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"I said I'M TIRED Charles." Erik repeated when the other man made no motion to remove himself from the room. Charles had remained silent for the last few minutes giving him a steady appraising look which reeked of judgement.

"Charles there's no point in encouraging the boy to attach himself to me. I'm leaving tomorrow night, after I've spoken with Reyes." Erik snapped.

" So you're going to tell him you're his father and then abandon him in the same breath?" Charles summed up disapprovingly.

"No. I won't be telling Pietro I'm related to him, and neither will you."

"You're being unreasonably cold, I've seen you with him...I don't believe that this is what you really want. Don't you think he has a right to know who you really are? Who he really is?"

"It won't make any practical difference to the child Charles. If you choose to share the information, it will only make him miserable and endanger him"

"Why do you think that Erik? Experience has given Pietro a great deal of caution for his years. If you relay to him the importance of keeping your connection a secret then I'm positive that he'll understand. And far from making him miserable, I suspect he will be happy to learn he has another living relative. "

"Charles, I know he is far better away from me, but if having him at your school is going to torture your god damn ideals then I'll find somewhere else for him!"

"Erik I've told you already he is more than welcome here, but I really believe-"

"-Let it go Charles! No good will come of him knowing that I'm his father! Not now at any rate...He will simply be more upset when I have to leave!" Erik replied irritably, how could he get this through Charles' dense skull? "I cannot keep him with me and lead the Brotherhood. It is too dangerous. When he much older perhaps...and stronger...strong enough to fight beside me...I will tell him then..."

"Is this "Brotherhood" of yours really more important than your son?" -Charles asked narrowing his eyes. Erik exploded.

"It's because of my son – because of my children- all mutant children- that the Brotherhood's importance has amplified. People are doing experiments on our people Charles! They experimented on my CHILD! And you let them go! Our people...my son...my daughter...they need someone to make the world safe for them...to ensure they grow up free...Someone who's willing to protect them by any means necessary...means that you would shy away from...Means that you can't stomach..." Magneto shot back.

"Means that involve bloodshed? Isn't there any room in your plans for freedom and rights reached by peace and negotiation? Charles asked

"Si vis pacem, para bellum[If you wish for peace, you must prepare for war]"

Charles knew he shouldn't be arguing with Erik while his condition was still critical, but his friend's stance was striking a nerve. Erik's willingness to stash Pietro away because he was an inconvenient encumbrance to his lifestyle had parallels with Charles' own childhood.

Brian Xavier-Charles' father-had died when he was very young. Charles' mother was the type of woman that followed the status quo with the same dedication that some people followed religion. She never questioned anything the mainstream told her, and going against conservative opinion was unthinkable. Charles fancied that if Good House Keeping magazine had declared that white pearl necklaces were out and wearing rabbit entrails around your neck was in, his mother would have followed suit, one had to keep up appearances of course.

Sharon Xavier had also been long ago convinced that a woman was nothing without a husband. Which in truth, was hardly surprising for someone raised in the high class world of débutantes, that had been programmed to believe their entire mission in life was to marry well, then dedicate themselves to baring a progeny and pleasing their spouse. The problem with this form of education was that it also bred women that were discouraged from critical thinking, women who by default deferred to their husband at the cost of forming their own opinion. Women who, in a sense, mentally remained children, forever relying on another to tell them what to do when a situation became difficult or distressing. In short women who could side step moral responsibilities with terrifying ease because they could say that they were "just following orders".

For Charles' mother, this became disastrous when the orders no longer came from an empathetic man like his father Brian, but instead from a manipulative monster like his step father Kurt. Sharon had rushed into to marriage with Kurt, completely unable to contemplate running the household's financial affairs on her own after Brian's death, and horrified by the prospect of ending up solitary widow in old age. Considering herself past it, she had been almost pathetically grateful when Kurt asked her to marry him.

Kurt hadn't wanted Brian's brat around, and had plainly told Sharon so. His mother had obediently packed him off to boarding school at the earliest opportunity, fearful of displeasing her new husband. The school was not overly unpleasant, and his physical needs had always been well met, but the emotional ones had fallen by the wayside. Being home for the holidays had always been a cold and clinical experience.

During his younger years before he'd met Raven, Charles' gift had seemed more like a curse. Initially all he could do was hear thoughts, not influence them. Placing images into other people's heads was something he'd only managed develop in his early twenties and physically controlling others was something he'd only realised he could do a year ago when he and Erik had tracked Frost to the USSR.

Charles hadn't learnt how to shield himself from the emotions of others until his teens. So everyday he was at Westchester the toxic mixture of loathing, resentment and negativity engulfed him. He'd spent the holidays as a morose and solitary child, trying his best to avoid contact with the adults that despised his presence.

From all accounts Erik's parents had always loved and cherished him and his sister, and Erik failed to appreciate just what difference that made in a person's psyche. Erik's surety, his self esteem, his confidence, his unshakable belief in himself – Charles felt these were all gifts that his parents' love had bestowed on him. Erik had revealed to Charles that his father had died trying to protect his family. Charles highly suspected that Mrs Xavier would have sold him to Shaw in a heart beat, and his step father would have paid the man handsomely to take him away. Erik had so much to teach and pass on, that he would deny his own child this made Charles uncharacteristically angry. Children didn't ask to be born, their parents decided to have them, and their parents should take responsibility for them.

"It's sounds more like you are trying to shirk your parental obligations than protect your son! A child isn't an object you can keep on a shelf somewhere until they mature and prove useful enough to join your army!" Charles snapped " You are choosing to endanger him and the rest of mutant kind, with your own decision to march doggedly on to war with all of humanity. I wonder...what would your own parents have to say about this?"

Erik felt a sudden surge of anger. How dare Charles judge him? Charles who had been raised in the lap of luxury. Charles who had never lost a family through violence. What stung the most though, was the ring of truth in Xavier accusation...his mother certainly wouldn't approve of Erik's decision to delegate the raising of her grandson...But then she wasn't around was she? None of his family were...If the fates had wanted him to take a different path they should have woven a different thread for him shouldn't they?

"And what do you know of raising children anyway?" Erik demanded, infuriated by Charles' pompous condemnation of him.

Charles gave held his gaze long and hard before replying in a flat tone "I confess not as much as others..."

"Well raising your own flesh and blood is vastly different from taking in a pack of strays!" Magneto spat.

Just because Charles had opened the mansion's doors to younger students didn't give him absolute authority on the subject.

"Yes I imagine there would be some differences...but I shall have to take your word on that, since I'm unlikely to ever have an alternate experience –that is biological offspring of my own - to compare it with.."

The words hit Erik like sledge hammer. His eyes flickered to Charles' useless legs...the severed spinal cord... He swallowed, he'd stolen a whole future from his friend.

"I...I'm sorry Charles...forgive me I didn't think" Erik said a pained expression on his face. "Perhaps...perhaps there's something that can be done...?...In the future..."

Charles sighed, the tension between them dispelling. "Perhaps...but believe it or not my friend, you are not the only one who has reached their limit of being prodded and poked by doctors"

For awhile, the only sound came from the ticking grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

"You would make a marvellous father." Erik said softly at last. Charles swallowed, he was touched by the sentiment. "..That's why I know leaving Pietro here is the right decision..." Erik continued. Charles let his friend's words float in the air for a while before speaking again.

"...Erik...I still think he has a right to know...but ultimately...you are right: it's your decision. I won't tell him if you don't wish me to. " Charles said, but it was just a statement, no judgement in the words this time. The tone if anything was resigned.

Erik ran his hand his hand over his faced and released a deep sigh. When he finally looked at Charles again he looked beyond tired, beyond exhausted. It was a rare naked glimpse at Erik's soul, it was a look filled with sorrow, guilt and remorse.

"My daughter is dead...My wife dead...My mother is dead...all because of me."

"Erik...Shaw killed your mother. Your daughter died in a fire. Your wife was shot by-"

"Because they knew me!" Erik shouted standing, why couldn't Charles understand? His love was like a death sentence Erik crumpled back onto the bed, he held his head in his hands. "Charles...my capacity for grief is not endless...I can't continue loosing members of my family and hang on to my sanity." Raven, Charles, Pietro...that was all that was left now. He couldn't even mentally add Wanda to that list until he found out for sure that she'd survived the ship wreak. It would be too painful to start to think of her as alive only to find out she had been dead for a year... If he was less selfish maybe he'd send Raven back to Charles to keep her safe as well. But he needed a second in command he could trust...

"You know...your son has similar theories about himself" Charles said sadly " He thinks he's cursed"

Erik dismissed this a wave of his hand. "The child is confused. It's just some silly superstition that Magda's people clung to. It's nonsense, he'll grow out of it."

"That's what I said to him." Charles said a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Erik read the suggestion in his friend's eyes' he frowned irritably.

"Charles this is not the same thing at all. I don't believe I'm cursed...I just think..."

"You're unlucky?" Charles concluded for him. Erik glared narrowing his eyes. He knew that Charles was wrong but he couldn't formulate a logical argument that would prove it. He signed. Charles reached over and patted his leg.

"Get some sleep my friend."

Erik awoke late the following morning. It was past noon by the time he'd showered and dressed(Charles having thankfully situated him in an ensuite) . Deciding to go in search of breakfast Erik opened his bedroom door and almost tripped over his son.

"Good-morning-Erik! Do-you-want-some-muffins?" Pietro had said the greeting so fast that Erik had trouble deciphering it. He seemed ridiculously excited that Erik was now awake.

"Pardon?"

"You weren't at breakfast, I saved you some..." Pietro repeated beaming holding out the plate "Charles said you like the blueberry and cinnamon ones..." Pietro's smile faltered slightly "...he also said you might be leaving today..."

He's been sitting outside your door for over two hours...Charles' voice sounded in Erik's head. You know that's an eternity for a seven year old? And a miracle for your seven year old ...I've never seen him sit still for so long...

Don't start Charles Erik warned, the conversation sounded innocent enough now, but he knew where this was going...they'd already had this debate.

He felt Charles retreat from his mind, the telepath knew that he would not win this argument.

"Have you got another headache?" Pietro was looking up at him with concern, taking in the older man's knotted brow.

"No, I just need some coffee...lets go to the kitchen..." Erik said giving his son a small reassuring smile "I'd like to hear more about your sister."