Hey guys! Thank you all so much for the reviews! Man, I was blown away! Never thought I would get so much amazing reviews ^^-
So, the quote(s) at the beginning is(are) by Wilhelm Busch. He was one of the most influential humorous poet and drawer of Germany. One of the most known stories of his is "Max und Moritz".

Soo,please note that I am not a doctor, so I hope the (few) medical things I've mentioned are right xD
See you as soon as possible, with a new update ;) (probably next week, as always xD)

("Der Heilige Antonius von Padua und die Fromme Helene",Wilhelm Busch*. Lyriksammlung "Zu guter Letzt"²)

*".Das Gute – soviel steht fest -

ist stets das Böse, was man läßt..

²...Wie schad, o Mensch, daß dir das Gute

im Grunde so zuwider ist..."

Chapter 3

He stared out of the window, his chin resting on his folded hands. It was raining, the sky was gray and the metal-bender could barely see the trees in the distance; it was too foggy outside. He had no clue what time it was, but it had to be morning, around nine or ten o'clock, maybe. But, it was hard to tell..

The kids had fallen sleep on the sofa, their heads resting on each others shoulders. Raven had wanted to stay awake to be the first one to see her brother, but the crying had made her tired. Erik's gaze wandered over the sleeping figures, then back to the window.

He felt oddly calm, almost numb.

Footsteps could be heard, and the door to the living room opened quietly. Erik did not turn around as Hank walked up to him. "How is he?" he asked, his voice low, because he did not want to wake the children. He was surprised how cool and steady his own voice was sounding, even if he felt everything else than calm and collected..

The blue furred mutant sighed heavily as he sat down across from Erik. "Not good." he admitted while cleaning his glasses with the edge of his lab coat. The boy looked tired, and Erik felt sympathy for the young scientist.

Once again Erik was impressed how the boy was handling the whole situation. Maybe he had ignored the fact that it was his mentor whom he had to operate, maybe he was mentally stronger then he looked like, or maybe he was good in handling his emotions.

The boy put his glasses back onto his nose, eyeing the older man with a serious face. "Maybe we should go somewhere else." he gestured towards Raven and the others. "I...I don't think the others should hear it."

Erik nodded; yes, it was better for now. They could still tell them later..And, he was sure he wouldn't be able to see Raven cry again. The girl was such a cheerful person, and it had pained him to see her crying like this. Though, they would want to know how Charles was, and Erik would not lie. They had to face the reality. He couldn't wrap them in cotten wool; they were on their way to be adults, and they had to face the bad side of life as well. They had fought against Shaw, though this was something else now... This was not about an unknown man, this was about Charles. This was no fight with powers, this was a fight with their emotions.

This fight wouldn't be easy...

The two stood up and walked into the kitchen, where Hank sat down at the table, while Erik leaned back against the counter, his eyes on the blue scientist who had saved Charles' life.

Hank took a deep breath, pushing up his glasses; a sign that he was nervous. "Well..He is.. somewhat stable now. He's running a high fever, but he'll survive it. Uh, and he is still under anesthesia but should wake up soon..."

The boy cleared his throat, and Erik waited patiently. The poor boy had to be totally exhausted and it surely was not easy to analyse all the injuries.

"Okay,..So, he has several bruises and cuts. They will heal, but it will take some times, and he will have some scars.." He trailed off, than continued. "Then we have a serious cerebral concussion. It is hard to tell if it will have any lasting consequences.." Erik felt himself shudder; what for 'lasting consequences'?... He did not dare to ask, and so he continued to listen quietly.

"Then he has several bone fractures and cracks, such as three cracked ribs, and one broken rib which had pierced through his skin. Another one had pierced his lung, causing an pneumothorax. We did what we could do for him in this point, but I assume he will have some trouble with his breathing if he strains himself.."

"Next there are the fractures in his right hand and his left shin." He paused and his gaze became sad. "Those are the worst ones... The bones in his right hand are badly broken, and..and I think he can call himself lucky if he can ever hold a pencil again."

Erik's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed his lips together. This was.. No, this was horrible! He knew how much Charles loved to write down his ideas, and he loved to play the piano. Erik had never heard someone playing the piano with so much passion as Charles... And now he would never hear him playing it again, he would never see his skilled hand fly over the keys...

Hank cleared his throat again, looking totally down himself. He still was a kid..This had to have an affect on him.

"Well...And then we have his shin.." he trailed off, and Erik knew that it was nothing good either. "It had been broken twice and the bones are shattered. It is a complicated fracture and it won't heal well..I..I fear he won't be able to walk without any help, and I fear he will need crutches for the rest of his life. A wheelchair would be good, at least for the next few months..." He shook his head. "It is a miracle how he had managed to walk back to the mansion on this leg."

Erik's throat went dry, and his hand clutched the counter even tighter. "Excuse me,.." he said, slowly, his eyes not leaving Hank. "But do you want to tell me that they've...crippled him?"

Hank would have paled if he had normal human skin, but now he just stayed as blue as he was, his eyes a bit wider than normally. The boy pushed his glasses upwards "I..I fear so, yes."

Erik hissed in anger, close to destroying something. It had been worse enough that they had beaten him up and marked him , and now they had even crippled him! This was too much, far too much, but it would come even worse..

Hank didn't look at Erik as he spoke up again. "Well..There..There is something you should..probably know as well.." Erik focused on Hank again, his eyes narrowing as he nodded, trying to stay calm. He shouldn't let his rage take over, not now when he was with Hank. The poor boy could nothing for what had happend to Charles.

"We..found some hints and.." Hank cleared his throat, clearly nervous, even more nervous than before, wringing his hands.

"Hints?" Erik asked, concerned, a bad feeling spreading inside him. What could be even worse than what had already been said? What could be so horrible that Hank couldn't find the words to tell him?

"Erik..I.." Hank shook his head, running his hand over his face. "I am so sorry.."

"What?" Erik asked, fear beginning to creep up in him. "Hank, what is it?"

Hank sighed as he turned to Erik, his face totally serious and his eyes so sad that Erik's throat felt constricted. "I am sorry to say this but... He.." the boy paused, closing his eyes. "Charles had been raped."

Those words struck Erik like a slap to his face.

"..What..?" the metal-bender asked with shaky voice. "That has to be a mistake.." It had to be, it had to! It couldn't be true!

Hank sighed as he shook his head, his hand running through his blue mane. "I am sorry, Erik, but it is not." the leonine mutant stood up, his chair scratching over the kitchen floor. "He will probably suffer physical and psychological trauma. We will see if he need a medical therapy-"

Hank's words faded into the background. Erik wasn't aware of what the boy told him; he heard him talking, but it was just a mumble to him.

He did not know what to do . He did not know what to think.

His heart ached, his mind was blank, and he felt sick. That was why he pressed his hand against his mouth, his hands trembling. God..

"Erik?" Hank's voice was worried. "Are you...okay?" Erik felt a hand on his arm, but he didn't turn his head to face the boy. "I..I know that this is ...it is horrible.." he began to stutter slightly. The poor boy. Someone like him shouldn't know that his mentor had been violated and raped, nor should the others. Erik could hardly stand it, so how were the others supposed to take it?

Erik pushed himself away from the counter, and Hank followed the older man with his gaze as he stormed out of the kitchen, without another word, his hand pressed against his stomach.

He needed to go to the bathroom...

...It was one pm as the doorbell rang.

Erik, who had been sitting at the kitchen table, dragged himself to the door, even if he didn't feel like facing anyone. "M' coming.." the metal-bender murmured, his mind somewhere else. He felt sick and tired, as if the whole happening had sucked out his whole energy.

He would love to see Charles, but he was not sure if he was strong enough to face him. Erik did not know how to act around the other man, not after what Hank had told him.

The kids were awake by now, not feeling any better than he did. Well, at least they did not know everything...Hank had informed them about Charles' condition, but he hadn't told them that Charles would likely never walk again, or that he had been raped.. Raven would have had an emotional breakdown.

For now the kids were in the kitchen, trying to eat something, though none of them was really hungry.

"Who is it?" he opened the door, then he froze.

Moira MacTaggert.

What the hell was this ...human woman.. doing here!

"Hello, Erik!" the brown-haired human chirped. "Charles and I had an appointment today at eleven, but he didn't come. Sooo, that's why I'm here, to ask what's the matter." She beamed at him, but then she noticed his dark face and her smile dropped. "Is something wrong?." she asked, her dark eyes filled with concern.

Rage boiled up inside him and then he grabbed her by the collar of her jacket before she could say anything else . "You!" he hissed, his eyes narrowed and the knuckles of his hands white. "You damn humans, that's what happened!"

Moira choked, trying to loosen his grip. "W-What are you-t-talking about!"

Erik laughed out dryly; this stupid woman. "You destroy his life! This is your fault!"

Yes, it was their fault; the fault of those stupid human beings! His rage and hate took over, and his hand wandered upwards to close around her throat. "Argh-E-Erik!" Moira tried to push him away, but his grip on her was too firm.

He would crush her throat, he would kill her! This stupid woman should have done more for the mutants than the pathetic attempts of helping Charles. She had done nothing for them, only causing them trouble.

She was one of them, one of those idiots! She should have never met them! "I-I don't understand!" She coughed violently.

Erik shook her, giving her an ice-cold glare. As if he would tell her anything! "You don't understand? Hm! Well, I don't expect you to! You've hurt him! You've nearly killed him! "

"I- what?" Tears formed in Moira's eyes, probably because of the lack of air. What else could it be? As if this woman could understand anything, as if she had any real feelings for Charles..."I-arg-I did nothing to him, please-hng. I would n-never h-hurt him!" She was lifted up by Erik, her legs kicking in the air as she tried not to faint.

She was a human. And humans were all the same. She was no difference.

The humans thought of all mutants as the evil, putting them together to one enemy. So, why shouldn't he do the same? Moira was a human. Moira didn't do anything to assure their safty. Moira was just as all of them; ignorant and arrogant, just thinking of her own good!

She had tried to gain their trust, and now see where it got them!

Charles had laid his trust and hope into their hands, and all he had gotten was mistrust and hate, nearly gotten himself killed. She wasn't different. All she wanted was to use him, his powers. It was no secret that the CIA longed for Charles' powers. So, what was the best way to get him? First, trying to get his trust with the help of a nice woman. If that wouldn't work, they would try to break him. And, oh ho, he was broken now. So, who could tell him now that this hadn't been a plan of the CIA? There was NO one who could assure him that this hadn't been a plan of this fucking humans.

"You did this!" Erik hissed, all his hate directed at Moira, the only human being nearby. "You did this to him!"

The metal things in the house began to shake, to bend, to fly up into the air, while the buttons of Moira's jacket slowly pressed into her skin. He could feel the iron in her blood, he would boil it, would kill her from the inside, this stupid human, she deserved to die, sie did it, she did, she-

"Erik!"

Erik's head spun around, his eyes flashing with anger and raw power; Raven stood in the corridor, a sandwich in her hand, her yellow eyes wide with shock. "Erik, let her go! You're killing her!"

Erik growled, and the metal in the house creaked dangerously. "She's a human, Raven! She's one of those homo sapiens who would kill us if she was ordered to! They always do that; killing because they've been told to kill! They're the reason that Charles is hurt! Do you honestly think I would let someone like her GO?"

Raven shook her head, pointing at Erik. "No! She has done nothing wrong! You can't put all humans into one box!"

Erik laughed out dryly, turning away from Raven. "Oh, sure I can...Because they do the same with us. Just look outside, girl."

Raven snorted as she walked up to him with steady steps. "So, I thought you don't want to be like them? Why the hell are you acting like 'them' then? You're going to kill a woman just because she is a human! You're going to kill a friend of us!"

Erik threw his head back, not laughing, but chuckling darkly. "A friend? She's not a friend of ours. She never was."

"God damn it, just let her go!" Raven grabbed him by his arm, her yellow eyes glowing with anger and also..fear? Did she fear him for what he was about to do? "Please Erik!" she whispered, her voice small. "Please..That's not what Charles would want.."

Yes, Charles wouldn't want him to kill, not for him, and not for anyone else. Killing is never an option, it won't bring you peace; that's what he used to say.

For Erik, killing was an option.

For Erik, there would never be peace.

Not as long as the humans would continue to exist.

He was sounding like a murderer, but that was how it had to be; he had to make sure that his kind would survive. This time he had a chance, this time he COULD do something; it was not too late. It had barely begun.

"Erik!" Raven urged, her voice desperate. "Please!"

"We can be the better men..." Erik blinked and lowered his hand, letting go of Moira, who coughed desperatly. We're already the better men.. Erik smiled grimly at this memory, looking down on Moira with disgust in his cold eyes.

"I never want to see you here again, and don't you dare to ever set a foot into this house. Tell that your human friends; anyone human who sets a foot in this house will be a dead man." With that words he turned around and left her coughing at the stairs in front of the door. "Raven." his voice was cold "Close the door."

The metal in the mansion stopped moving, though Erik felt like crushing it all into a clump.

"But, Erik.." Raven, who crouched next to Moira, followed him with her gaze. "She-" "Close the door." Erik repeated, slowly and with no emotions. "Or else I'll smash it into her face."

Raven stood up, shaking her head as she turned to Moira. "I am sorry." she whispered, then she closed the door quietly behind her self, leaving a confused and scared Moira outside.

"What the hell was that?" Raven walked up to Erik, who was about to go upstairs. "You know that she had nothing to do with this! I know that you are angry at the humans, hell, we all are, but that doesn't give you the right to attack innocents!"

Erik turned to her, his face showing no emotion as he spoke. "She's a human. That's enough of a reason for me."

Raven laughed bitterly, putting her hands on her hips. "I see.." she said. "That doesn't make you better than them, Erik. In fact, it makes you one of them as well."

Erik looked at her for a long time, then he sighed. She did not understand.. Maybe she was too young, yeah, probably she was too young. He had seen what humans were capable to do. He had been in the camps. He knew what they had DONE to Charles. She didn't know. His hands clenched into fists as he tried to stay calm. "I have my reasons to do what I do. You might not understand it now, but you will in the future."

Raven shook her head, a grim smile on her face. "I am supposed to understand why it is good to kill humans? Sorry, Erik, but I won't understand that. "

"They will kill us. They will lock us away. It has already begun, you can see it yourself. " he leaned forward to her. "You might try to ignore that facts, but I know that you know that we won't be able to live together with the humans like Charles tried to believe. We are too different. They fear us, and they are right to fear us. " He leaned back, and she was quiet. "Their violence shows their fear. And their fear is great."

Raven lowered her gaze, and he knew she did understand. Hell, how couldn't she? She would never be able to go outside this mansion in her normal form without being treated as a monster, as well as Hank. She did understand him, she knew he was right, but she still tried to cling at her brother's dream.

He did not blame her; she still was just a child. Though, soon she had to become an adult to survive in this new age of hatred and fear.

Erik left her at the stairs while he went towards Charles room. He had nothing left to say. He needed to see him, maybe he was already awake..

The metal-bender opened the door; he saw Hank, who stood at the drip next to the big bed. Charles was lying in the big double-bed, and he looked so small in it, fragile and vulnerable... "Hello, Erik." the boy greeted him. Erik closed the door behind him self and walked up to the bed, carefully, as if he was afraid to scare Charles.

Charles was awake, or at least his eyes were half open, still glassy with fever and dull from the pain he had gone through. "I gave him painkillers." Hank informed Erik. "I..I will go then, so you'll have some time together..But, not all to long. He still needs to rest." Erik gave the boy a nod, and the blue furred mutant disappeared out of the room.

Erik cleared his throat as he sat down on the chair next to the bed. His heart clenched painfully as his gaze wandered over the battered body of the man he loved.

Charles was still too pale, his skin looking like wax. The circles under his eyes were dark, giving him a corpse-like appearance, dark bruises covering his deathly pale skin. He was wearing a bandage around his forehead, which covered the M above his eye, and his right hand as well as his ribcage were also covered in bandages. He couldn't breathe properly, and so he was connected to an respirator, which gave him oxygen through his nose and was beeping in a steady rhythm. Erik had no clue where Hank had gotten that thing from, but he honestly did not care. Maybe the human doctors had brought it, or Hank had built one, or Charles had had one in his lab..

Charles wavy hair stuck to his head, sticky because of the fever, and his pale lips were parted slightly. He did not look at Erik, his gaze was unfocused and directed at the ceiling. Erik was not sure if Charles was even aware that he was here. Surely he was still dazed from the anesthesia, or maybe the painkillers made him groggy. He did not remember, he wouldn't be so quiet if he already did. Erik feared the day when Charles would remember what had happened to him. Because, Erik knew it would break his heart, both of their hearts. He didn't want to see him suffer... Charles hadn't deserved this, never.

Erik sighed as he stroke over the damp hair "Hey Charles. " Charles did not answer, not verbally and not mentally. In fact, it was still too awfully quiet around the telepath. Erik pressed his lips together, his hand still patting the younger man's hair. He looked horrible, more dead than alive.

Erik swallowed hard, his hand now sliding over the bandaged hand of Charles'. This wonderful hand.. This hand which would never be able to write again, which would never slid over the smooth keys of the piano.. Charles did not flinch, but his half-lidded eyes slowely turned to Erik. He was not looking at him, more through him, and his chest rose and fell heavily with every breath.

Erik forced himself to smile, though he felt more like crying. Those damn humans..Those damn, fucking humans who had destroyed the life of an innocent man... Just because he was different.

"I am so sorry Charles..." Erik whispered, his head lowered. "I am so, so sorry..." He did not know what else to say. All words felt wrong.

If he had been there, if he just had been there to help Charles.. It would have never happened then; Charles would be alright and laughing and his eyes wouldn't be so dull and lifeless and his body not broken but alright.. And his mind, god, who knew what was going on inside his head? Who knew what would be going on if he remembered everything, after the daze had worn of and his brain somewhat recovered...? Erik knew the nightmares, he had had nightmares himself about the time in the camps and the experiments of Shaw, he still had those nightmares, and he knew that it would haunt Charles, that 'they' would haunt Charles..

Humiliation. It always was about humiliation. It made them satisfied, to know that they had destroyed a life..

They would pay for it! Whoever did this, he would make them pay! He would rip their lifes apart, he would destroy them, he would do horrible things to them! They deserved to die...

Yes, those homo sapiens who did this deserved to die! They had hurt Charles, with no reason; they had destroyed a life, had raped him and had probably tried to kill him afterwards.

Erik hated them. He truly hated them.

This was so sick, it was hard to believe that it had happened. A part of him still couldn't believe it.

But, isn't it always like this? Those bad happenings always seem like a nightmare, and in the end you ask yourself how something like this was possible to happen.

"It will be alright, Charles. " he whispered, his hand stroking over the pale cheek while he forced himself not to cry in front of his friend, his love. Though, Charles wouldn't even notice that he was crying; he was miles away, his mind too dazed with medications. "I promise; it will be alright. I will do everything to make it better."

The metal-bender stood up, placing a soft kiss on the bandaged forehead, his heart fluttering in his chest. Charles stayed quiet, not moving an inch, nor did he look at Erik. All of this was breaking Erik's heart already, and he did not know how this would end.

Would he ever be the same Charles again? Or was he forever broken?

He would take the pain away if he could. He would take all of Charles pain.

But, he couldn't, and so the only thing he could do was trying to help him through this as good as possible.