Disclaimer: I own nothing of the X-Men. Unfortunately that still all belongs to Marvel Comics, Stan Lee, and movie productions blah blah blah. Also every chapter title belongs to either Amos Lee or Adele.

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Erik walked aimlessly down the halls of the C.I.A. building, trying to keep himself distracted. Every time he let his mind settle, images of his mother being taken away from him, and Shaw killing his mother would flash in his mind. The Nazi coin constantly revolving around each finger of his left hand as his distraction. Erik snapped out of his gaze when he heard loud footsteps. Three agents walked down the hall Erik was in front of.

"I don't see why we have to home these freaks. All they're going to do is bring trouble to our doorsteps, and get us killed in the middle of their war," Erik heard one of the men said. He could feel his blood boil as he heard the comments these men were throwing around. Erik kept his distance, but followed them with a keen ear.

"Did hear? Hank McCoy is one of those mutants, too. He kept a secret this whole time," one man laughed.

"Of course he did. Wouldn't you be embarrassed to show off monkey feet?" Erik decided it was time to make himself known.

"That's enough!" he yelled down the hall. The two agents turned around shocked, staring at Erik, "You stand here walking these halls as if you are actually doing something important in helping your people find Shaw, and capture him," Erik smirked walking closer to them, the coin now rotating around his fingers, "In fact wasn't it us 'freaks' that got close enough to Shaw to even pose as a threat?" the men looked at each other, worry written across their faces.

"We didn't mean it…"

"Like what? Like we are such an inconvenience in this world? As if we have less of a purpose here than you humans do?"

"We shouldn't have been talking about you or the rest of your friends. It's new to us having people like you around," the man was sweating in nervously as he watched tentatively as the Nazi coin made it's way from one finger to the other on Erik's hand.

"Just move along men, and forget all this. Remember that it was our people that helped your men out there last night," Erik heard the familiar female voice, "No one really cares to hear your pathetic excuses," the dark haired woman turned quickly away from the three men standing there, but only one went after her.

"Sophie, Sophie!" her caught up to her placing a hand on her shoulder.

"What was the point of saying that, and then walking off?"

"Because they need to know that we aren't leaving. We have just as many right as they do, Erik. They don't need to be badmouthing us as if we are going to go into hiding just because we are different from them!" her face was red, her voice got louder the angrier she got. Erik couldn't help but laugh. Sophie was so much calmer when he first met her yesterday, now she is just exploding on everyone, "Oh is this funny to you, Mr. Lehnsherr?" she asked crossing her arms over her chest.

"The things you said? No. Your attitude? Yes," he smiled as she glowered at him, annoyance written all over Sophie's face.

"Thank you for wasting my time."

"Sophie, wait. I am doing something you might be interested in. Pertaining Shaw," hearing that Sophie looked back at Erik then sighed turning to him.

"And what would that be?"

"I am leaving tonight, and going after Shaw," Erik answered.

"You plan on doing this how?" Erik held his briefcase a little higher with his infamous smirk plastered on his chiseled face.

"I have his file. Now if you care to join me by all means follow," the blue eyed man now walked to the entrance of the C.I.A. building, Sophie following closely behind.

"I'm sorry, Erik, but I have to ask how are just you and I going to take out Shaw and his friends if we couldn't even do it that last time?" she asked as they walked out the glass doors

"Yes, Erik, please explain this to me," Sophie and Erik stopped dead in their tracks as Charles caught them red handed, "What I know about you, Erik, I'm surprised you've managed to stay this long, but I really didn't expect this from you, Sophie," Erik looked at Charles, but Sophie stood still, her back towards the telepath.

"What do you know about me?"

"Everything."

"Then you know to stay out of my head," Erik placed a hand on the small of Sophie's back to lead her away.

"I know after everything that Agent MacTaggert and I have told you have come as a bit of a shock, and you're looking for revenge, but this isn't the answer. To either of you."

"So our mothers' and my father's deaths should be in vain? He needs to be brought down, Charles, not running amuck to kill more people, and torture more children!" Sophie retorted full of anger.

"How dare you tell me what's best after learning the things I have! You could never understand, Charles!" Charles shook his head, a slight frown on his face. Erik looked between the telepath, and elemental. He looked around seeing the grass and trees come to life. Erik's eyes widened, and he nudged her back with the hand that was already placed there. Everything went back to their normal form as Sophie was brought back to reality.

"I may not under what the two of you have gone through, but I have seen what Shaw's done to both of you, I have felt your agony. I can help you," Charles made his way closer to the two. Erik scoffed turning both he and Sophie around.

"We don't need your help."

"Don't kid yourself. The two of you needed my help last night. It's not just me you're walking away from," he started walking closer to them, "Here you have a chance to be a part of something bigger than yourself."

"Cause I thought so highly of myself before? I'm sorry that Erik, who is actually taking the initiative to do something, offends you, and your world of peace, Charles." Charles chuckled pinching the bridge of his nose as he looked down. He looked back up still smiling, "Am I just full of jokes tonight?" she asked aloud.

"Sophie, all this rage you are feeling now, you can thwart it to something useful instead of a suicide mission," Charles looked down then back up again, hands shoved in his pocket, "I won't stop you leaving. I could, but I won't," Charles started walking away. Erik and Sophie looked at one another contemplating what they should do, "Shaw's got friends. You could do with some."

"I am not forcing you to come with me, Sophie," but he didn't get to finish his sentence.

"Erik, Charles is right though. Shaw does have people with him. We would be going in with no plan, and with what? A man who can manipulate metal, and a girl who can barely control Earth? It would be a suicide mission," she took a hold of Erik's forearm speaking softly, "Having people that are willing to help us bring down Shaw may be to our advantage."

Erik ran a hand over his face frustrated with the decision he needed to make. Go after Shaw now with no one to have his back, and possibly failing in death, or stay here, plan, and assemble with a higher chance of success when the time comes.

"Fine, but just remember the more time we waste, the more time he has to assimilate," Erik stormed back into the building leaving Sophie alone outside.

Looking to the glowing moon, Sophie let her mind wander in her thoughts as she thought of everything that has happened within the last three days. It was all very sudden, and knew no matter how angry she was, how full of hatred she wanted to be filled with, that it would not take her anywhere. She didn't want to have the vengeful eyes like Erik. Sophie wanted the humans to accept mutants, but didn't want them to hide in fear that the government would instill.

"I need to stop worrying so much," she muttered before making her way back to her room.

"Sophie, I need to see you." Sebastian Shaw called from the other room, but Sophie didn't leave her spot on the floor of the locked bathroom, "If you don't come out here on your own accord, I will get you myself dear," Sophie cried as she heard the footsteps getting closer to her.

Getting cut on, stuck by needles, and hooked up to many machines didn't appeal to Sophie today, and this happened to her at least every other day. Shaw was trying to find a way to transfer one's powers to another by extracting the genes from the blood, or whatever else his demented mind could think of. Loud knocking came from the other side of the bathroom door causing Sophie to cry more.

"Sophie Claire Anderson, you will get out of there now, or I will break down this door. Either do this the hard way, or the easy way," he told her calmly. Shaw never seemed to yell. No matter how angry he got, but his actions spoke louder than his words ever could.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because, Sophie, you are a powerful mutant. Could you imagine what we could do with your powers?"

"I don't want to help you! I just want you to leave me alone!" but the door flung open, and Shaw walked in, angered eyes glaring into pained, innocent, emerald eyes. He came at her, and she yelled as loud as she could. Terrified of the things that were about to ignite when he pulled her into "that" room.

"Sophie! Sophie!" she heard a voice that didn't belong to Sebastian Shaw yelling her name. It sounded more feminine and concerned, "Sophie, please wake up!"

Sophie's eyes suddenly opened with a deep gasp escaping her from her. She looked around to see Raven, Erik, and Charles all staring at her. Raven sat on the edge of her bed, Charles standing right next to them, and Erik leaning against doorway. His face was lit by the lights in the hallway, but she couldn't clearly see his eyes. Fixated on Erik, Sophie jumped when Raven started talking to her.

"What?"

"I asked if you alright?" the blond placed a hand on top of one of Sophie's.

"Yeah," she answered sitting up a bit, "It was just a memory. I haven't been able to shake these nightmares ever since I finally got away from Shaw."

"Will you be steady for the rest of the night?" Charles asked. Sophie nodded lying back down.

"Sorry for disturbing your sleep. I'll -uh- try to keep my mind at bay," she said sheepishly, embarrassed that they all knew how troubled she really was. The front she had been putting on just wasn't cutting it anymore.

"Good night, Sophie," Raven and Charles both exited her room, but Erik still stood at her door.

"For the longest time I had nightmares about the things Shaw did to me. It took awhile, but they finally stopped after I came to terms with my mother's death, and the things he did," he replaced Raven's spot on the bed, and grabbed her hands in his, "Maybe it's time you stop blaming yourself, and put all your blame and anger on Shaw and only Shaw."

"It's a lot easier than it sounds, Erik. After blaming myself for nine years, it's just what I have come to terms with."

"But see what you want to believe isn't the truth. You subconsciously know that there was nothing you could have done to save your mother, and you certainly couldn't have saved your father, and you know it isn't your fault that he wanted to duplicate your powers," as Erik spoke, Sophie's mind was reeling with emotions.

"I could have made the decision not to kill that boy Lane. Even though Shaw told me he wouldn't kill my mother, I knew he would, and I killed him anyways. What kind of person does that, Erik?" Erik placed a hand on her cheek, wiping the tears with his thumb.

"The kind of person who actually has a heart, Sophie, and don't you ever forget that. You have a heart. You care what happens to those you love." Erik couldn't take it anymore seeing her this upset about killing one person when he has already killed many, and here he is talking to her like he had killed for the same reason. He didn't though. He killed those men in cold blood, and he didn't want Sophie looking down on him. Erik knew that she was stronger willed than he, and he couldn't stand explaining Sophie's innocence to her.

"I will let you rest now, Sophie. Just remember what I said," and Erik abruptly left her room slamming the door behind himself. Sophie starred after him, but lied back down to try to fall into a restful sleep.

A/N: Sorry it has taken a bit longer for the update. My great-grandmother passed away early last week, and I hit some writer's block, but hope this chapter satisfied you! Please Review they make me happy and inspired! -Brittany