Raven squeezed her eyes shut, feeling as if she was about to throw up. The jet was spinning out of control and any second now, they would crash. Everything jerked backward as the aircraft slammed into the beach. Raven was upside down, feeling all of her blood rush to her head. She could hear Erik and Charles' screams, she watched as Erik lowered himself and Charles from the ceiling.
Charles stood and ran to the CIA agent. "Moira, Moira, are you all right?"
"Yeah, I'm okay."
Raven was hurt by Charles' choosing of Moira over her, but the hurt only lasted a second because Erik was rushing her way. He looked worried as he undid her buckles and she let out a grunt of pain as she fell down from her seat. He caught her before she could hit the ground.
Charles was shouting things their way but Erik asked quietly, "Are you okay?"
She just nodded and they went over to a window together and stared out at the crashed submarine as Charles explained the situation…
"Who's with me?" Erik asked, looking around at the mutants on the beach. Charles lay in the sand, writhing in pain from the bullet wound. Erik stood off to the side, holding out his hand as his eyes settled on Raven. "No more hiding."
Raven nodded and began to walk toward him but looked at Charles and Moira. Erik's face was uncertain as he watched Raven's approach. Charles grunted in pain and Raven turned to him, crouching down next to him. Erik's hand had lowered and he turned to look behind him at them, sighing to himself. He really thought that she would come with him, pick him over Charles.
Charles breathing was ragged as he said, "You…you should go with him." He placed a hand on her arm. "It's what you want."
She looked down at him sadly as she said, "You promised me you would never read my mind."
He was pained as he said, "I know…I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid."
Raven stroked his hair as he spoke. He said, "I'm sorry."
He kissed her hand; she kissed his forehead. To Moira, Raven said, "Take care of him," before sliding her hand out of his.
Erik's hand was extended toward her as he stared at her intently. She took it and stood, holding his hand tightly. Azazel, Angel, and Riptide walked toward the pair; the five joined hands.
Raven called over to her fellow blue mutant, "And Beast, never forget: mutant and proud."
Hank just looked away, he didn't want to hear it. Erik looked over at Azazel and in an instant the five were gone in a puff of red/black smoke.
Erik looked around as their feet touched ground again. He glanced at Azazel and asked, "And where might we be?"
"One of Sebastian's villas. You've earned them." The red man said.
They were standing at the bottom of a set of stairs leading up to a large home. Behind them was the ocean and a dock with a speedboat moored to it. The yellow brick facade greeted them and the villa, three stories tall, seemed as if it had been waiting for them all along.
Riptide opened the heavy wooden door and stepped back, allowing Erik to enter first. The entryway was filled with marble, the walls white, and the windows and doors made of rich wood. The ceiling was lined with wooden beams. He led the way into the villa and Raven came up quickly next to him. She said, "You may have hated him, but he had good taste."
He shot her a look. "Don't."
Raven fell out of step with him and walked with Angel instead as Riptide showed them around. It was getting late and after they had eaten, they settled into their rooms. Tomorrow, they would plan their rescue of Emma Frost from the guarded CIA facility. Tonight, they would recuperate from the event in Cuba.
"I was wondering when you would find your way here."
Raven walked into the room and shut the door behind her. He was sitting in a chair in front of the window, watching the waves crash against the rocks far below. His arm rested on the side of the chair, a glass of whiskey in hand. "Drink?"
"Sure." She said, walking over and sitting in the chair opposite his. He had set his drink down on the small table between their chairs and walked over to the liquor cabinet, pouring her a drink, albeit not whiskey, for which she was thankful. He returned and handed her the cocktail. "Thanks."
He picked up his own glass and raised it to his lips, taking a sip. "Did you think that we would leave them all when you woke up this morning?"
"I knew it was inevitable." She said simply. They both stared out the window and felt the breeze on their faces, a refreshing way to end their exhausting day.
After a while, Erik said quietly, "I paralyzed Charles today."
Raven looked at him and leaned over, taking his hand in hers. "It wasn't your fault."
"Of course it was. I deflected that bullet into his spine. I may not have been the one shooting but I sure finished the job." He turned his head away from hers and stared out the window. Raven pounded back her cocktail and stood in front of him. She placed her hand under his chin and made him look at her.
"Listen, Charles is my oldest friend. He will forgive you, I know it."
"Will he forgive me for taking you from him?" His eyes were sad and he looked on the verge of tears. Raven didn't know that he was still capable of this kind of emotion.
She placed a hand on his cheek and kissed him softly. "You didn't take me from him, I left on my own. And he told me to leave, remember?"
He nodded and smiled for her. He leaned forward and placed his forehead against hers. He said softly, "I don't deserve you."
Raven didn't move but her mind was racing. No one had ever told her that before. She had never felt wanted by anyone yet here was Erik Lehnsherr. Normally a harsh man, he was sensitive and sweet with her. She didn't understand the change in him nor did she understand his want for her. The love for her natural blue form was baffling and she would never understand why he would pick her when he could easily have anyone with his good looks.
Erik leaned away from her but didn't go too far. He looked in her eyes before leaning back in and kissing her with passion that she needed desperately in that moment. She had just abandoned her childhood best friend, she needed to forget that betrayal. Raven climbed on his lap on the chair and he grabbed onto her thighs as he stood, walking them over to the bed.
He deposited her in the middle before peeling himself out of the spandex suit Hank had designed. It took a bit of effort but he was finally free of it after a minute or two. Raven lay naked on the bed already. All he could ask was, "How?"
"It wasn't as hard as you made it seem." She laughed; he growled as he launched himself onto the bed. He took her in his arms as he kissed her all over. She laughed as he tickled her lightly. She had never seen this side of him and, surprisingly, she liked it. When he finally slid himself inside of her, he did so slowly and he wasn't rough at all like he had been the previous night. He was gentle and made sure that she was getting everything that she wanted out of it. He held off his own pleasure until she experienced her own.
After, he held her in his arms and she said, "Why me? You could have anyone."
"No one is as exquisite as you."
