Despite her friends' insistence on the matter, Evie pushed any romantic notions of Erik as firmly out of her mind as possible.

Unfortunately, with the idea broached courtesy of Raven, it was often hard not to slip and wonder about the possibilities. And there was the unsettling feeling that Raven had simply placed words, added a voice, to something that had been deep inside and unspoken within Evie. A feeling that she preferred remained buried.

Because while Erik was definitely attractive, Evie regarded his friendship of far too much value to jeopardize it over uncertain brooding. So, instead, she continued to simply train and converse with Erik as normal during the day; and despite her friends' teasing, she continued to enjoy her relaxing talks with the well-educated older man out on the lawns whenever the weather permitted it. And when it didn't, they could often be found lurking in one of Charles's libraries where Erik sometimes taught Evie physics from one of the many textbooks Charles owned.

On one pleasant afternoon outside, about a week after the girls' night, Erik was relaxing on the grass while Evie started out reading a book she'd borrowed from Charles's study. But after a while, she sat back to enjoy the sun with Erik, and though their conversation was sparse in between long stretches of silence, it was a nice and peaceful time.

Until Evie spoke up thoughtfully.

"Hey, Erik?"

"Yes?" Erik answered as he lay lazily on the grass with his head near Evie's knee as she sat perpendicularly to him.

However, Evie's next question brought Erik up short.

"Do you ever wonder what life would have been like if we weren't born mutants?"

Erik sat up and eyed Evie as thoughtfully as she was staring up at the sky, unaware just how loaded her question was for her companion.

"No." Erik answered, without missing a beat or needing to think about it, and Evie glanced at him in surprise.

"Really?" She asked, and Erik met her gaze evenly as he explained, "You've seen part of my memories, Evie – but, you don't know everything yet."

Evie cocked her head in confusion, before her eyes widened as Erik pushed up his tracksuit sleeve to reveal the line of black numbers that would be forever branded into the skin on his inner forearm.

"Oh, Erik." Evie breathed, her hand lifting unconsciously as though to touch the brand on his arm.

She stopped herself, however, letting her hand drop back down while she lifted her eyes back to Erik's.

"I'm sorry." Evie murmured.

It was nowhere near enough to what could be said, and yet it was more than enough. For in her tone and expression alone Evie conveyed her shock at his reveal, her anger for him, her repulsion at the real example of the cruelty some people were capable of, and above all her sympathy and apology for bringing up another painful subject from Erik's past.

'I didn't know.' Her eyes pleaded, not saying it aloud as it had been Erik's choice to share his past with her and she knew that he knew she hadn't known. And yet, it was an apology she felt she needed to make.

"Don't be sorry. You were not the one responsible." Erik told her, his own gaze dropping down to his arm absently as he continued to explain.

"But you see, if I hadn't been a mutant I probably would have died during the war. I was being led away from my mother at Auschwitz," Evie inhaled sharply. "Being taken to the camps while she… was being taken to the chambers," Evie shuddered involuntarily at that word. "When my powers manifested."

A moment's silence followed Erik's revelation. Neither said a word as Erik let the things he had left unsaid sink in as he stared at his own arm unseeingly while Evie processed what she had heard.

Erik finally looked up when Evie's soft hand touched his wrist, his blue eyes fixing themselves on Evie's violet ones. She stared back intently for a moment before Evie's gaze dropped back down to his arm.

Carefully, Evie touched the brand, and Erik closed his eyes and let out a shuddering breath as Evie lightly but slowly traced the numbers burnt on his skin: 214782. It was with a strange tenderness that she examined each detail on the brand that would forever remind Erik of what had happened; the horrors he had witnessed that she could only imagine, and the pain he had endured.

All because he had been born different.

And that wasn't even taking into account his mutation.

"I know it won't and can't ever make up for what happened." Evie said at last, her tone soft and with a hint of uncertainty.

Erik just watched her silently as Evie lifted her eyes up to meet his once more, and she said sincerely, "But I'm glad that you were alive and that I was able to meet you, Erik."

Erik closed his hand around hers, giving her hand a soft squeeze as he answered quietly but sincerely, "Thank you, Evie."

He then tilted his head slightly as he prodded, "What about you?"

Evie looked at him questioningly, so he clarified as he looked at her intently, "Do you ever think about what your life would have been like without your mutation?"

Evie paused, looking a little hesitant. But as he had been completely honest with her, she knew he deserved the same honesty back.

"Yes." She answered softly. "Sometimes, I wonder how my life would have turned out if I hadn't been a mutant. If it might have been easier or harder. But… I always conclude there's no point thinking on the 'what ifs'. Besides," she gave him a small smile, "now that I'm not afraid of my powers anymore, I finally feel like my life has purpose."

Erik smiled back, and though it was a little strained it was genuine as he agreed, "I agree."

As they sank back into their previous leisurely enjoyment of the beautiful grounds around them, Erik added softly, "And for the record, Schatz, I'm glad you were a mutant and I could meet you."


Erik stayed awake – again – that night, simply staring up at the ceiling as he tried in vain to sleep.

It was happening more and more often, where he stayed up thinking about Evie, trying to figure out exactly how he felt about her. That he cared for her was obvious; that he could count her as a friend was clear despite how surprising that was. But was that it? No, of course not, otherwise he wouldn't be thinking about it.

… Did he love her?

That was a question that was difficult to answer and one he continued to mull over.

The easy answer was that he didn't know. She made him smile and he always felt warmer, calmer, happier around her. But did that necessarily mean love?

He'd never really had time for love, not with his revenge mission. Yes, there had been one or two women before, but it had never been love and mostly it was just for the physical aspects. The only woman he'd loved until now was his mother; and as the first woman he'd ever loved in this world and the only woman he knew for certain he would love forever, she deserved at least a proper vengeance from her son. He owed that to her.

And what about after that? A small voice in his head asked. After Shaw… well, there was still the threat from the humans. Humans, who couldn't be trusted, and who would undoubtedly come after mutants when they discovered their existence. Erik had to help protect those who couldn't protect themselves.

But he didn't have to do it alone.

And his heart wasn't so cold that he didn't miss humane warmth and love – it was just that until now, Erik had mostly missed his mother when he thought of the lack of love in his life.

'If you know you want it, why not catch her when you can?' That small voice urged in his head again. 'She's a beautiful girl, especially on the inside where it counts – you won't be the only one to notice that.'

Rubbing his face tiredly, Erik got up.

He needed to cool his head – this was getting him nowhere. He would get a glass of water from the kitchen and then try to sleep – if all else failed, he'd take a sleeping tablet to help him.

However upon reaching the kitchen Erik stopped and stared in surprise, all thoughts of sleep evaporating.

He stood in the doorway, as yet undetected as the object of his confusion stood in the middle of the kitchen with a slight frown marring her face. Her hand was outstretched towards something on the kitchen counter, and Erik cocked his head as he wondered what Evie was doing.

Peering slightly around Evie's form, he saw she was staring holes in an apple and he raised a brow as he suddenly understood what he had walked in on. Settling back, Erik decided to wait until she relaxed, least he interrupt her concentration. Just in case…

Only a few seconds later Erik straightened up again in shock, his eyes widening in surprise as – with great effort – Evie lifted the apple off the ground.

He was about to applaud her even if it would no doubt break her clearly tenuous hold, when he saw her stretch out her other hand, motioning it towards the apple as well. Sensing something else was about to happen, Erik stood still, waiting on bated breath.

And a wide, proud smile appeared on his face when the apple's colour slowly started to change, becoming a bright shade of orange… and Erik positively beamed when he realized that the apple wasn't just changing colour: Evie was actually making it change its shape into a real orange.

However, about a third of the way, her concentration and energy faltered and Evie dropped the apple-orange with a sharp exhale.

"Damn." She muttered, pursing her lips as she stared at the apple-orange sitting back on the kitchen counter.

Evie then almost jumped out of her skin as someone clapped slowly behind her, and she spun around in alarm before relaxing in relief as Erik strode into the room.

"That was very impressive." Erik praised as he continued to clap for her, and she grinned a little sheepishly.

"How long have you been there?" She asked.

Erik shrugged as he answered, "Not long. I wasn't here a minute before you started levitating that apple."

He nodded at said fruit, and Evie grinned wryly.

"How long have you been coming here secretly to practice?" Erik asked curiously, and Evie admitted, "The whole week. I couldn't sleep so I figured I'd practice."

"You can't sleep again?" Erik asked, frowning in concern, and Evie said hastily, "It's not nightmares, promise."

"Good." Erik answered, relaxing though he wondered what was keeping her up if it wasn't her memories. "You will tell me if they come back to bother you, won't you?"

Evie blushed just slightly – odd, he noted – but nodded as she promised, "I will."

"Good." Erik repeated, and then a slightly awkward silence fell between them.

It hadn't been this awkward since they'd made up and become friends, and Erik cleared his throat as he asked, just for something to say, "So, why can't you sleep?"

"No reason." Evie replied a little nervously. "How come you're down here?"

"… No reason." He answered, equally evasively.

Changing the subject quickly, he nodded at the apple again as he asked, "So, when did this start to happen? You've made incredible progress."

Evie smiled as she said, looking at the fruit, "I managed to start lifting it pretty early into my practices actually. After… I told you about my past out the lawn, it was like I had energy. You were right; I mean of course you were, but I was the only one who could let my fears go. So I did a bit of soul-searching I guess, and… it moved."

Erik grinned, happy for her and also quite a bit pleased that he'd been the one to help her.

"What prompted you to try to change it into an orange?" He asked curiously, and she shrugged as she admitted, "Charles explained that what I can do – esso kinesis – can change physics and possibly actual reality. Since I kind of had progress with the physics, I wanted to see if I could change it in reality."

"I'd say you certainly can." Erik commented a little dryly as he looked at the orange part of the apple, and Evie laughed a little.

"Yeah, but so far it's only the skin." She sighed. "I haven't managed to make the inside of the fruit change. And even with the skin, this is the most I've managed to change it actually."

"It's still beautiful, Schatz." Erik answered softly, looking at her as she beamed at his compliment. "Like you-r gift."

He barely managed to save himself there, and Evie gave him a brief, odd glance. Erik saw a flash in her eyes, a hint of something he barely caught; but before he could dwell on it she had turned away as she sighed, her usual self again, "I just wish I could do something… more, you know?"

She huffed as she added, "It's so much easier in visions to manipulate things into what I want them to be."

Erik had an idea at her words, and he smirked as his teasing nature resurfaced.

Reaching out with his powers, he pulled a metal piece off of a decorative curtain tassle. Evie watched him oddly, before her lips parted awe as Erik manipulated the metal carefully, drawing it out and reshaping it with his powers.

"Like this?" He teased as he held out a miniature but perfectly sculpted metal rose.

"Oh, Erik." Evie sighed as she leant in to examine the details with all the admiration of a true artist.

She then shook her head as she grumbled jokingly, "You make it look so easy. It must come with age, eh, old man?"

"I'd say it's more of a natural talent, Schatz." Erik answered smugly, before he presented the rose to her.

"A beautiful flower…"

He paused as he suddenly recalled the emotion he'd seen flashing in Evie's eyes moments ago, and Erik's heart picked up as he thought he realized what it was. Taking a chance, he finished softly as he looked down at Evie.

"… For a beautiful woman."

Violet orbs fixed onto his blue ones, and for a moment Evie and Erik stared at each other.

Both could feel the tension that had been sparked by Erik's words, a tension unlike any Evie had ever felt before. It was as though the very air around her had evaporated, making her heart beat faster and she could feel an almost electric – no, metallic – tingle all over her skin.

It was all she could do to suppress a shiver as she stared without a word back into Erik's eyes as he did the same, each searching the other intently. His blue eyes were intense but controlled, as though Erik was consciously holding himself back as he examined her. Evie's purple eyes were wide, more innocent and open but…

Slowly, Evie took the metal rose and she murmured carefully, "Thank you, Erik."

Erik nodded just as slowly while keeping his eyes fixated on the way Evie's eyes flickered down briefly to his lips, so quickly he almost missed it. But he did see it, and there was no denying the diluted look in her eyes nor the shining emotion in her violet depths as Evie's eyes returned to his.

Before he was even fully aware of what he was doing, Erik had reached down one hand to cup Evie's cheek. She shivered a little at his touch, swallowing slightly in a mix of anticipation and wariness; but her body moved of its own accord without hesitation, unconsciously leaning into his touch and moving her closer to him as Erik bent his head down towards her.

Evie's eyes fluttered closed as Erik came closer, and that was all the permission he needed before he closed the tiny gap between them and pressed his lips to hers.

Her lips were incredibly soft and somewhat uncertain; and Erik realized from her tense posture that, despite the visions she had created in the past at her previous job, Evie likely didn't have much experience.

It was more of a subconscious realization, and one that guided his body to unconsciously be gentle with her as he kissed her softly. Evie's lips on his felt divine and the feel of her in his arms was heavenly even if all he was doing was holding her in a loose embrace.

And he knew in that moment that there were no longer any questions regarding his feelings for the blonde woman before him, who could brighten his world with one smile and satiate his entire being with one sweet kiss.

Erik was in love… with Evie Johnson.