CH 10 beauty in the world.
Charlotte POV
We didn't have much time left. The tension in the house is rising. Stepping out into the cool air, I breathe. Feeling it brush across my exposed skin. I feel different. Older even. Yet somehow I feel so full of youthful energy. Tomorrow we would save the world. Erik will seek his revenge, and once he has it what will keep him by my side. Moving back into the night like before. Everything changes. I am accepting of this. The world has a whole another agenda. Moving to the fountain I watch the water cascade from level to level. Overflowing from one level to the next, like life. With each level new ripples form expanding out. The house is calming. The children are resting. Yet some are still awake.
"Shouldn't you be in bed?"
"The same could be said about you." Turning my head I watch him approach me. Coming to sit beside me. Falling for him so quickly. Actually jumping into freezing water for him.
"Yes, but you should be resting that delicate brain of yours." He runs his hand along the side of my face.
"I believe I have something on my mind of interest of you." He quirks his eyebrow at me. Moving in closer I kiss his lips. He smiles so bright.
"Well then maybe we should go up to your room to discuss it." Standing up holding his hand out. Ready to sweep me off my feet. Looking back to the water watching it cascade getting bigger along the way down. We are just starting at the top. Are we ready to cascade? Turning to Erik I take his hand. Smiling together, I dream forever. We will have to see how the water cascades. But tonight we are safe on the first level. And in my room we will make ripples.
BIW
Hank left us uniforms. Yellow not really my color. Mystique and I laughing at the color especially when the boys put theirs on. Havoc with his metal disk. Banshee with his wings. The only ones who had the normal are Mystique, Magneto and I. still smiling at the silly names.
Arriving at the airbase we all exit out of the duce. Martian driving it to perfection. Cars are nice and I love the few classics my father owned and acquired. But the duce is military. Always associated with weapons. Then we see the plane. What a beauty. Banshee is about to whistle at the beauty but Havoc and Mystique place their hands over his mouth. We all chuckle but stop when we spot Hank come in. He has changed. He explains that his cure didn't work. A part of me is glad but then this to happen to Hank. Waves of failure radiate as he confronts us. Mystique welcomes a fellow blue. And he is a beautiful shade. Erik makes a comment but is attacked.
"Hank let him go." He looks to me. My eyes plead with him. He knows what we have. His nostrils blaze for a moment then let him go.
Then Alec opens his mouth. Hank glares at him but smiles at his new name. Alec ruffles his hair. Hank doesn't mind. Well that is new. Smiling I move to my family.
"Let's go." Moving to the plane. Everyone boards, but before I can board Hank snatches my hand. "Hank?"
"Are you alright Charlotte?" I can only look at him in question.
"I'm fine, why?" he sniffs the air again.
"You smell different." He shakes his head. "Probably nothing." He gets onboard. Following him I take my seat. Securing myself in I feel the metal tighten then loosen. Looking to Erik he smiles. Nodding,
"We are good to go Hank." The plane moves. Everyone taking a breath in for the first second. The next second we are soaring in the air toward Cuba. The fastest flight I have ever taken.
BIW
In position we get ready. Banshee doing his job now it's time to do ours. Erik extends his hand trying to raise the sub. Placing my finger to his head. Reminding him the place between rage and serenity. I feel his mind dig up a memory. He can feel the love of his mother then it changes. It's us together, we are simply playing chess in the study. Sharing smiles over the wooden battlefield. His mind feeling of warmth at the acceptance and trust. Feeling how I radiated all that to him. He focused his tethers on that then released them to capture the sub. In amazement I watch as he lifts the massive sub. He grunts with effort but he is doing it. I can only radiate warmth. Cascading it around him. I want to shout to the heavens that he is doing it. Yet we are moving again. Holding on tight we fly over the water. Then we see it, Riptide.
Massive swirls of winds form shaking us about. Reaching and calling for Erik to grab my hand. He snatches it. Pulled him inside more by the rolling of the plane then my strength. Landing hard we are separated. Feeling us rotate again I scream,
"ERIK!" he is over me in an instant covering me with his body securing us to the metal hull. We all scream as we crash onto the beach.
Erik lowers us down. Both of us rest on the roof with a grunt. The impact registering how hard we hit. I wrap my arm around his neck. We look to one another. The day is not over yet.
BIW
Watching go inside to face his torment I can only communicate with him. Keeping watch over my fellow students as well. Though my main focus is on Erik. My sister, I want safe. Ordering her to stay in the destroyed plane. I can't be everywhere at once. He continues to yell at me that Shaw isn't there. Then everything goes silent. I try with all my strength to see him find him. But there is that void, dead space. It scares me.
Reaching out to the others I sense the boys fighting. So much rage. So much fear. I need to focus then there. Erik calls to me. I freeze Shaw. My fingers digging into my temple. Begging him to be the better man. Than I feel the shield come up.
"No," I scream angrily. Taking my frustration out on the dead hull. Concentrating, I watch through Shaw's eyes as Erik preaches his speech. Closing my eyes I beg him. Going to that place where I can't breath. That need to escape. The child locked in the wardrobe. The child who… no more.
BIW
Opening my eyes I am in the void room watching Erik levitate the coin above his hand counting.
"Erik," he doesn't hear me. So caught up in the rage. The coin enters. I scream. Feeling it as if it is digging into my own skull. Erik finally turns then. Seeing my astral self. But all I can do is hold Shaw still the coin digging into the cranium. Rage, concern. Shaw; I can feel the happiness this action is causing. Making him truly Frankenstein and this his monster. No I will not allow it. I will not. The pain increases.
I am back in my body bent in half breathing desperately for air. Martin is beside me calling my name. I feel numb. Hands roam to check if I am okay. Unsure if I am or not. On wobbly legs I stand. I need to see this through. Make sure my army is okay. Hobbling out of the craft of my own will. Pushing off Martian's worry and concern. Anger bleeding at what has happened.
Erik comes floating out like a rock star. Yet the hunter in him showing off his kill. Talking to us calling us brothers. Shaw got what he wanted. The ultimate monster. No, Erik isn't a monster. He is my friend, my lover. Stepping toward him he spots me. Shaw's body drops to the ground in a heap, forgotten. A stepping stone to walk over to go to another. He calls to us, Brothers, that are enemy is human. Feeling their guns aimed at us. Asking me to concur. All I can do is agree. The rockets flare into the sky. Both sides fighting together at the unknown future. To bad we are the future. Erik stops them before impact. Humanity needs to be saved. They are innocent men following orders. Innocent men. I grab for Erik. He tries to throw me off. Reaching for the helmet and failing. Then I do something I have never done. Standing inches from him I grab his neck. Concentrate on his blood. Blood flows everywhere. He can feel the iron in the blood. I feel the life force. Following it to the mind I grab him. Taking him to another plain.
The missiles freeze in air. Realizing we are both struggling still on the ground but I have his attention.
"Erik don't do this."
"You have so much faith in those ants. They need to be crushed."
"No they need to learn. To accept."
"And we've seen how well that has gone in the past." Holocaust, Civil war, reservations, World wars, prejudice. "We need to put fear in their hearts."
"Then let us put fear there but show them we are the better man."
"You aren't a man."
"No," I know what I am. "But together we can make the world see. See the true colors of beauty." My beautiful blue sister. Wanting her able to walk done the street in her true tigress self. "We can teach them." Erik looks at me. I smile. For I know how the world preaches to outsiders. A woman at a prestigious college fighting for her place. In my plain we let the rockets soar. There is shouting then a massive explosion. Rocking the ships in the water. But the men on board see the white the death in the void. I hold them there. And we preach.
"You all should be dead. And you still can be. Remember what you learn here today. Mutants are the future of the human race. You should fear us. But if you bring war to our doorstep. We will bring it to yours. Treat us as you wish to be treated. You may start wars. But in the end we will be the ones standing." Finishing it. "And I am in all your minds with a simple thought I can kill you. Remember that. Tell that to your leaders. Leave our kind in peace. For if you don't I will meet you on your doorstep. And I am everywhere." Pulling back we are ourselves. Erik stands up. Brushing the sand from his hands. His mind a whirlwind at what I have just done. Not exactly his plan. But it is a safe compromise. We can rebuild cerebro and follow through. Let them try and stop us. Looking up at him he smiles. He begins to remove his helmet then there are bullets flying. Erik moves on reflex deflecting them. Then they stop. I am still kneeling at his feet. He extends his hand, which I take. Getting up I see what has happen. Mystique had surprised Martin knocking him out. We smile at one another. Moving to her I envelope her in a hug. Turning to Martian I kneel down.
"It didn't have to end this way." Touching his temple. "Forget me and every moment we have had together. Forget us." Standing I move to my students. They come toward me.
"What did you do?" Alec speaks. I look at them.
"Gave them a fear and a promise. We will be ourselves." Looking to Hank. "Our true selves. We will not have to hide for much longer. For if they hurt us we will hurt them."
"Professor," Hank speaks unsure.
"We want peace Hank. I delivered an Olive branch. If they accept we will be fine."
"And if they don't?"
"They won't." Alec looks to Hank. The emoting there. They could be free of fear. Free to love.
Turning Erik comes over with Shaw's people.
"They'll join us but we must get Emma Frost out."
"Done." I move to them. Standing in front of the transporter. "Azazal." He gives me a look of question. He knows I'm the telepath. "You don't have to hide. But we will need you in case they cross the line." Shock is felt from my students. I have a side to chose, them. The ones who can't blend. Raven comes up behind me. She smiles at him. He smiles back. I take her hand. "We need to go."
"I can not go where I have never been." I flash him the location. A image of the front entrance to the school is there. He nods. "Take each other hands."
"Azazal use this information against me." Leaving the threat open. The others approached. Erik lays a hand on my shoulder. Mystique took Azazal's hand. They shared another grin. Hank's fury hand landed on my shoulder. Alec took his hand. Angel took Banshee. Riptide grabbed her other.
Then in a puff of smoke, gone.
TBC…Epilogue
AN: Reviews are love. Sorry took till now to update. Wanted to let you guys simmer for a while. And I also went to a supernatural convention. One word: Awesome!