Grace kept silent as she finished cooking the Christmas dinner the following day. She had prepared everything and the mutants had all ate it in silence, sensing that there was some form of tension in the air. They had heard about Erik's surprise visit and Charles knew that they were dying to question him and Grace about what it meant.

Charles said nothing, but he did note that Grace could scarcely look at him. He should never have said anything to her the previous day. He had felt them grow close together and now there was distance between them. But that distance only grew in the coming weeks. The mutants in the mansion sensed that they weren't learning as much as they wanted to.

Slowly but surely, Charles was pushing everyone he cared for from his life. He was still haunted by loosing Raven and even Erik. Grace had been his last chance and he felt as though he was losing her.

"Have you spoken with Alex?" Grace whispered to Charles once he had helped her train for the day.

Her powers were still reckless and she was still unable to hold the energy she absorbed. Charles worried what she would be like outside in the real world. He dreaded to think.

"Yes," Charles nodded. "He wants to join the army."

"Do you think that is a good idea?" Grace asked and Charles sat down in the corner of the bunker he trained Grace in.

She remained standing, her hands in her hair as she readjusted her ponytail and pulled down the sweatshirt she wore over her body. She had noted that Charles had changed in the recent week. Ever since Christmas she had seen his hair become unkempt and stubble grow on his cheek when it never used to.

"Alex has a great control over his powers," Charles nodded. "It only makes sense that he should want to do something with his life now. I cannot keep him here."

"But you have not recruited anyone new," Grace continued and Charles looked up to her, his legs outstretched in front of him. "You haven't used cerebro in weeks now. I have heard Banshee talk about going too."

"They are at liberty to do as they please," Charles replied.

"Charles..." Grace began but stopped, knowing that she couldn't think of anything to say. "What has happened to you? You were fine before Christmas...you were optimistic..."

"Do you truly have to ask me, Grace?" Charles wondered from her and she sighed before sitting next to him. "I lost the girl I classed as my sister...the man I thought had been my best friend abandoned me...and now...now I feel as though I am using you. Do I push people from me? Is that what I am good at?"

"Of course not," Grace responded. "Raven made her own decision and we couldn't stop her. She wanted to go with Erik...and Erik...we both lost him, Charles..."

Gulping, Charles looked to Grace as she pushed her hair behind her ears and he wondered how she felt towards the metal bender still. He hadn't dared speak Erik's name in weeks. He didn't want to speak about Erik.

"And you?" Charles asked. "Ever since I told you how I felt you have done your best to avoid conversation with me. If you still love Erik then tell me, Grace. Let me know if there is anything else I can do...if not then so be it..."

"I still love Erik," Grace finally admitted to Charles. "I always will love Erik, but I cannot have him. He is a wanted man for what he has done. He freed that bitch from the CIA and now he is a wanted man. How can I ever be with him?"

Charles gulped and shook his head sadly. That answered his question enough. He was about to stand before Grace continued to speak.

"But I know that I feel something for you," she whispered. "Maybe I am too scared to admit it? Maybe I'm too scared of what could happen between us? I don't know, Charles...I know that you are so much better for me than Erik ever could be. When I spend time with you I feel as though I have nothing to worry about...and you are a good man..."

"You know that I would never hurt you like he did," Charles whispered to her. "I would never abandon you to pursue...well...anything...Erik is hell bent on revenge. He didn't notice what it was he could have had with you. You would have made him happier than any Brotherhood ever could."

"No I couldn't," Grace responded and moved to stand up. "I was never enough for him. But with you...I feel as though..."

"You are more than enough?" Charles guessed for her and he too stood up for her. "And you are, Grace, but I do not want to force you into anything."

"No," Grace shook her head at him. "I have to move on from Erik, but I want it to be you, Charles. Honestly, I do know that I feel something for you. I'm just scared."

Charles nodded and tentatively moved to wrap his arms around her waist. Grace rested her hands son his shoulders and she closed her eyes as she inhaled his familiar scent. She kept her orbs shut and Charles ran his hand down her back as she shuddered at the soothing motion.

"I know, love," Charles said, the endearing term slipping naturally from his tongue. "I know."

...

Grace wondered if she was enough in the next coming months. Alex and Banshee had left and Darwin was considering going too. The new recruit, Marie, didn't seem to want to be with them ever since Banshee had left. Charles suspected the pair of them had been romantically involved and his suspicions were confirmed when they went away together. Hank was the only mutant left and he spent most of his time in his lab trying to find a cure to his natural blue form.

"The sign at the front of the school has fallen," Grace informed Charles as she finished cleaning his library. He was sat reading as she dusted around him.

"I will fix it when I have chance," Charles said and they heard the TV blaring from the corner.

Grace looked over to it and she saw that some form of attack had happened at a research laboratory. Erik's face appeared for half a second and Grace felt her chest tighten at the sight of him. She turned away and tried to forget him.

"He is growing bolder," Charles said in a low voice.

"Of course you need mutants if you are to keep the school running," Grace informed Charles, ignoring his comment about Erik. "You need to use cerebro, Charles. It is the only way to keep his place running."

"One day, love," Charles whispered back to her and she sighed.

"And it is getting harder to keep the mansion clean," she reminded him. "There is no one here and Hank snarls at me whenever I interrupt his work."

"He is trying hard to find a cure," Charles reminded her and Grace bit down on her tongue. He didn't need her opinion on that matter. "Perhaps we could go out tonight?"

"Tonight?" Grace checked with him and he nodded to her.

"I thought that we could go to the cinema and then have a meal somewhere," he said to her. "Perhaps leaving the mansion would do us some good."

"Perhaps," Grace agreed with him and he stood up and offered her a thin smile before he stood and inclined his head.

"Good." He said and kissed her cheek softly.

...

Grace had spent hours trying to figure out what it was she would wear that evening. She had finally settled on a black mini skirt in a white blouse before throwing on her black blazer. She had allowed Charles to drive them to the nearest cinema and she had even allowed him to pick the film. He had been hesitant at first, his sweaty hands in his pockets as Grace ambled by his side.

"So is this a date?" she teased him as they stood in the queue for tickets.

Charles chuckled and looked down to the floor, his cheeks tinted red as Grace stared back to him.

"You could call it that," Charles agreed with her.

"Then shouldn't you hold my hand?" Grace wondered from him and Charles looked her in the eye as she held her hand out expectantly.

Charles moved his hands from his black trousers and took hold of her hand, his pale fingers entwining inside of hers and he smiled to her as she smiled back and moved closer so that their arms were brushing against each other.

It was only as they moved down the queue did Charles sense a sudden tingle run down his back. He looked at the TV screens stood in the corner of the room as people turned to look at them too. Grace did the same and Charles watched with a gaping mouth.

"No," Grace whispered at the sight on the screen.

"Erik..." Charles whispered the name he had tried not to speak in months.

"Not the President!" one woman shrieked loudly as the queue dispersed and Charles kept Grace's hand tightly inside of his.

"President Kennedy has been shot," Grace repeated the title at the bottom of the screen. "Erik couldn't have...not him..."

"We need to go," Charles said as he continued to feel something inside of his gut and voices entered his head. He took Grace by the waist then, his thin arm wrapping around her slender waist as he led her towards the revolving doors of the cinema.

It was only then when he saw all of the agents descend. Grace was startled as they entered the cinema, guns in their hands and she finally saw that their orbs were focused on her. Charles kept her in his grip as the leading agent moved forwards, chewing gum in his mouth. Grace felt fear rise inside of her and she did her best to keep her mind calm so that her power did not take over.

"Grace Shaw?" the man checked with her and she nodded at him.

"What is this?" Charles asked from the man.

"You're going to have to come with us," the man said.

"Not before you tell us what it is you want," Charles demanded.

"I don't think you want to make a scene here, Mr Xavier," he said and Charles itched to press his fingers to his temple for a few moments. "Miss Shaw is wanted for her involvement with Erik Lensherr."

"I haven't seen Erik in months!" Grace snapped. "What he has done is nothing to do with me."

"We have information on the contrary from one Miss Emma Frost," the agent continued. "Now, come with us before we drag you out of here."

"She is going nowhere with you-"

"-No, Charles," Grace shook her head at him, her hand on his shoulder as she urged him to stop. "Come for me. I will go and explain...but...I need you to be quick..."

Charles watched as she stepped forwards and he knew that she was scared of her powers. She moved forwards and an agent grabbed her wrists together. She did her best to keep calm, knowing full well that she could break his neck with a tiny slap from her hand. She winced as the handcuffs marked her skin and she turned to look back at Charles. His eyes were wide, but he gave her a firm nod.

He would do everything possible to free her. She knew that.

...

A/N: Thanks to everyone reading and please do let me know what you think!