This is a work of fiction:
All characters seen in the story are either purely fan-made or from the X man's movies/ Marvel comics.I only own my own OC characters. Thanks again to my Beta: lizzieBdarcy! You're the best!
So this was the hardest chapter I've ever written. I do hope you guys enjoy it! Let me know your thoughts, cause reviews make me happy ^.^
Death doesn't discriminate
Between the sinners and the saints
it takes and it takes and it takes
Chapter 10: Wait for it…
The sun was setting much faster than she had anticipated and there were no streets lights to illuminate the way. The only light came from the moon, and there wasn't even much of that. Katherine picked up her pace, a ways back she'd passed a sign that said there was a gas station only a mile or so more up the road. Hopefully she could find someone there that could give her a lift.
Her body had healed itself, but at the expense of any energy she might have had otherwise. Her progress was also hindered by having to continuously stop every few meters when her suitcase grew too heavy. Her mind was still not her own, but every time she felt her thoughts going back to Darwin she pushed it to the back of her mind.
She felt so guilty.
She didn't know if she could have saved him. She would never know for certain. But if she hadn't given all her energy to heal that ungrateful agent, then perhaps she could have helped him. She stopped walking, dropping the suitcase as she groaned. The muscles in her arms were screaming at her and she didn't have the energy left to tend to them. Weighed down by shame and her belongings, she seriously considered just dropping where she stood.
The humming of an engine behind her made her look over her shoulder and she could have cried at the sight of a light brown car driving down the road. "Thank god" she breathed, sticking her thumb out. Now if only the car would stop. The vehicle drove past and stopped just a few meters in front of her, she smiled and groaned in both relief and pain as she picked the suitcase back up. "Thank god." She whispered, just as the driver's door opened.
Almost immediately she took it back.
"No!" she shook her head, already trying to move on. "Leave me alone. I'm not going back."
Erik stepped out of the car, angrily slamming it shut behind him. He'd been driving for hours down the old country roads, trying to find her. Once he had located the small village to the north of the CIA building he had a feeling that she'd probably head there to find a way back to New York. Originally he assumed it'd be a quick trip, but the little vixen turned out to be better at running than he had expected. Hungry, tired and pissed off, he ignored her declaration.
Instead, he flung open the passenger side. "Get in the car!" he snarled. She just shook her head and started to walk back down the road, dragging the heavy suitcase behind her.
"No, leave me alone!" she called over her shoulder.
"Katherine" he warned as he slammed the door closed, "I'm not in the mood, get back here and get in the car".
"Fuck You" she flipped him off without looking back. "You can drop dead for all I care, I'm not getting in that car and I'm certainly not going back to-"
She wasn't able to finish her sentence as the suitcase was ripped from her hands; it dragged over the road and stopped right in front of Erik. She whirled around, uncertain whether to scream or cry.
Of course there had to be metal in that damn suitcase.
The metal bender picked up the suitcase with one hand, flipped his other hand and the trunk of the car opened. He threw her suitcase inside and the trunk slammed close. He turned back to her, both remained silent. She took a deep breath and shook her head, crossing her arms under her breasts before looking away. "I'm not going back Erik" she murmured. "You can't make me."
Erik stuffed his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket as the angry look on his face cooled. She looked dead tired; he knew he could easily grab her and throw her in the car. She wouldn't have the strength left to fight him, but to be honest he knew it would be far easier for him just to let her walk away. He promised Charles he would find her and he did. And just like he told Charles, if she didn't want to go with him he wouldn't force her. In fact, he would be more than glad to see her gone.
Slowly he nodded. "Then at let me take you to the bus station. I promised Charles that I'd make sure you're safe." Without waiting for a response, he headed back to the car. "I'll drop you off in the nearest town, than you can leave." He got inside without another word.
She remained silent as she let his words wash over her, night had settled in and the only lights on the road came from the car. She looked around, she was surrounded by forest and even though she hated to admit it she knew she couldn't make it to the town on her own anymore.
She was exhausted.
She really didn't wanted to spend any more time with him than was necessary, but the thought of spending even more time dragging her stuff around was enough to make her swallow her pride. Hesitantly, she walked over to the car; sucked in a breath and slid in beside him. Keeping her eyes on the road, she tried to keep her voice even. "Fine. Take me to the bus station ". He nodded in reply as he started the car and drove off.
He was still tense as he drove the car down the dark road. He was still angry at her for making him look around for her, for wasting his time. He looked at her from the corner of his eyes; she was deadly white looking older than she really was. Hair in a low ponytail, hands clasped tight in her lap, her leg jiggled nervously.
Suddenly she broke the silence of the car with a scoff and she looked up at him. He directed his gaze back on the road, not wanting her to know he had been looking at her. He rested one arm against the window and drove with one hand clenched around the leather steering wheel.
"You know what happened?" she asked.
He hadn't expected her to talk so his head snapped to her instantly. She was staring right back at him, and the moment he looked into her cursed eyes he turned his head back to the road. He couldn't stand to meet her gaze for long.
"Yes, we know." He replied tersely.
"He killed Darwin."
"I know."
"And the agent." She added.
He looked back at her again; she was staring out the window biting her lip. Her hands were shaking in her lap."I don't understand" she spoke up again. "I tried to heal him but-"
"But what?" he asked not letting her finish.
"He tried to push me away" she shook her head. "It still doesn't make sense, I tried to heal him and he still hated me."
"He hates you because of what you are, I told you this before" he answered her unspoken question.
"But I tried to save his life" she looked away from the window to glare at him, "there was no reason for him to hate me."
"A man like that doesn't need a reason." They passed a road sign and he scanned it quickly, they were near the gas station.
She continued, "so what, he just hated me- "
"Yes!" He snapped, raising his voice; "he just hated you, they don't need a reason to hate us Katherine." He had tried to keep his anger under control but she was making it damn hard. Every time she opened her mouth, he could feel it burning beneath inside his chest. Still glaring, she gave him a quick once over. He had one hand clenched around the steering wheel; the skin around his knuckles had turned white.
"Well" she crossed her arms, "You don't have to worry about him anymore, that monster Shaw killed him for you." She was surprised the steering wheel didn't break in half the moment she had said that man's name, his fist grew that much tighter. With a sudden loud bang his other fist slammed into the window. She jerked in surprise, eyes wide.
"What on earth is your prob-" she began and then she stopped. Erik's entire face was contorted in rage. His breathing was ragged and he was biting the inside of his cheek so hard it was probably bleeding.
Erik felt those horrible eyes burning into him and he could have thrown her through the windshield for it. "What?!" He snapped, placing both his hands on the steering wheel and trying to breathe. She remained silent as she regarded him and he could almost see the wheels turning in her head.
The realization was a quick flash through her eyes, and a sarcastic little smile started forming on her lips. "Well look at that" her voice was cold as she sat back, leaning her back against the car door not looking away from him."The hunter is being hunted."
The tension was thick enough to cut through as a bitter chuckle broke through the silence. "You don't know what you're talking about."
Disbelief made her almost laugh."I can't believe it" She shook her head, "I can't believe it" she looked back at him, her anger back in full."He's the man you're hunting, isn't he?"
He slammed the break all of the sudden and she lunched forward, bracing herself on the dash at the last second. Without another word he took the key from the ignition and turned his body to her. "I advise you to remain quiet."
"No fuck you." She cursed, "I can't believe it. All this time, you were giving me a hard time because you believed I was being hunted. And now you tell me that what happened back there is because you are being hunted."
"I'm not being hunted! He countered back, almost screaming at her.
"Well yeah tell that to Darwin" she retorted getting even closer to him. "He's the one who died!"
Erik scoffed and got out of the car; he slammed the door and walked around to the passenger side pulling her car door open. "Get out."
She got out without another word, the sudden urge to hit him washing over her. She wanted to hurt him so badly that her whole body shook with anger. The skin of her hands started to itch, It would have been so simple to just slap him right in his arrogant face.
"There" he pointed to the right. There was an old gas station on the other side of the road. A few cars were parked in front of it, a lonely bus sign next to it . A bar, that had clearly seen better days was attached to the gas station.
"Now get your stuff and leave." He turned his back on her and stormed off, not looking back.
"Where the hell are you going?"
He spun around and flung his arms out. "I'm going to get a drink!" he shouted before he turned around again and continued walking to the bar.
She gritted her teeth. ""Oh, freaking nice" she muttered. She didn't think it was possible, but she got even angrier knowing that he could get drunk, while she was forced to be sober for the rest of her life. She continued glaring at his retreating back for a few more seconds before she stomped out to the back of the car. She tried to open the trunk, but it wouldn't budge no matter how hard she hit or kicked it. Giving it one last kick for good measure, she sighed heavily. "Fucking bastard closed the-" she didn't finish her words and walked back to the front of the car.
She glared at the bar he'd disappeared into and cursed under her breath. She took in a deep breath, trying to calm her anger and leaned against the hood of the car. She looked up at the dark sky and took in another deep calming breath. The sky was filled with stars, and she kept looking up. The wind was starting to pick up and even though it was spring it was still cold outside. She crossed her arms over her chest, rubbing her hands over her arms trying to remain warm. She couldn't help her own thoughts, that insufferable man had the tendency to make her blood burning hot. She wanted to wrap her hands around his throat and just squeeze the life out of him. She couldn't remember ever meeting someone that could make her so angry in a matter of seconds.
Footsteps stopped her hateful thoughts and before she knew it, Erik leaned against the hood of the car next to her. He was carrying a brown paper bag that contained a bottle, staring up at the sky. He seemed calmer than she was at that moment.
"Really, you're going to torture me with booze now?" she asked, closing her eyes and shaking her head in disbelief.
"No" he turned his head away from the stars to look at her. He held the bottle out for her to take. "We're sharing it."
"What's the fun "she muttered, "I can't get drunk"
"It's not for your fun" he replied as he took the cap off the bottle and placed it to his lips. He took in a big gulp and his eyes closed as he cringed. He held the bottle out for her again. "It's for Darwin."
Her eyes widened as she looked at him before looking at the bottle, she took it from him. Their fingers touched softly before she pulled the bottle from his hands. Without saying anything she put the bottle to her mouth and threw her head back taking a big sip. She closed her eyes when the booze hit her throat.
She coughed and pulled the bottle away from her mouth. "Oh god this is vile, what is this?" she took the brown paper bag away from the glass bottle and looked at it. "Is this moonshine?" she demanded when she saw no label.
He nodded and chuckled. "It was the only thing they had that was this strong" he took the bottle from her, again skin touched. Both of them turned silent, and though they were still angry with each other for their own reasons a sudden calm tension settled over them. Erik felt the booze already taking effect, he hadn't eaten much that day and he hadn't had a good night's sleep in ages. He looked over the woman that was sitting next to him. She was staring up at the sky, a sad smile on her lips. He held the bottle out for her to take again and she turned to look at him before taking it.
"For Darwin" She spoke softly.
He nodded in reply. "For Darwin."
She took another sip and groaned. "God you have no idea how I miss getting drunk at times like this."
The booze made him chuckle in reply. A raindrop fell on his hand and he raised his head to see the sky was darkening fast. "It's going to rain" he muttered as he pushed himself of the hood of the car. "Let's wait for your bus in the car."
"You're going to wait with me?" she asked, standing up cradling the bottle to her chest.
"I promised Charles I would make sure you're safe, "he waved his hand at the bus sign "So I'll wait till you get on the bus." He moved his head to her and looked her in the eyes.
She was staring back at him, and than she nodded.
The sky had turned dark around them and the wind picked up even more. The rain began to pour down around them and both of them stepped around each other to get into the car. She pulled the car door shut once she was settled in and waited for him to get in too, the moment he had closed his own door she held the bottle out for him again. He took it from her, placing his lips around the bottle rim.
He really had to slow down before he would get too drunk, he still needed to drive back after all. He placed the bottle down next to them and leaned his head back, closing his eyes against the seat cushion. "Are you still wounded?" he asked, his words slightly slurred. He didn't know why he asked it but before he could think about it she had already answered him.
"No, the wounds that got transferred were healed rather quickly."
He nodded in reply; her mutation wasn't powerful in battle. He knew that, but he had also realized that it could be very useful in the future. To be able to transfer and take over wounds, injuries, even diseases was a powerful thing. Not to mention she died and came back to life.
He wondered how her mutation worked, how much could she transfer. She had told them back at the diner that she used to practice on corpses. How far did she take it? He opened his eyes as a sudden idea came forward. "Your mutation," he asked as he turned his head to look at her. The rain beat down against the window, making it almost impossible for them to see the road. "The transferring."
She looked at him with a raised eyebrow, wondering what he was going to say. Even though he was looking straight at her he seemed deep in thought. He continued speaking. "Can't you just.. Transfer, alcohol or drugs?"
She blinked a few times and kept looking at him before she turned in her seat staring straight ahead, the thought never crossed her mind. Could she? "I don't know" she spoke up honestly shaking her head, she looked at him from the corner of her eye. "I never tried it; I mean... it never occurred to me."
He carefully lifted his right hand for her to take, not even thinking anymore. The alcohol was making him act more freely than he probably would have wanted. "Try it" he muttered as he closed his eyes. He wanted to see if she could.
She looked at his hand and then at him. "Are you serious?" she asked, unsure. The man looked ready to kill her just a few minutes ago and now he wanted her to take his hand?
"Yes. Just take it before I change my mind."
Curiosity took over her mind as she looked at his outstretched hand. She really didn't want to touch him, but if this worked….She couldn't let this opportunity pass.
Hesitantly she slipped her hand into his. He closed his hand around her the moment their hands touched and a shiver went down her back when she felt how warm his hand was around her own cold limb. She shook her head and looked down at her lap; she couldn't believe she was doing this.
He was holding her hand so gently, he even brushed his thumb over her fingers and she snapped her head up to look at him. He was sitting back in his chair, resting with his eyes closed, he probably didn't even knew how uncomfortable he was making her. She tried to focus on the matter at hand and she took in a deep breath as she concentrated on her own energy.
Erik frowned as he felt her hand getting warmer in his, a warm calm feeling went over him and it felt as if something stirred inside of him. His heartbeat increased and he took in a deep shuddering breath as he suddenly felt more awake than before. He opened his eyes and looked to his right, she was looking at her hand.
Her eyes were glazed over and her lips were half open in a silent oh. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips before she closed her mouth and shuddered. Gradually she pulled her hand back and sat back in the chair, a soft moan escaped her lips. 'Oh god" she spoke the words in a content sigh. "I forgot what it feels like to be drunk."
Erik looked down at his hand and he suddenly realized he was sober. "It worked?"
"Hell yeah it worked" she arched her back and raised both her hands above her head stretching, a huge grin on her face. "This feels even better than I remembered" she chuckled and her whole face lit up. She couldn't help herself, her whole body felt as if it was lighter than air.
The car turned silent, only the soft tapping of rain on the metal hood of the car was heard. She started to hum softly under her breath and Erik started to tap his fingers on the dashboard. He was heavily concentrating on the road waiting for the bus to arrive so he could get her on it and then return back to the hotel.
"The last time I got drunk was when James died."
Her words made his head snap back to her and his eyes were wide, she was looking at him. The glazed look was gone from her eyes but she still had that look of contentment. "You're drunk" he told her "there's no need to talk about that."
"Yes there is" she shrugged, "You judged me without reason; I want to tell you the truth."
He shook his head. "I don't need to hear it."
"Well I'm going to tell you anyway" she told him. " Cause I want to tell you, to show you , you were wrong about me."
He took in a deep breath and breathed out through his nose, he turned his body towards her. "Fine tell me." Even though he knew he had no right to hear her story, he couldn't help but wanting to know what she was running from.
"You said I was being hunted" she bit her lip. "You're right, just not in the way you accuse me."
He remained silent as he kept looking at her, her eyes slipped down to the bottle and she picked it up holding it up for him. She shook the bottle and he took it from her, he took another sip before he put the bottle down waiting for her to continue. "James was a rookie in the police force" she started and without noticing it she raised her left hand, taking the silver cross around her neck between her fingers. "He started with handing out parking tickets and doing paperwork. But one day he got a big bust."
She moved the necklace around between her fingers and Erik found that he was memorized by the slow movements of her hand. "He gave out a ticket to a car that was parked in Harlem, turns out that the car belonged to a mob boss. When he was writing the ticket he noticed something strange in the backseat of the car, so he called it in." She swallowed, licking her dry lips before she went on. "It was a big bust." Her eyes went wide and she glanced over at him. He was staring directly at her.
"Turns out, the car was filled with drugs and weapons, all kinds of other illegal things. So James got a promotion for calling it in, he was so proud." She smiled as she remembered how happy he was when he got home. "After his promotion, we went out to celebrate. He bought me a real wedding ring and took me out to a fancy restaurant."
"You didn't have a wedding ring?" Erik asked with a raised eyebrow.
"No "she answered "We weren't that rich, he used his first real big pay to buy me a ring."
His eyes skimmed over her fingers. "You aren't wearing a ring now."
She nodded slowly and for just a few seconds she was silent, she took in a deep breath. "It was stolen" she spoke the words softly and she looked down at her lap sadly. "We were both drunk, when we left the restaurant. And we decided to take a shortcut through an alley because it was beginning to rain." The wind outside the car picked up, as if it wanted to emphasize her words. "We should have just gotten into a Taxi." She muttered as she looked back up at him with a sad smile. "We were robbed."
"Robbed?" he repeated her words. She nodded and curled up against the seat.
"We were stopped in the alleyway by a man, dressed in black."
Erik nodded leaning even closer as he placed his right arm around the back of her chair.
"The man had a gun, he wanted us to give him everything we had on us. So we did, we gave him our money, our jewels. But he wanted my ring too, and James didn't agree with that." She shook her head "The idiot started to argue with him, that he couldn't give him the ring but he could go to the bank to get even more money for him if he wanted that. But he said he wanted my ring."
Realization dawned into Erik's face as he looked down at her. "James refused" he spoke softly.
She nodded "Yeah he refused, and then he just turned to me and told James that if he didn't want to give the ring, he would pry it from my dead body. James told me to run."
Run, Katherine run.
Erik brows furrowed, confused for a second but she continued before he could opened his mouth to speak.
"He shot me."
The car turned deadly silent and Erik sat back in his seat. Her eyes had filled with tears but she took in a deep breath to force them back down. "He shot me, and I died."
He kept looking over her, brows furrowed in thought.
"I died in James' arms, he was holding me and I knew I was dying, so I reached out for him, I wanted to touch him. It was as if my entire body wanted to reach for his skin." She had brought her hand to her mouth, placing her lips against her knuckle; her hand was shaking when she continued speaking. "And then I died" she closed her eyes trying to ward off the suddenly flash of the memory shooting through her mind.
Erik kept looking at her. "But you're not dead" he said and she nodded in reply.
"I woke up a few minutes later, I was alive without a single wound but-" She stopped and looked up at him again. "But James was dead, he was lying next to me bleeding from a chest wound."
" You transferred it" Erik slowly realized and she nodded.
"I killed him, the day he died was the day I got this curse."
Of course, he thought. A dramatic experience normally woke up the powers of mutants, only it happened very late with her. Normally they woke their powers up as children or young adults.
She was staring silently out the window. " His Brother" she continued speaking and he could hear that her voice had turned angry. "His family never liked me, and when their son died and I came out alive under very suspicious circumstances, well his brother believed I had something to do with it."
"So?"
"So" She continued, "When he found out that the police were closing the cases because they believed it was just a simple robbery gone wrong he didn't let it go. He stalked me, ruined my life even more after James died, every time I tried to pick up the pieces he was there breaking down everything again." She raised her hand to count off on her fingers. "He'd send private detectives to me, he called every place I worked in to get me fired, he even got me kicked out of a few apartments, he found me every time."
He was looking at her with wide eyes and for just a moment he couldn't believe what he was hearing, she was running away from her brother in law? He believed her to be some sort of criminal just like him. He believed she was running away from someone dangerous. But this? He kept staring at her, not knowing what to say or do. He had misjudged her completely.
A human? He could handle a mere human
"I couldn't face them after he died." She didn't seem to notice his confused look as she continued talking. "How could I ever explain to them that I was responsible for killing their son? That I'm some sort of freak that took his life without even knowing I could do it."
"When was the last time you saw him?" he spoke up.
She looked up at him. "Two years now."
" How do you know he hasn't stopped?"
She shrugged. "I don't. Maybe he's stopped trying to destroy my life but I just never took the risk, I just kept running."
He kept staring at her, he couldn't look away from her, she looked so lost, so vulnerable. his breathing quickened and his nostrils flared. The arm that was still around the back of her seat was starting to itch. He wanted to touch her, to comfort her. What the hell was happening? His heartbeat increased and he had to swallow when all of the sudden his mouth ran dry. What was she doing to him?
Was he caring?
He couldn't care about anyone; he didn't want to care about anyone. Everything he had ever cared about was used against him in one way or another. He couldn't let this happen, caring only created leverage for those that wanted to kill him. He couldn't allow himself to be that weak. He took in a breath and tried to regain some control, he tried to focus. But before he could completely shut his traitorous mind down, his mouth had already opened to speak.
"It wasn't your fault."
Scheiße.
She looked up at him, and he felt his jaw go tense.
Verdammt.
There was a soft look in her eyes and a small smile on her lips. Erik could feel his own heart beat fast as it thundered against his ribs. His chest hurting with every thump. "James died because that bastard tried to rob you" he had to stop speaking, he had to shut this down now. Caring was dangerous; caring could be used against you.
Her smile turned sad. "I know that I didn't pull the trigger, but I am the one that took his life. Without this mutation, he would have still been alive."
"And you would have been dead. We're given these powers for a reason Katherine." His voice turned serious and his body was tense in an instant. "We are better than humans, we are born for greater things. That's why you're still alive."
"You really believe that?" Katherine asked slowly .
He nodded. "I know that we are better."
Her brows furrowed as she let the question that had been on her mind since she had met him slip from her lips. "What on earth happened to you?"
The moment the words were out his jaw clenched, his shoulders stiffened, and hardness flooded his eyes as he began to pull away from her. Before he could get away completely, her hand shot forward and she wrapped it around his arm.
"No Erik" her voice was strict as she pulled him closer. "I told you why I'm hiding, now I want to know why you are hunting."
He stopped to look at her before he closed his eyes and sat back. He hated to talk about it; he didn't want to relive the memories. But the determined look in her eyes told him enough, she wouldn't let this go.
He pulled his arm away from her warm grip and raised his left arm. Undoing the buttons on the sleeve, he slid the cotton back. He kept his arm away from her view for a few seconds as he stared down at the flesh of his forearm. Trying to keep his breathing steady and the memories from overwhelming him, he held it out to her.
For a few seconds, she didn't understand. She saw the tattooed numbers on the flesh of his forearm and realization dawned at her. Immediately her head snapped up to look at him. "You were in a camp?"
He nodded. She reached her hands out and without hesitation she placed them on his arm. Gently she traced her fingers over them. "I'm so… I'm so sorry." She bit her lip. "I can remove this for you, if you want." She looked up at him. "It's just a simple transfer of energy I can dissolve the ink in my body."
"No" he shook his head. "I want it to stay on my skin as a reminder."
"For what?"
"Because it reminds me that there is someone I need to kill."
He looked up from the fingers on his arm and directed his cold eyes to her.
"Shaw?" she asked.
He nodded.
He didn't need to say more to her, she knew what kind of terrible things happened in the camps. After the war all the stories were told on live TV or in news items. She was still young when she had first heard about it, but it had made an impact on her even then. A sudden burning feeling started in the pit of her stomach as she realized why Erik was the way he was, and why he wanted to kill the man. She carefully pulled her fingers from his arm and placed them back in her own lap.
"I hope you find him Erik" the words were from her lips before she could think them over. "And I hope you kill him."
He paused in buttoning up his sleeve. "What?" he asked. He hadn't expected her to say that.
" I hope you get your revenge." She whispered not looking away from him. "I will never understand what you have been through" she stopped to swallow, "I do understand how it feels to hate someone so much you want him dead."
He remained silent, the sudden look of understanding that crossed her face surprised him. Charles was against him wanting to kill Shaw, but this woman, this pain in his ass was agreeing with him. "Why?" he asked. It didn't make any sense to him.
"I was in a dark place after James died" she explained. "I made a promise to him after he died, that I would do anything in my power to find that bastard and to end his life. I searched for so long, but I could never find him. Life went on and I tried to adjust to it, but I was always looking for him."
She took in a deep breath and closed her eyes "The night before you found me.. The man that killed his son? I kept telling myself that I tried to kill him because he deserved it. The truth is, I was testing to find out if I could kill. If I could keep my promise to James."
Gradually a sad smile crossed her lips. "But while I was in that bar and I felt the man dying, I suddenly realized that James would hate me for doing something like that." She bit her lip and let a sigh escape her before she shook her head. "I couldn't kill that man, and I will never be able to find that bastard that did this to me, and take his life as revenge." She raised her head and looked at him "I can't take anyone's life. I just can't."
He was still looking at her. She kept smiling with that sad smile at him "So I understand Erik, and I hope you find him, I hope you will be able to do what I cannot." Both were pulled from their thoughts as the humming of a huge motor came down the road. A bus passed the car and the entire road in front of them was illumined by the headlights. The bus parked next to the sign and its doors opened.
"My ride" she whispered softly. He too was looking at the bus, but the moment he heard her car door open he looked back at her.
"Wait."
She stopped, one foot already on the wet ground outside of the car.
"We're going to war with him."
When she didn't immediately shrug him off, he leaned forward. "We need you."
"You don't need me Erik."
"I don't need you, but those kids do."
She frowned and sat back in the car seat, the door still open. "You're dragging them to war?" she asked in disbelief.
"They want to fight." He replied earnestly. "Those kids are going into a war, and they need you."
She was stunned and he took full advantage, continuing. "I know you want to leave, but Shaw is planning another world war. We need to stop him and we need you with us." His words washed over her and she was silent for a few minutes. They could get injured or worse. Maybe even be killed. Could she let that happen? Her eyes snapped up to the bus.
If she went back to New York, she would be safe. But for how long?
If Shaw was planning to go to war, he would expose himself. And sooner or later, someone would find out what she could do. She couldn't let that happen, she couldn't be found. She couldn't let Patrick and his family find her ever again. The last time she had seen him, the guilt had almost torn her apart, she couldn't face him ever again! She had been succeeding so far to stay two steps ahead of him but she knew he was still after her.
Run, Katherine run.
The voice thundered in her head and she closed her eyes, placing a hand on her forehead trying to think. If she stayed, than she would have to join them, and that increased the odds of exposure. What could she do? There was no way out. The voice in her head was screaming and she tried to stay focused.
Then she took in a deep breath as a sudden thought flashed through her head.
The cure.
There was a mutant with them that could maybe find her a cure, Hank the scientist. Charles had told her about him. She needed to talk to him, maybe he could find a cure for her, if she was human nobody would have a reason to go after her, she could stay hidden and she wouldn't be exposed. She could go back to New York and remain in the shadows for the rest of her life. She released the breath she was holding and opened her eyes. She looked at the bus and made up her mind.
She reached for the car door.
For a second Erik's heart stopped, she was leaving.
She slammed the door closed and sat back in the chair.
His heartbeat continued.
The bus waited for half a minute more before it closed its doors and drove off. The road became dark again."You're staying." Erik slowly spoke up, placing one hand on the steering wheel and the other at the key in the ignition.
"Just drive Lehnsherr."
He smiled at her words, turned the key and drove off.
And if there's a reason I'm still alive
when everyone who loves me has died
I'm willing to...
Wait for it..
TBC.
Thanks, as always, for reading.