Title: Let Sleeping Telepaths Lie

Disclaimer: Me no own, You no sue.

Warning: Angst, PTSD, slash, language

Note: bold italics are memories; italics is inside Erik's head.

Chapter 4: Shaw

You feel the blood running down your face. You're pretty sure that Erik smashed your cheekbone, but you try to ignore it as best as you can.

So with one last rally of strength, you shove your way back into Erik's mind.

-z-

Shaw is laughing and blood covers the walls and you're crying again.

The guards drag the dead boy away and the tiny metal discs in your plastic room shiver and shake and tremble as the familiar anger courses through you.

Shaw is still chuckling with manic glee as he claps his hands together and congratulates you on your use of power.

But then, the memory changes and shifts.

You're not twelve anymore, you're thirty. And the murdered boy is no longer just another nameless face – it's Alex, then it's Raven, then it's Sean.

And it's their blood that covers the walls and the floors and the barrel of the soldier's pistol.

"No!" you're shouting and attacking the glass. But the entire room is plastic and Shaw is standing on the other side of the thick glass – laughing.

You reach out with your powers, searching in vain for anything, anything you could use. The flimsy discs offer nothing.

And Shaw is still just laughing.

"Erik?" a fluttering voice from the dead boy wearing AlexRavenSean's face. But that voice belongs to none of them.

"Charles?" you fight even harder against the glass, your knuckles bloody and numb.

Then AlexRavenSean stop switching faces and settles firmly on Charles'.

"It's okay, Erik," Charles says.

You notice now that Shaw is gone and it's just you and Charles – Charles whose face is smashed and bloody.

"What happened?" you demand. But then you blink and the wound is gone and it's you and Charles and the facility your monster-self was created in is slowly fading away.

"Erik, c'mere," Charles beckons you quietly.

You feel that absolute terror rise in you-

"Ignore it, Erik!" Charles shouts, desperate.

-it suddenly gives way to the broiling rage.

"Erik, please!" Charles is in front of you now, gripping your arms. "Come back to me! Erik!"

You clutch at your head as Fear and Rage battle for dominance.

"I'm here, Erik, I'm here," Charles is holding on as all around you the worst scenes of your life play out. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."

Some tiny part of your mind that was still capable of rational thought realizes that Charles is the one who did this; Charles' Mind personified the fear and the hate that had dominated your life.

And here he was now, trying to save you – and good Lord above, you knew you needed it.

"Charles," the name is like cool water on a dying man's tongue.

Charles throws his arms around your neck and pulls you down for a searing kiss, warmth and calm flood you then.

-z-

The mansion grows quiet as you extricate yourself from Erik's mind. You slowly bring him back with you.

Erik's eyes open slowly as he looks around. He blinks up and, in the soft morning light that's slowly creeping in through the window, he sees what he's done.

"Charles," Erik slowly sits up, taking in the smashed side of your face and the blood on his hand.

You don't let him say anything else as you pull him in for one more kiss.

-z-

Charles didn't mean to, you know that.

And really, you shouldn't have woken up a telepath in the middle of a nightmare.

End.