Hello my lovelies! Yet another fantastic chapter by yours truly! ...(crickets)...ahem, ok, anyway... Enjoy folks!

ENJOY!

Erik listened to the heart monitor.

They had holed up in a hotel room at first, waiting for Charles to wake up, not fully trusting the mutants who had followed Shaw. Especially not with the location of Charles' home. Their home, Charles had always insisted. After seeing how Shaw and his forces had trashed the CIA base, they weren't going to risk it. The atmosphere had been tense but livable, but as the hours passed and Charles remained unconscious they began to worry.

By morning they were worried enough to take him to the hospital.

Their fears had been warranted. According to the doctor, Charles had suffered a massive stroke. He had no family history of stroke, and it was highly unusual for an individual as young as Charles to have a stroke at all! But that was what had happened they said, and he was lucky he was so young, or else the stroke probably would've killed him straight out! Numerous tests had been run, but they still couldn't pinpoint what had caused it.

Erik had his own thoughts about that.

Anger seethed through him. He was glad Shaw was dead, but a part of him wished he'd taken his time, so he could interrogate him now to find out how he'd induced a stroke in Charles. Then he'd kill Shaw to avenge his mother and Charles. But no, Shaw was dead. Leaving Erik with nothing but questions, and Charles trapped in a coma.

Trapped in his mind…!

Erik practically ripped the phone from the cradle by the bedside. It took several seconds fumbling, but he eventually ripped the paper scrap with the correct number from his pocket. She picked up on the second ring.

"Erik?"

"Raven, is Azazel still there?"

"Um… Yes, he's still here. Why?"

"Correct me if I am wrong, but the whole point of a coma is being trapped inside yourself. Who better than a telepath to get someone out of a coma!" Erik's voice was grim, but excitement was welling in his chest. Here was hope! There was a chance they could save Charles!

On the other end of the line, Raven sighed. "Don't get me wrong, it's a good idea but…Erik, we don't have another telepath. Charles was it."

"We might not have another telepath, but I know where we can find one." Erik answered grimly. "I happen to know the CIA have one with several years experience on layaway. Have Azazel pick her up and bring her to the hospital."

"Erik…" Raven was silent for a minute. "What makes you think she'll come? I know from long experience that it's very difficult to make a telepath go where they don't want to."

Erik looked at Charles' pale form laying in the hospital bed, and his voice turned cold. "If she doesn't care to come, have Azazel remind her that she owes Charles a favor."

Emma Frost glared at Erik. "And just how exactly do I owe your telepath friend a favor?

Erik tapped his forehead. "Have a look for yourself."

The blonde arched an eyebrow but didn't hesitate to do just that. She had touched Erik's mind once before, back when Erik had first found and tried to kill Shaw. Any other time she had seen him she'd been focused on fending off the telepath. She remembered that he had a strong mind, but when she touched it now she found it even stronger. And he was aware of her touch.

The minute he felt it, he presented a memory for her inspection.

She could see herself, trapped by that metal bed frame. The pipe was around her throat and cracks were beginning to spider outwards. Then, she felt something in Erik give. He was perfectly willing to hurt her, but he knew that Charles (so that was the telepath's name!) wouldn't approve! And so Erik had eased his hold ever so slightly. She had succumbed seconds later, never realizing that Charles' presence had protected her.

For a second she suspected him of making it up, the very strong and the very creative minds could do it, with varying degrees of believability. But this one was pure. There was no doubting the veracity of his memory.

She blinked, absolutely floored. That didn't often happen. "Fine." And she dropped down in a chair next to Charles' bed.

Emma opened her eyes.

The mindscape wasn't at all what she'd expected. From what little she'd seen of him (and his mind) during their encounters, she'd expected to find his mind in some sort of simple but strong form. She'd gotten the impression that he was intelligent, and she knew for a fact that he was strong. But looking at this mindscape, she was beginning to wonder if this young man wasn't a heck of a lot smarter than she'd originally thought. And from much higher up the social ladder than she would've guessed!

The mindscape she was looking at was a massive mansion. Staring all around her, she saw the home of someone with means. Yet, she saw the intelligence here. There were books all over the place. All shapes, all sizes, all colors. Most were thick, a lot appeared old, and a goodly amount were classics. This telepath, this Charles, was well read. She picked up a book to glance at the title, did a double take, then slowly set it back down. He was most definitely well read! If the title was anything to go by, the book was dealing with advanced genetics!

She moved deeper into the mansion.

It was weird. A mansion like this should feel imposing. Like a palace, or museum. Some place you visit, but not some place you live. It should feel cold. But it didn't. Incredibly, this place felt warm. Lived in. It felt like a home.

There! There was the telepath!

Emma threw open the door. Charles paced on the other side. The room he was in definitely accented his intelligence. Even more books were crammed into the room, shelves full of them, and stacks of them coated almost every available surface. A globe sat to one side, and a chess set was sitting in a place of honor between to comfortable chairs. A fire roared in a massive fireplace, and framed pictures coated the walls. One in particular caught her attention. The room, instead of feeling stuffy and cramped, instead gave the impression of warmth and comfort. Of home.

The young telepath stopped his pacing, staring at her in surprise.

Emma smiled. "Hello Professor. Erik Lensher sent me to help you."

Her attention didn't waver for the next several hours. She never took her eyes off of Charles still form. She never once shifted position. Erik wasn't even entirely sure she blinked or breathed during that time, though logic said she must've. But at last she sighed and sat back in her chair, rubbing her eyes.

"Well?" Erik asked gruffly.

"He'll be awake in a minute or two. He's had quite a shock…You are lucky to have him you know. He's the sort of friend I could only dream of having." She answered. "And frankly, even after being in his mind I still don't quite understand what it is he sees in you."

Erik bristled. "What's that supposed to mean?

Her unnerving gaze settled on him and she rose. "What I mean, is that he trusted you!" She spat. "And that he's paid a high price for your revenge Erik Lensher!"

A quiet sound from the bed staved off Erik's reply

Charles was awake.

"Charles!" Erik hurried to his friend's bedside, eagerly clasping his hand. To his surprise Charles sucked in a breath and jerked his hand away. "Charles?"

"Erik?" Vivid blue eyes finally seemed to focus, and the telepath sighed. "Sorry, you just startled me is all. I'm alright." He put his hand back in Erik's and gave him a reassuring smile. To Emma Frost he added, "Thank you Miss Frost. I'm not entirely certain I could've gotten out of there on my own."

"You'd have gotten out eventually." She assured, her smile much warmer than Erik would've expected. "I just sped up the process." She glanced at the door, then added. "Your doctor is coming to check on you. Apparently they're monitoring your vitals at the front desk. If there's anything you want to know I suggest you ask now."

Predictably, the first question Charles fired off was "How are the children?"

"Safe." Erik assured. "We even got Angel back. Raven can bring them by to see you later if you'd like."

"I would like that." Charles agreed. "And the ah, confrontation…?"

Erik smiled. "I think the president said it best. This thanksgiving season, we truly have something to be thankful for."

"He what?!"

For once, Erik completely agreed with Moira.

The doctor nodded sadly, glancing back at the closed door to Charles' room. Not that a closed door would prove much of a barrier if Charles really wanted to hear what was being said. Erik thought.

"He can't feel his legs." The doctor reiterated. "It's an effect of the stroke I'm afraid. Often, when a stroke hits the brain it affects certain parts of the nervous system and inhibits motor control of specific parts of the body. Usually this is exhibited predominantly on one side of the body or the other. The fact that he cannot feel either of his legs is highly unusual, but then, this has been an unusual case from the start."

"Will he ever be able to walk again?" Raven asked, clinging to what little hope she had left.

The doctor sighed. This was the part about being a doctor that he hated, giving the bad news to his patients or their family members. His patient had identified these people as his students and friends, the closest thing he had to family, and had given him leave to tell them whatever family members would be entitled to know.

"I am going to be completely honest with you." He stated. "There are some stroke patients who manage to regain some motor control through physical therapy. As severe as Professor Xavier's stroke was, I would say that he is lucky to be alive. It would be a miracle if he ever made enough of a recovery that he could walk again. But I'm a doctor. I know better than to say something is impossible. I see miracles in my patients every day. And your professor is a remarkable man. Is it impossible that he will get up out of his wheelchair some day? No. But barring a miracle, it isn't likely."

Erik looked toward the door, his heart clenching in his chest. A horrible suspicion was worming its way into his mind. One he didn't want to consider. But the more he thought about it, the more he began to fear it was true.

Could he have done this?

TO BE CONTINUED...

Review please! They are the awe-smacking-awesomeness that get trapped telepaths out of comas!

Until next time!