Notes: Sorry, starts out kinda boring. I swear this gets better/creepier in later chapters!
North Hero* is a real place in Vermont. I've never been there all I know is it looks very pretty and I just needed a name/location of a small town. So whatever I say about buildings, people and general locations is all made up. (Has no imagination for naming towns)
Heartsick* is by Chelsea Cain, I've not read it but my friend HIGHLY recommends it.


Chapter I
Hello

Charles smiled softly to himself as his fingers slowly traced over the dust covered leather binding of the book he was holding in his hands. The hard material welcomed his touch and warmed the longer he held on to it. Turning the book over in his hands he looked at the author's name imprinted on the spine then up at the rows and rows of book that surrounded him until he found the perfect place for it.

The shelf was a little too high for him to reach easily so he stepped up on the first shelf and slid the book into place until he fingers could no longer push the spine any farther away. Stepping down he looked up at the book and smiled again before turning back to the cart of books behind him.

He had been working at the small used bookstore ever since he came to North Hero* three weeks ago. In that short time he had managed to make this place home and it was more of a real home than Westchester had ever been.

The town was small, mostly because it was located on an island just off of Vermont but the people were all very welcoming. Everyone he met had greeted him smile when they realized he'd just moved in. Out of all the people he had met so far the one he couldn't thank enough was the owner of the used bookstore that given him this job and a place to stay.

The first night he had been in town would have been him sleeping in his car if not for her.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

Charles pulled over to the side of the road and rested his head on the steering wheel. He let out a long, slow breath before leaning back in his seat and closing his eyes. When he opened him he just stared out his windshield at the rain that was crashing down on the hood of his car. Just taking a minute to listen to the sound of the rain and the engine of his car was helping to settle his nerves.

He wasn't sure how but he had gotten turned around and lost for the nth time that night. The first time he had gotten lost he somehow ended up taking the wrong exit and crossed a bridge to find himself on the island, all the other times he had gotten lost was in search of a motel or some kind of place to stay for the night. Long story short that search was turning out fruitless.

His attention turned to the shops that lined the sides of the street, all seemed to be closed but one. He frowned and unbuckled his seatbelt. As soon as he got out of the car he was drenched in freezing cold rain and by the time he made it to the shop's door he was already dripping.

He looked inside and tried the door handle before noticing the 'closed' sign. He knocked on the small glass window imbedded in the door and waited a moment, hoping that owner of the shop would come and see him, maybe let him in a moment if not just give him directions.

Just as he turned away an old woman hobbled out from the back of the shop and spotted him as he started walking away. "Excuse me!" She called as she moved to the door and opened it. "Did you need something young man?"

Charles turned to face her with a smile. "I was wondering if you could give me directions." He said, his voice just barely reaching her over the sound of the crashing rain.

"Come in out of the rain sweetie and I'll see if I can help."

Charles nodded a thanks and walked passed her as she held the door open for him and into the shop. The smell of old paper and ink greeted his senses like an old friend and he couldn't help but smile a little more even though his clothes were practically soaked through and he was shivering as a result.

The book store was old, not one of those big chain type stores that were starting to pop up almost everywhere nowadays putting ma and pa stores like this one out of business. It reminded him of his father's study back in the mansion, the one room besides his own that he spent most of his time in since he wasn't allowed outside. He felt the stress of getting lost flowing out of him the longer he stood in the store just allowing his senses to be flooded by the strange familiarity.

Charles loved the sound of opening a new book, it was like a symphony as the new spine bent and cracked and the fresh pages slid evenly against each other but nothing beat the feel of an old book. A book that had been touched and read and already enjoyed by other people, people that had escaped into the story just as he did, it was a whole different experience than to have one that was new.

"So how can I help you?" The old lady asked as she pulled the door shut, cutting off the louder sound of the rain and replacing it a small bell ringing softly above the to alert anyone in the back that there was a new customer when the store was open.

"Yes, I was wondering if you could give me directions to the nearest motel or hotel. You see I just got to town and I'm only here because I got lost and kept getting lost. I- I just need a place to stay." He explained. Pushing his floppy, wet hair back out of his face his smiled softly as the old woman stared at him, slowly processing his request.

"Ah, so you're new around here."

"Yes." He nodded, his hair falling back in the way of his face when he did so.

"Well there isn't a motel around here." She informed him as she shuffled over to the register.

Charles' shoulders slumped as a sigh escaped him when he realized that meant he had to sleep in his car for the night. He ran a hand through his wet hair and scratched the back of his neck as he contemplated the situation. "Well, thank you for your help anyway Ma'am." He nodded to her as he turned to walk out of the used book store.

"Hold up there young man. Are you looking to stay in town for a while?" The woman called as she disappeared below the register.

Charles stopped just as he set his hand on the door knob to open it and looked over. "Well I was thinking of moving here, yes, but I only have enough money for a motel room and food until I find a job." He smiled briefly at her when she reappeared and looked at him with her warm brown eyes.

"Are you running from something?" She asked tilting her had to the side.

"Not really Ma'am, I just have nowhere to go." He lowered his gaze as he began thinking about the two lives he'd just lost, the one at home with his mother and then the better one he had had when he was away at university. He had had friends there, a roommate that actually liked him and amazing professors that actually challenged his intellect until his teacher in high school. He had loved his life when he was away at Oxford.

"Well then Mr…" She trailed off waiting for him to introduce himself.

When he realized he hadn't done that already he could have hit himself, if there was one useful thing his mother made sure to teach him it was manners. He moved closer and held his hand out. "Sorry, I'm Charles Xavier." He said with a flash of a brilliant smile.

She firmly shook his hand, "I'm Mrs. Annette Frost. My daughter is the mayor and my future son-in-law is the chief of police here in town."

Charles wasn't sure if she told him that last part as a way to intimidate him and make sure he wasn't trying to pull any funny business or not but it certainly worked. If he had been planning a robbery, well first he rob a book store, he was smarter than that, but he certainly would want to rob or harm the police chief's mother. He swallowed hard and put on another smile. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Frost."

"It's very nice to meet you too, Mr. Xavier."

"Please, just call me Charles." Being called 'Mr. Xavier' just made him think of his father and the day his mother's will was read saying he was left nothing. The men had looked at him with a pitying look and pat his shoulder saying, 'it will be alright Mr. Xavier, they couldn't touch the trust fund you father set up for you.'

"Alright, Charles, well I happen to have somewhere you can stay." She smiled kindly at him before walking out from behind the register.

"Really? Oh, I couldn't, I don't want to be any trouble." He said biting his lower lip.

"Nonsense! In fact a handsome boy like you could help me out greatly." She said resting her hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner. "You see, you need work and a place to stay and I need someone to help run the shop which happens to have a small apartment above it." She explained farther, smiling when she saw the smile that was slowly pulling at the corners of Charles' lovely ruby lips.

"You mean you'd give me a job as well?" Charles couldn't believe it, he really couldn't. How could someone be this nice to someone they had known for less than twenty minutes?

"Of course I would. I'm getting too old to go back and forth between my home and this shop and with a face like yours." She pinched his cheek like many people's grandmother's might after not seeing them for a while and smiled broadly, "You're sure to bring in a lot more customers than an old woman like myself."

"I don't think I can thank you enough."

"Thank me by getting your things in here so I can call Sebastian to take me home already." She smiled, gently shoving him toward the door. "He's going to be mad I'm dragging him out of bed but that's what he gets for not letting me drive anymore and for not letting me live with him and my daughter." She babbled on, laughing to herself.

Charles smiled at her then went back out in the rain and quickly grabbed his suit case that had most of his clothes in it as well at the satchel he had put the money from his mother's safe in. He made sure to lock the car before heading back inside but just as he turned around he felt eyes on him again. His breath caught in his throat as he turned and looked around the empty street.

No lights were on except the street lamps which lined the roads so divers could see more clearly. All of the shops were closed up and there wasn't a soul on this street to be seen other than himself. He couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching him though. A shiver passed through him as he thought back to the parking lot of the graveyard when he had dropped his keys then to the man that had startled him.

"Are you coming back inside?" Mrs. Shaw called out to him snapping him from his thoughts.

"Yes Ma'am." He said looked back at her with a smile before giving his surrounding another look over. When he still saw no one else he turned and followed her back inside.

"Alright, I've called my son to come and get me, so you'll get to meet him as well. Let me show you to your new place first." She smiled the headed toward the back of the store.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

Charles hummed to himself as he finished putting the additions to the store away in their proper place. He pushed the empty cart down the small aisle, smiling as he watched the light shine through the large storefront windows, catching the dust and making it shine in the light. In this store was where he found his true inner peace.

Today was just beginning and already there were a couple girls floating around that small store, looking at books then over at him then back to the books. Mrs. Frost had been right, he did bring in a lot more customers though most of them were girls but many of them actually bought something if he suggested it to them.

He went to stand behind the register just as one of the girls seemed to gather the courage up to walk over and ask him about the book she held in her hands. "Excuse me," She glanced at his name tag, "Charles. Do you know if this book is any good? Someone recommended it but I'm not really sure." She held the book out for him to see the title of it.

He reached out and took it from her, leaning over the counter he looked over the book and opened it to a seemingly random page. "How about you read these two pages then ask me again if you still aren't sure." He smiled kindly at her, causing her to blush as she took the book back from him. He pointed her over to the set of chairs and table not too far away so she could sit comfortably and read.

He looked around the small store before turning his attention to the outside world. Just as he did a frown pulled at the corners of his lips seeing the town's police chief, Sebastian Shaw, crossing the street and heading toward the store.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

"Okay so the store is supposed to open at 7 am, I'll be here tomorrow since I'm sure you won't be up at that time and I'll give you farther instructions on inventory and things like that." Mrs. Frost said as she put her arms in the coat Charles was holding for her.

Charles nodded even though she had her back to him. "Yes, ma'am, I look forward to it. I really can't thank you enough." He said for the nth time that night.

"I've told you before, you're doing me more of a favor than I'm doing you." She said turning and taping his nose with her index finger. "Ah, Sebastian's here."

Charles quickly made his way to the door and opened it for the man standing outside with an umbrella. Instead of friendly greeting like Mrs. Frost had given him Sebastian Shaw glared at him and asked "Who the hell are you?"

Mrs. Frost's casual threat of 'my future son-in-law is the chief of police here' from earlier seemed to magnify in effectiveness now that Charles actually laid eyes on the man. He was clearly someone everyone would want to stay on the good side of. Charles at the moment was speechless, unable to answer the man's question so he was thankful when Mrs. Frost stepped in.

"He's my new shop boy and tenant for the apartment upstairs." She explained heading over to Shaw. "His name is Charles Xavier and he's new in town. Try to make him feel welcome."

Shaw's expression softened but only slightly as he turned his attention back to Charles who was looking him over with the most stunning blue eyes anyone could possibly ever see.

The man standing in front of Charles seemed to be too young to hold a position like chief of Police; he couldn't be any older than twenty-three, twenty-five maximum. He was certainly handsome, tall with broad shoulders and an angular face. His sharp, ice blue eyes watched Charles like a hawk watched a field mouse and his dark brown hair was disheveled but there was evidence that it had once been combed back out of the way of his face.

Charles assumed that the man had been pulled from bed by his future mother-in-law's call, just like she had said she's have to do, and was not happy about it, which would account for his attitude as well as his appearance. "It's a pleasure to meet you." Charles quickly said when he finally noticed that the man had picked up on his staring.

"Let's go." Shaw turned his attention away from Charles and to Mrs. Frost who frowned at his dismissive attitude toward Charles.

Instead of going out with him she turned to Charles, "I could have sworn his mother, my old friend, raised him better than this." She smiled, slipping him the store's key and pat his cheek before turning to Shaw and walking out with him.

Charles smiled and looked at the key in his hands then out the door after them. As he watched them walk to Shaw's car he got that feeling again and looked around. That time however he could have swear he saw someone standing in the alley across the street watching him.

Quickly he shut the door and locked it before looking back out. He saw the car drive away but no one in the alley. He shook his head and turned to head up to his new apartment, the rest of his belonging could wait in the car until morning.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

Shaw entered the store and made a direct B-line toward Charles. By his expression Charles could tell he was not in a good mood this morning and pissing him off farther would be an extremely unwise move. The trouble with that was that the man seemed to get more pissed off by just being around Charles.

He was just about to ask what Shaw needed when the man held his hand up to silence him. "Don't even speak. Just point me in the direction I can find Annette in."

Charles frowned; he hadn't seen Mrs. Frost for the last two days, not since he had dropped her off at her house after they closed the store for the night. "She's not been here for two days."

There was a subtle change in Shaw's usually cold expression but was gone just as soon as it appeared. "Alright then, get back to work." Shaw turned to leave to store but Charles reached across the counter and grabbed the sleeve of his suit. The man rounded on him, clearly that had not been the wisest move on Charles' part.

He pushed the slight fear he felt from having the man's murderous glare locked on him away because something had twisted in his gut upon seeing the changed expression and he was concerned for his elderly boss more than for his own life. "Why, is something wrong?"

Shaw leaned in closer as if about to whisper something to him, his expressions slightly softer than normal. "Keep your hands off of me." He hissed coldly and pulled the sleeve of his suit out of Charles' grasp with a sharp yank.

Charles looked up at the older man in slight surprise when the fabric was pulled away from him but quickly it changed to an expression of frustration. "Shaw, tell me what's going on! She's my boss."

Shaw turned away from him without another word and headed toward the door. Charles looked around the store, there were only a couple girls and he didn't think they would steal anything from the store so he ran out from behind the register to follow Shaw but the man was already out the door.

Charles was about to follow him out of the store and stop him in the street until he got an answer but as soon as he was about to cross the threshold two things stopped him. The first was a strange presence keeping him from going out of the store; it felt as if the door was still closed in front of him, he could get close but not cross. The next thing that stopped him was the fact Moira was crossing the street and heading toward the used book store.

Moira was, in his opinion, the most gorgeous girl in town. She had beautiful auburn hair and chestnut eyes he could easily get lost in but she was not only beautiful, she was smart and witty and so carefree that it rubbed off on anyone that was around her. Charles always felt so at ease talking to her when she came to the store to get a new book to read.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

Today was the first day that Mrs. Frost had decided not to come in. She had told him over the phone that she was sick and that's why she couldn't make it in but he could hear others talking in the background. After hanging up with her he decided it would be funny if he asked how that bridge game he heard them talking about went next time she came into the store.

With a smile he turned his full attention back to the empty shop. This was an amazing place, it was too bad people rarely came here but the more he looked around the more he saw why.

There were probably more dust bunnies in the store than there were books! Now some of those bunnies would give the store a nice atmosphere but with the amount there currently were people who weren't even allergic to dust would go running out of the store coughing up a lung.

Charles frowned slightly as he thought; he had remembered seeing a broom somewhere but he couldn't remember exactly where. He walked out from behind the resister and began poking around the store. He searched high and low for ten minutes before he let out a huff of air, about to give up, when the broom's location popped in his head.

He ran to the back of the store and opened the door that revealed stairs that went up to his apartment. He took the steps two at a time and looked around once at the top.

The apartment was small but it had a bed/living room, a bathroom and a small kitchen, which was good enough for him. He had been living here a week now and he still had a few boxes to unpack, but they were mostly book he had read a million times and he was debating putting them in the store down stairs. He looked around the apartment with a small smile then spotted the closet and walked over to it.

The door liked to stick so he had to yank it open, which had him on his ass the first time he tried, since he'd started using it more it didn't stick as much. Inside the small closet were all his button ups, vests and cardigans he loved to wear, all neatly hung up and organized. He shoved them out of the way so he could get to the back where he had stored the broom after cleaning his apartment which had also been dust covered but was now spotless.

Cain had always made fun of him for being a neat freak and slightly OCD. He didn't care what his stepbrother said tough he always thought that was better being like he was than being like Cain or Kurt who both left everything around for the maids to clean up. The maids had always made sure to get back at them in some way, most of the time they didn't notice it but Charles knew, even helped the maids plot.

He turned and headed back down stairs, rolling up the sleeves of his white button up, carrying the broom under his arm.

Charles walked to the front door and propped it open so there was a way for the dust to escape from before he got to work. He started sweeping the back of the store so he could work his way to the front. Dust flew into the air as soon as the broom touched the wood and he coughed, quickly unrolling one of his sleeves so he could cover his mouth and nose as he worked.

It didn't take long to get from the back of the store to the front but the dust kept settling back down on the part of the floor that he had already cleaned. He was just about to redo it when he heard someone clear their throat behind him. It had made him jump; he was normally so good with sensing when someone was near him.

Turning around he saw the prettiest girl he'd ever seen standing in the front of the shop swatting dust away from her face. He was at a loss for words as he stared at her and it only got worse when she stared back. It took him a long time before he was able to think of anything to say that wouldn't come out as something that would make him look like an idiot.

He was nineteen but after being kept inside and focusing on his studies in school he had never… really learned how to talk to beautiful girls. He had had a few girls that were friends but there was no chance of them being anything but friends because none of them liked him or boys at all for that matter.

"Can I help you?"

Charles stared in confusion when she was the one that asked if she could help him. "I should be asking you that. I work here."

She gave him a disbelieving look. "Where's Mrs. Frost? She owns this store and last I checked was the only one that worked here."

Charles wrinkled his nose at her somewhat rude behavior. "You've not been here in a while then. Mrs. Frost didn't come in today. So how can I help you?"

The girl frowned and adjusted her messenger bag on her shoulder. "Oh. Well Mrs. Frost was holding a book for me, I came to get it."

Charles licked his lower lip and nodded, remembering something that his elderly boss had said to him about a girl named Moira and a book she wanted. "You're Moira?"

She nodded. "And you are?"

"My name is Charles Xavier." He smiled kindly and held his hand out to her for a handshake. Instead of taking his hand like most people would she just stared at his hand until he lowered it and cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. "You wanted Heartsick* by Chelsea-"

"Cain, Yes."

Charles nodded again and turned away from her. He had remembered putting the book on the back shelf, in the wrong section so he could remember it. He grabbed it and read the back of the book as he headed back to her. "Kind of a dark interest in books you have Miss Moira." He said with a small smirk. "Serial killers and what appears to be Stockholm syndrome?"

She just stared at him before snatching the book from his grasp. "I already paid Mrs. Frost so I'm leaving now." With that she turned and marched to the door before she stopped. "You missed a really big spot."

Charles looked around before realizing she was talking about the whole store. He looked back and watched he walk out of the store. He smiled to himself and began sweeping again.

~~~~~~~~~~'*'~~~~~~~~~~

The first day he had met her hadn't been the best way to start off a friendships or even an acquaintanceship but after that day she had come back more and more to look for books. After her third visit she actually struck up a conversation with him about what type of books he liked instead of just asking what he what books he would recommend then telling him to shut up after he said a book title. Her fourth visit he had gotten her to laugh, it was short lived but still a beautiful sound.

He was determined after that to make her smile and laugh whenever she came into the store which in recent days was easy because as soon as she saw him she smiled and brushed he hair back.

Today was no different but Charles was torn between going after Shaw and staying to talk to Moira. Chewing his lip he gave her a half wave as she walked over to him. "Hey Charles. Why are you standing in the doorway?"

He looked from her to Shaw who had gotten across the street and was unlocking his car. "Moira, can you watch the store for me?" She opened her mouth to protest but he silenced her with a finger over her soft lips. "I know Mrs. Frost would kill me but something is going on and I need to talk to Shaw."

Moira frowned and averted her gaze, much like a little girl would if she didn't get what she wanted.

"Come on, Moira." He pleaded, grabbing her shoulders for emphasis. "Please."

Her frown slowly turned to a smile and she nodded. "Oh, Okay. You owe me though!"

"You're the best." Charles grinned and kissed her cheek before he ran off after Shaw.