few, could barely stand to see anyone visibly intoxicated. He understood- her experiences with Joe had been terrible, and she was right. He was letting his nerves get to him already. He would have to deal with the inevitable explosion from the press gallery from his announcement. It would make setting up the Xavier Institute a little more complicated, though it was destined to be difficult anyway.
It isn't, after all, every day that one gets to publicly announce that mutants with superpowers live amongst us.
"We need to be able to control the message, Moira, as much as we can. Or the truth is going to come out from people who are afraid, even hateful. We need to be on top of this, to reassure people." Charles took a breath. It had all seemed far easier before they were actually here, at the World Genetics Conference. "Besides, if nothing else, there may be a Nobel Prize for you in it. Which would make getting funding for your research much easier."
"Nobel Prize for us, Charles." Moira replied. "But we both know it's not really about that, is it? You're still thinking of opening the school at your big old Mansion in New York." She sighed. "Just when I was thinking that maybe you'd settle in Scotland for good." She put on a good brave face, but Charles knew that she wasn't precisely happy that he was going away, though he knew she accepted it was virtually inevitable.
Charles frowned a little- it was a sad truth of their marriage thus far that it had been marked by as much distance as by togetherness, and establishing the school was unlikely to do anything for that. Moira was bonded to Muir Island by her work and by looking after the handful of wards she had acquired, mostly mutants who had little hope of easy integration into wider society. He had briefly flirted with establishing the school there, but he knew it would never work, it was too isolated, too difficult to access- and he didn't want the Institute to be overly segregated.
Moira reached over to him and placed her hand on his, giving it a little squeeze. "We'll get through it, though. We always do, don't we?" She offered a small smile and bent down to kiss him, long and sweet. "No matter how much we're apart, we'll always be together. Now and forever. You couldn't be rid of me if you wanted."
"Nor you of me. Even if you wanted a handsome young boyfriend with a full head of hair." Who could walk.
"Charles." Moira looked at him. "After so many years, you still think that's something that bothers me, that you're in a wheelchair?" Her lips curled downwards in a frown. "What happened, happened. At least you're alive." Green eyes fixed his in an intense gaze.
"Moira's right, Charles." Erik Lehnsherr smirked faintly as he walked into the room, alongside his young children, Wanda and Pietro. Sitting quietly in the corner already was Charles' adopted son, Scott and a young woman he'd been working with for some years, Jean Grey. Erik moved over to where Moira was, kissing her cheek lightly and then moved to take a seat near Charles. "You should be excited. This is the moment your life thus far has been building towards, has it not?"
"Of course, you're both right." Charles replied. "Scott, some water, please? I should get myself ready for the presentation." He wheeled himself over to his desk and took out his notes, gathering them up and examining them again. "You all do understand the import of what will happen tonight, yes?" He spoke directly to the young people in the room- Erik and Moira were already well aware of it. "After tonight, superhuman genetic mutation will be public knowledge. It is significantly more likely that you may be identified somehow in the future as a mutant."
"Great. Another reason for people to hate me." Pietro rolled his eyes. "Sounds like a great idea, just great." Wanda turned towards him with a glare and sharply dug into him with an elbow to the ribs.
"I trust your judgement." Scott piped up, breaking his usual quiet. "Besides, it'll make organizing the school easier, won't it?" He got up and went over to the water cooler to get some cold water, which he gave to Charles. "And you're right, this way maybe we have some control over the message."
"You've a much more faithful son than I do, Charles." Erik noted with a certain wry amusement, before his tone turned more serious. "But I cannot say that I'm … happy about this. This announcement is only going to trigger panic, Charles. Would it not be better to open the school secretly for the time being? Gather our numbers, before making ourselves known?"
"We've had this discussion before, Erik." Charles cut him off. "This is not about tactics and strategy, it is about the right of people to know the truth, and our obligation to make sure they get the actual truth. I do not doubt that there will be some fear. But this way perhaps we can manage it and make people understand that, in all the truly important ways, mutants are just like humans."
"Of course, Charles." Erik replied coolly, in a tone that clearly said that he was less than thrilled about the idea. I don't like to proceed so boldly without your full support, old friend, Charles thought, but it seems this time I must. We have little other choice.
"Why are we all looking so grim, anyway?" Moira suddenly exclaimed. "Heavens, we should be celebrating. Charles has been working towards this for so long and a discovery like this, could mean the Nobel Prize."
"It is a noteworthy scientific accomplishment." Wanda noted a little absently.
Erik took a small breath and sighed, nodding. "Of course. We should all be very proud of Charles and his incredible work discovering the truth behind the strange and wonderful abilities … most of us exhibit." He looked over towards Moira again for a moment and then back at Charles. "You know that, despite all our disagreements, I am honored to be your friend. And proud to be here, at such an incredible moment in your scientific career."
"Thank you." Charles replied sincerely. "All of you."
When Charles thought about it, it was rather amazing, all that had happened to bring them to this particular place, the years of struggle for recognition and funding, but even more importantly of finding out the truth about himself and people around him, people he'd become very close to. For most of his life, Charles was convinced that he was completely alone in his superhuman powers- until he'd met Erik. It was then that he became convinced that there was something behind the amazing powers that the both of them manifested.
That particular road had taken him down some very strange places in his life- and it had given him the chance to meet some very unique and amazing people that he would never have been able to, otherwise. Hank McCoy would be arriving in a few minutes- his ever-faithful research assistant, one of the most promising students he'd ever had in his life. Both Warren and Bobby were back at his mansion in Westchester, which would soon reopen as the Xavier Institute.
Charles looked over at Jean Grey for a moment and she smiled back at him. He remembered well when he'd first gone to see her, virtually comatose from the immense trauma of psychically experiencing the death of her best friend. It had taken years for her to recover, but she had amazed everyone and become an accomplished young woman, increasingly confident with not only her powers, but her other gifts. Whatever Jean decided to do with her future, Charles knew that she'd play a vital role in the future of the mutant people.
Next to her was a young man who was even dearer to Charles's heart- Scott Summers, a young man whom he'd found in an orphanage in Nebraska, of all places. Unlike Jean, Scott didn't have a family, didn't have anywhere to go to, for all of Charles's search. Ultimately, Charles had made the decision to adopt Scott as his own son, just as Moira had adopted Rahne- their son and daughter, in an admittedly unusual but very close family. Charles wouldn't have it any other way.
"Professor, I hope you'll excuse my being late, but the traffic is simply dreadful. Who would have thought that New York City would be terribly busy on a Friday evening?" Hank McCoy laughed as he came in. "I really had intended to come earlier. I honestly swear."
"It's quite all right, Hank." Charles laughed softly. "And please, you can call me Charles. We've worked together far too long for you to keep calling me Professor Xavier as if you were a freshman." He wheeled over to where Hank was and took his hand, which Hank shook firmly but carefully, minding his strength. "To tell the truth, you should be up there with Moira and I. You've contributed nearly as much to this as we have."
"Heavens, no." Hank immediately blurted out. "This is your moment- yours and Moira's. I wouldn't dare think to intrude upon it. I'm simply honoured to have been able to assist you in whatever humble way I could."
Charles could perceive in the corner of his eye, Wanda rolling her eyes at Hank's slightly ostentatious show of humility. Just like her father, Charles thought with some amusement. Pietro, on the other hand, had a far more sensitive, mercurial temperament and was obviously bored and was not bothering to hide it. Personally, he would have allowed Pietro to stay at home, but Erik had insisted on bringing him here. Hopefully this whole thing isn't too long, or Pietro may simply run out the door. And once he started running, there was absolutely nothing any of them could do to catch him if he didn't want to be caught.
How are you doing, Hank? Truly. Charles projected his thoughts towards Hank. He knew the young man was particularly sensitive about his seemingly advancing genetic mutation.
It's beginning to get difficult to shave it off, Pr- Charles. I don't know if I'll be able to do so for much longer. I suppose I shouldn't, but you know how it is. He could feel Hank's hesitation and his fear. Charles knew that Hank had a lot to lose, between his rising professional prospects and his girlfriend, whom he was quite certain knew nothing about Hank's mutant status. Something that he hoped Hank would be honest about soon, but he couldn't blame him too much. It was a long time before he could tell Moira truly about his superhuman abilities.
It was something that Charles knew that he had to keep in mind in the coming days and months, that this announcement was going to have a very real impact on the everyday lives of many thousands of people. The revelation of the existence of mutants was going to directly affect people he loved personally, but also countless strangers. Charles knew that there would be fear directly associated with this announcement, that there was a possibility that people would lash out in hatred.
Is it truly right for me to be making this announcement? Is it fit for me to be doing this?
But then he considered the other side of it- people around the world would suddenly have something to explain their strange and terrifying abilities, something to identify as, and the possibility of meeting others like them. That these people possessed a genetic variation rather than some curse or some supernatural power would make it easier to encourage an informed public debate. He could create the Institute and recruit far more openly than if he was forced to operate secretly. People could even find him out.
"Professor Xavier?" One of the assistants hired by the Genetics Conference entered. "Five minutes until we're ready to go."
"Thank you." Charles replied graciously, though he was slightly surprised when Moira settled herself comfortably on his lap and kissed the top of his head.
"You're going to be wonderful, Charles." She smiled warmly at him and bent down a little to kiss him. And then the two of us can celebrate, yes? It's been much too long, Charles Francis Xavier. I've missed you. Moira was careful not to think too much more out loud, for risk that Jean might pick it up inadvertantly, which was the last thing that anyone needed.
"Might be a good idea to go over that speech again." Wanda noted dryly, clearly just as bored as Pietro.
Charles couldn't help but laugh. "You're probably right." On the other hand, Moira, I really can't be bothered to ask you to move. I like you where you are. He craned up a little to kiss her again. I can barely believe that this is actually happening. In five minutes, it's all going to be out in the open.
More privately, he couldn't help but wonder what the full implications of that were going to be.
