(Katrina's POV)
I was deep in thought as I sat on the bed. However, I just shook my head as I got up and headed into the bathroom to get changed. After what felt like about 5 minutes I came out dressed in a simple black t-shirt and black gym pants. I said to myself, "Here I go," and went to open the door: I thought I was going to see Raven standing there waiting to take me downstairs but to my surprise, it was Erik.
All I could say was his name, "Erik." It felt weird to see him again after so long. Nonetheless, I was happy to finally be able to see him. After a few minutes Erik spoke, "I thought I would walk you back to Charles's office." I could tell that Erik still felt a bit out of place and unsure what to say to me. Therefore, I took it upon myself to break the ice.
"I have missed you, Erik. You have grown into a handsome man. I am still sorry I…"
That is when Erik placed a finger on my lips to stop me from talking. "You have nothing to be sorry for. I am the one who should have found you, but I was blinded by rage and failed you. Can you forgive me?" he said.
I shook my head and watched as the light went out of his eyes as he started to turn away, "There's nothing to forgive, Eric," I said as I grabbed his arm, "but if you insist: Yes, I forgive you. It is time to move on." I looked down at his hand and saw where a wedding band had been, "I take it you got married."
I watched Erik look down to his hand that used to have his wedding band on it, "Yes I did. After what I did in Washington, I fled to Poland. I meet a woman who accepted me and a year later she gave birth to our child Nina. However, ten years later at the plant where I was working there was an accident: I used my powers to save someone. Nonetheless, they called the Militia to take me in when I got home.
"I was going to go with them to save my family, however, Nina used her powers over animals to try and stop them because she didn't want me to leave. The Militia got scared as the birds attacked them. In the chaos, they accidentally killed my family. I retaliated by murdering them and then I went to the plant to kill the…" Erik started to cry.
I brought up my hand up to wipe his tears away and placed my finger on his lips as he used to do to me, "Shhhh I think I understand what happened after that. You were in pain so you ended up with a mad man." Erik's eyes widened in surprise, "You should know: I went to Auschwitz to pay my respects to our families. However, I saw it destroyed in front of my eyes." I took a deep breath before speaking again, "Was it you who destroyed the camp?"
Erik nodded his head as he tried to look away from me. However, I stopped him by placing my hands on either side of his face and staring straight into his eyes, "I see I have much to learn about the power we share. I would like you to show me how to control that power."
Erik just stared at me before taking my hands in his and holding them, "I will try my best but I would like Charles to help you as well."
I cocked my head to the side for a moment, "Hmm…Alright. I think I can deal with that." With that, I dragged him by the hand back to the professor's office. I smiled slightly as a childhood memory surfaced: I used to drag him around just like this as a kid.
(Erik's POV)
I was shocked that I told Katrina about my family, but even back then, during our dark times, I could tell her anything. However, what shocked me, even more, was when she told me she was at Auschwitz the day I destroyed it, and then asked me to teach her. If I was going to teach her, I would want Charles to help and that was what I told her.
It feels so surreal to have her back in my life after all that has happened. I just hope that I can prove myself to her. I started to laugh as she pulled me along toward Charles's office.
Katrina turned around a bit, "What?"
I smiled a bit at both my childhood friend and the memory, "Nothing really. Just this." I nodded at our joined hands, "I was just remembering back when we were kids, and you used to drag me all around Auschwitz, trying to brighten up the day in that dark place."
That is when she smiled, "I know and you let me do it all the time."
"Yes, I know. You were the only light I had when my mother was taken from me."
She squeezed my hand and spoke in a gentle voice that I have not heard in a long time, "Erik you were also my only light in that dark place. You made me feel free. Now it is time to tell our story to be truly free of the past."
"You are right," I said as I squeezed her hand back a moment before walking into Charles's office. When we walked in Charles was near the fireplace waiting for us, and Raven was standing in the corner.
I watched Katrina walk towards a chair: I held it as she sat down. Then I took a seat next to her.
Charles smiled at her, "Now my dear let us begin."
(Katrina's POV)
I looked at Charles for a moment before speaking, "Alright. However, I would like you to use your powers so as I tell the story you can see what happened."
Charles nodded his head, "When you are ready my dear."
I took a deep breath before speaking once more, "I was just 13 years old when I was forced to go to Auschwitz with my parents, both of them were mutants. My mother had power over the earth while my father had the power of fire. I ended up with the power over metal, which is of the earth and the then later on developed kinetic energy, which is like fire. Well, it was during my first year there that Shaw found out about my power over metal. He would experiment on me." Images of what Shaw did to my younger self appeared to everyone who was in the room.
"Then when I turned 14 I met another person who had the same powers as me," then a young Erik appeared before them, meeting a young Katrina. "Shaw was enthralled with us when he learned we shared the same power: He started to experiment on us together to see how our powers worked with each other. Then he thought that me and Eric having a baby together was absolutely brilliant: He hoped it would be powerful like us. He made us have sex at the age of 14."
Now images of Erik and young me being forced to have sex showed to those present. "Months later I gave birth to a beautiful baby girl." They watched as Shaw took our baby from me and tested its blood to see it if was going to be a mutant. The next few minutes were fraught with tension as they waited to hear the news. When Shaw told me the baby died I broke down, "I knew Shaw killed my baby when she did not show the X gene in her body. When he told me about my baby, I swear I could feel something building up inside of me."
Charles took a break from projecting the images from my head and handed me a handkerchief. I took it and wiped my eyes, "Thank you." Charles then spoke calmly, "You are welcome my dear. However, I think that may have been your other power trying to manifest. Sometimes our powers manifest for the first time when we are scared, stressed or when we are angry. That is something you and Erik have in common." Erik just huffed and I laughed, "I guess you are right. Anyway back to the story."
At the Professor's nod, I continued, "Erik tried to cheer me up, and he always brightened up my days in that dark place. I swear Shaw could suck the fun out of chocolate: Whenever he entered a room, all the happiness went away every time he came in. Nonetheless, Shaw wanted me and Erik to try again to make a baby. Six Months later, after Shaw got me healthy again, we were once again forced to have sex. However, a month after we learned I was pregnant again we were liberated from the camp. Erik and I were separated during that time. I was a scared and pregnant 15-year-old girl who was separated from the only person I cared about. I was taken to an orphanage and 8 months later, after I'd just turned 16, I ended up in a hospital." They saw younger Katrina give birth once more to another baby girl who also died.
"The nurse asked me to name her so she could be buried with a name. Therefore, I told them the name of Erik's mother and my last name. When I healed, I was taken back to the orphanage. Months later another family of mutants took me in. One happened to be the man who made my contacts for me when my powers fully manifested when I turned 17. From there I went to college and got my degrees. During my time in college, I tried to find Erik, but could never find him: You know the rest." My hands were shaking from the stress of telling our story and the memories the story invoked: I started to make the things in the room that were made of metal shake. Erik lightly touched my hand and that made the shaking stop. He wiped away my tears.
"Thank you Erik, and thank you, Professor, for helping me," I said, still shaken from telling the story from a time in my life I tried not to think about at all.
"I now understand both of your pasts. And do call me Charles," he said with a smile on his face. We were interrupted by a knock on the door. "Yes, Peter?"
I watched Peter open the door, "Professor, there is a man here to see Ms. Shafir. He says he knows her." I started to think about who could know that I came here. Then it hit me, "Peter, does this man have brown hair, burning red eyes and speak with a Cajun accent?"
Peter nodded his head and then Erik spoke, "You know this man?"
"Sadly yes, I do," I groaned.
"Bring him here," Charles said and with that, Peter dashed off and brought the man into the room. Peter was grinning when he saw the man sway a bit and then yelled, "Merda! (Shit!)"
I got up and glared at him, "What are you doing here Remy?"
The man just stared and held his hand over his heart, "Aw don't be like that mère (mother)."
Charles looked shocked while Erik looked confused. That is when Charles spoke, "Did he just call you mother?" I saw Erik look between Remy and me. I took a deep breath and looked at them both, "Yes, he did."
"Why?" Erik asked me.
"That's because he is my son…"