She didn't know how it all began and which side started it, but the two teams attacked each other and it was after she had used her telekinesis to carry the innocent to safety elsewhere, that she joined in the furor, all the while taking care to avoid any contact (including eye contact) with her former boyfriend.

She saw Raven fighting Alex. Hank battling with the red teleporter named Azazel and she was tasked to take on the other side's resident telepath, Emma, while Charles did his best to talk sense to Erik. Her arm to arm combat skills had improved by leaps and bounds due to the past month's intensive training sessions but Emma was a crafty old soldier who had many tricks up her sleeve. Though she had to admit that knowing that she could heal fast (and not be killed easily) gave her a confidence boost, so she took many risky chances with Emma. But her cockiness led to her downfall and she found herself being cornered by Emma who held a blade next to her neck.

Oh shit, this is going to hurt real bad. She thought as she saw the blonde raise the blade into the air to plunge it deep into her flesh.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Erik yelled as he used his powers to flick the metal blade away.

Emma looked extremely miffed as he did that and was about to say something but he cut her off by announcing loudly to everyone, "Charles and I shall be discussing our disagreement at another time. Azazel, please bring us back to our base. Charles, you should take care about sending untrained youngsters into this war. We shall reconvene again."

And with that, his team grouped up with their teleporter and vanished in a puff of smoke. Raven had not made any eye contact with her but she thought she saw her sister looked slightly relieved that Erik had protected her.

Charles subsequently rounded their team up and they went on board their private jet to be taken back home.

"He stopped the fight because of you." Charles told her telepathically.

She simply shrugged at that and replied, "I wouldn't have died anyway. It would just be bloody painful."

"I think he will be back to speak with me about using you on the team again. What you did with Emma was rather careless. We both saw and for the first time, I've actually caught a glimpse of his actual feelings. He acted on impulse because of you Charissa. And he is also right, I should not have sent you to this fight. One month simply isn't sufficient training for such a dangerous operation. Thankfully you have your gifts but it could have turned out very wrong if not for them."

The other team mates who knew Erik were not as forgiving as Charles.

Alex lashed at her once the airplane reached the mansion.

"I never knew that Magneto was your boyfriend. Who's to say that you're not a double agent working for him."

"We are not dating." Was all she could say with conviction.

"He seems to have something for you. Because of you, he stopped the fight? That's out of character for him."

"Alex, leave me alone."

"If you betray our team, I will not hesitate to hurt you. Your powers may stop you from getting killed, but you will still feel the horrible pain and I will use that." He threatened before leaving.

She ran off to her bedroom before anyone else could accuse her of anything else.

She took a long hot shower and told Charles via the telepathic link that she would be resting in her room instead of having dinner with the rest. She just felt overwhelmed by the day's events and the fact that Erik actually compromised his own team mates' safety in a way to protect her. He didn't sacrifice her as she thought he would have.

She had just stepped out of her bathroom in her robe when she saw him sitting at the foot of her bed waiting for her. He was dressed in his regular clothing and it felt as if she had stepped back into the past, when he came around to just spend time with her.

"I came here to persuade you again to join me. I know that you can't die easily but you can still feel pain and suffering, which can be prolonged if you fall into the hands of an enemy. I want to protect you Charis. Charles can't do that because of the way that he thinks." He said to her in a reasonable tone.

"I don't need your protection." She replied stubbornly.

He looked frustrated upon hearing her response.

"I know you are still angry with me but please take a step back and think about the danger that you are in because of your abilities. I am sure that the homo sapiens would want to run tests on you, so they can learn how to use your DNA to help them to create cures to their illnesses and diseases. It's easier for you and me to hide because we blend in with them, but we should not need to hide. We are superior and I plan to lead our kind to a world where we rule."

"Charles was right. You are annoying when you are Magneto." She didn't know why but she just felt that she wanted to be abrasive towards him.

"Please take this seriously. I would not be here again if I didn't care. In the eyes of my team, my role as a leader had already been compromised when I yelled at Emma."

"Alex has just accused me of being a double agent, no thanks to you."

"I will never put you in such a dangerous position." He then looked down, took a deep breath and continued, "I love you. I want to be there for you."

She was taken aback at that confession. He had said it once to her in their short-lived relationship, but because he had left so abruptly, she thought he didn't mean it and had said it without much thought or in a moment of passion.

The façade that she had on earlier slowly crumbled. He saw that and took the opportunity to appeal to her again. He held onto her hand and asked, "Do you still feel anything for me?"

"Yes…" it came out as a whisper and he embraced her then.

"Please forgive me for all the pain I'd caused. Things will be better for us now. I can promise you that."

She cried and decided to go with what her heart strongly urged her to do. She truly missed him all this while. He finally seemed to understand her emotions, and held her more tightly before kissing her on her lips.