1962 Switzerland
18 years. Eighteen years since that day. Many years of torture, pain, and agony. If it weren't for Ruby, he would have completely lost his mind. It was because of her that he managed to survive. He managed to keep himself from breaking down. If only he hadn't lost her that day.
He and Ruby were on a train. This was about five years after the end of the war. They managed to escape from Schmidt during an attack on the area. They used that as a distraction, and managed to get as far away as possible from the camp. They were free, but they had no home to return to. It was tough, but they managed to survive by sticking together. Except, the train they were on, they weren't expecting so many people at once.
People were rushing to get on the train, and Ruby lost her grip on Erik's hand as he tried to get off. When he no longer felt her hand, he turned and tried to get back on. But, the doors closed before he could. The train slowly started to go, and he tried to get on. But, he couldn't. There were too many people in the way, and the train just kept going faster and faster. He reached the end of the platform, and the train had already gone. That was the last time he saw her. He only hoped that he would find her during his hunt for Schmidt. Not only did he want revenge for his mother and all the things he did to him, but also for Ruby as well. His only concern was that he hoped that she wasn't his lab rat again. He would never forgive himself if that happened again.
Erik sat there on his bed, absent-mindedly moving a coin between his fingers. It was the same coin he couldn't move that cost him his mother's life. He stared at the map he had laid on the wall in front of him. Pictures of people, places, and strings lined up, pinned from one place to another. At the top of the layout was a drawn picture of Schmidt. Using his powers, Erik flicked the coin at the photo, the coin embedding itself at the forehead of the drawing. He was going to get his revenge, and he was going to find Ruby. He had been tracking Schmidt for many years, and now he has another lead. He felt that he was getting closer and closer to his goal.
Washington D.C.
The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Heroes that died during both world wars, but can't be recognized. Recognized...how many years have passed since that day? It's been so long. Yet, all this time, she managed to survive. She was surprised though, but glad. Something was driving her, keeping her going. She had something to keep her going forward, and she wasn't giving up any hope. She knew she had to keep going if she wanted to see him again. The other mutant she met, and her first friend since 1944.
Erik Lehnsherr. Ruby wondered if he was all right. It has been so long since she last saw him. The last thing she remembers of him is the look on his face when he tried to get back on the train for her. She held on for as long as she could, but there were too many people coming on, and all of them were pushing. When she got off at the next stop, she rushed out of the train. She made her way to one of the benches and sat on the corner. She waited, and waited. But, there was no Erik. She only hoped that nothing had happened to him. The only reason why she didn't hop back on was because she didn't know how the train system worked, and also because she has a bad sense of direction. That's why she always held his hand. So she wouldn't get lost, and also so she wouldn't lose him. Until now.
She wasn't sure what she would have done if she wasn't found. Ruby was found by a family. A father and a daughter. They found her seeking shelter from a rainy day under a window shade. The family was visiting relatives, but the daughter insisted they take Ruby with them to keep her from getting sick. She was thankful to them. Even more when they decided to take in her after revealing that she lost her parents due to the war. It wasn't an easy decision for Ruby to make. Mostly because she didn't want to leave Erik behind. But, she wouldn't know where to begin to look for him. Plus, she had no where else to go to. So, she accepted after a night's rest. And on to America she went with the people that welcomed her to their family. The MacTaggert's.
Ruby snapped out of her thoughts and played around with the ring that hung on a chain around her neck. It was a toy ruby ring from Erik. He found it laying on the ground after they escaped, and he gave it to her. That was the second gift he had given her. The first was his friendship. It may seem silly to put a ring on a chain and wear it like a necklace, but it held a lot of value to Ruby. As for her mutant powers, she never practiced them until she was able to live on her own. She didn't even tell Moira about her abilities. She kept them secret, afraid of what they might do to her if she did tell them.
Noticing that the sun was starting to set, Ruby got up and made her way back to her apartment. She went to her room, and straight to her desk. Cluttered around it were sketches. She had taken up art a few weeks after arriving with Moira and her father. She was very talented. So many sketches of Moira, the house she stayed in, trees, roses, and also sketched of Erik. There were many sketches of him, all with different expressions from which she could remember seeing on his face. She then looked up at the wall in front of her. She glared up at it, taking deep breaths. It was a sketch of a face she could never forget. The source of her nightmares: Dr. Klaus Schmidt. And she wanted to hunt him down, and make him pay for everything he had done. Ruby wanted to kill him, and have revenge.
