Things didn't go well for the two mutant men that evening. Not only they lost sight of their target but encountered a group of 5 mutants who were also looking for the boy. However, their intentions were not as nice as Charles', and they came prepared. As if they expected Charles to be there. The only reason they made it out alive was probably because the enemy group thought Charles will be alone. The combination of their numbers, abilities and equipment indicated that they were experts at what they did. Finding, hunting down and incapacitating their targets.

"We shouldn't be here, Charles" Erik hissed through his clenched jaw, his back to the wall, clutching his right arm.

"Right now, that's the only place we can go" Charles breathed out, messing with the key to open their apartment door. "We need to patch ourselves up somewhere."

Seeing that Charles was unable to open that damned door, Erik decided to use his power to click the lock open, but as he did, a wave of tremendous pain burst through his right arm and shoulder. Sliding down the wall with a loud pained grunt he left a trail of blood and brown ooze behind.

"Erik" Charles crouched down to his still grunting friend, trying to hush him. "Please, endure it just a bit more" he begged, feeling the wound on his left side throbbing because of his sudden movement, but he didn't have time to care about it.

They were careless. He was careless. They got trapped, injured, and now he couldn't use his power and he didn't even know what was happening to Erik, but their situation was distressing.

"Just a few more steps" he whispered to Erik. "We have to go insi…"

He was cut off by the door to 407 opening, with Olivia looking at the two men with wide eyes. Shocked by her sudden presence, Charles slowly stood up in a guarded position, slowly raising one of his hand up defensively.

"That's not…" he started, looking for words, as she started coming their way with a stern expression. "…what it looks like."

"She's a… nurse" he heard Erik mumble, looking down at him trying to get up.

"Get inside and pack all the stuff you need" she said looking at Charles, as she supported Erik up, throwing his left arm around her shoulder. "Come to my place and leave no trails. Whoever did this, they will look for you here first."

"Thank you" Charles let out a relieved sigh, watching Olivia and Erik stumble to her apartment, before Charles quickly got inside to get their stuff.

"You just made a great mistake" Erik groaned in pain, as she made him sit on a chair in the kitchen.

"So did you, it seems" she replied ironically out of habit.

He didn't have the energy to counter that, so he just gave a tired half-grin in response, shaking his head. He could feel his heart beating hard in his chest, with each beat the blood passing by the wound on his shoulder stung and burned. Pain was starting to spread to his head and lower back, along with his whole right arm.

This isn't gonna end well, he thought grimly, as he heard her rummaging through some drawers and Charles' hurried steps approaching.

As Charles entered the apartment with two luggage, he saw Erik resting with his left hand on the table, his right arm hanging by his side. Olivia was behind him, already having a first aid kit on the counter and scissors in her hand. Looking at Charles, she motioned with her head for him to put the bags down in the small hall.

"Erik" she started with a serious but kind tone. "I have to cut the T-shirt off so I could examine your wound."

"What can I do?" asked Charles hurriedly, as she started cutting up the T-shirt from its right arm part, earning quiet grunts from Erik.

"There are clean towels in the bathroom cabinet. First door to your right" she said calmly. "Moisten one well and bring it here."

With a nod, he was already on his way to the bathroom, while she finished cutting the T-shirt, slowly peeling it off from his bloody shoulder blade. The wound looked like nothing she'd ever seen before. There were several vein-like branches toward his arm and the rest of his back starting from a 2-3 cm diameter wound. Everything was covered in blood and some rusty-coloured liquid slowly oozing out from the main wound. Stepping in front of him, she examined his chest but didn't see any sign of this infection, or whatever it was. However, some of the veins in the back were getting dangerously close to his heart, and she didn't want to find out what would happen if this reached his heart. Cleaning and disinfecting the wound seemed like sensible things to start with. Getting to the first aid kit, she grabbed some iodine, as Charles arrived with the dripping towel.

"Thank you" she replied, taking it from him.

"How's he doing?" Charles asked, looking at the wound with worried eyes, supressing any kind of reaction that Erik could hear.

"I have to know how he got the wound" she stated matter-of-factly as she started gently wiping the area around the wound. "I can clean and sterilise it, but without knowing what this substance is, I won't know how to proceed."

"I don't know what that thing is" Charles admitted honestly, looking at her, hoping she believed him.

Staring into his eyes, she took a frustrated breath. God, he was so angry that his power got supressed by that injection the enemy got to give him. It would have been so much easier to know what she was thinking. If she believed him or not. Or what her plans were when Erik's condition got stable. Or when she figured out they were… different.

Opening the bottle of iodine, she just decided to go for it and pour it over the wound. She didn't know what this stuff was but hoped the antiseptic characteristics of iodine would help with at least stopping the spreading. She didn't really have any proper tools at home, so she just improvised.

"Erik" she started again, informing him about what she was about to do. "I'm gonna disinfect the wound now. It will probably hurt. A lot."

"Just do it" he groaned, his body tensing, left hand grabbing the edge of the table.

Letting out a silent breath, she did. And that proved to be a big mistake. As soon as the iodine reached the edge of the wound, Erik inhaled sharply, his grip on the table tightening. Olivia could see that the iodine started to bubble and vaporise as it got in contact with the brown ooze, making Erik's pained grunts turning almost into screams. Simultaneously, she could see and hear every door in the house throwing open, her iron pans flying out of her cupboards, the cutlery shaking in the drawers. Realising what was happening, Charles ran to Erik, trying to calm him by talking to him. As she was standing behind him, she saw the smaller branches from the wound grow bigger and extend further as her home became a battlefield of metallic objects. Realising what might be happening, she threw the wet towel on the wound, pressing it firmly around the edges.

"It's okay, Erik" she said confidently. "Try to calm down, I'm done with it" she continued, one hand reassuringly squeezing his other shoulder. "We're done."

"Verdammt noch mal" Erik groaned quietly, on the brink of losing consciousness.

"It's okay, my friend" Charles said with worried eyes and a tiny smile. "You'll be alright."

Charles stood up, carefully examining the mess around them, then looking at Olivia with a scared and questioning look. So now what? How could he possibly talk themselves out of this situation? He saw her stepping a few steps back from Erik, leaning on the counter with her back. She didn't take her eyes away from Erik's wound, just stared at it, seemingly deep in thought.

"Olivia" Charles started with a questioning tone.

Seeing that calling her name didn't work, he stepped closer, looking briefly at his friend, still breathing heavily, slumping down on the table. Charles understood it. The pain Erik felt caused him to lose control over his power and it scared her. But they needed her help. Erik needed her.

"Olivia" he said again, moving closer to the still-standing woman. "I understand that this was a shocking experience…"

"His power…" she started, slightly squinting at Charles. "I think using it triggers the infection to spread more."

"It… What?" Charles asked, taken aback.

"Great" groaned Erik.

"So how to cure it?" asked Charles, confused. "If it reacts to one's mutation on a deep cellular level, the damage it already caused…" he started rambling, panicking.

"If that was the case, he wouldn't be still with us now" she said with a light voice. "Don't worry."

"Alright" he said, taking a deep breath to calm himself. "Still, how do we cure it."

"By removing it from his system" she replied, putting her hair up in a messy bun. "Come on, Erik, let's go to the bathroom" she said, motioning Charles to help and carry his friend there as she went ahead.

"I…" Erik started hazily.

"It's okay" said Charles kindly, putting Erik's hand around his own shoulder, lifting him from the chair. "Come on, Erik, help me out here" he asked, as with his physical condition and his own throbbing wound, he wasn't sure he could carry him alone.

Erik tried. He really did. Putting one foot in front of the other. Trying to carry his own weight. It didn't really work. His legs buckled after a few seconds of standing, and each time he felt his consciousness slowly fading with every small step. As Olivia emerged from the bathroom, she stepped in front of them, gently raising Erik's head, checking his pupils, before turning to take a glance at Charles' shirt with a slowly growing bloody spot on the left side.

"I can take him from here" she said with a small smile, indicating to change with him which he immediately complied with.

Charles didn't understand what exactly was happening. He understood that nurses were supposed to keep calm and understanding at any kind of emergency situations, but he just didn't expect her to help them out so much without any comments or even batting an eye. She was an extraordinarily kind and caring person, he didn't need his power to know that. As she and Erik slowly made their way to the bathroom, he followed them, seeing a few towels thrown to the floor next to the bathtub.

"Can you help me make him sit down?" she asked Charles, who was there in an instant to help. "Let me see that wound" she said, looking at Charles for a second.

"You shouldn't be concerned with that right now" he replied with a tired smile. "I'm okay. Really."

"Charles" she said with a firm voice, as she took off the showerhead, turning on the water and checking its temperature.

As if his body moved on its own, he unbuttoned the lower part of his shirt, showing the cut on his side, his eyes unfocused on some tiles above the bathtub. Stepping closer to look at it, she hummed, then sat down on the left side of Erik.

"The wound it not too deep. It started to bleed again because of the force you carrying his body exerted on you" she said calmly while sitting down next to Erik. "I'll treat it when we're done with him."

"…talk like…not here" they heard Erik murmuring, as she gently made him lay on her legs.

"Erik, listen to me now" she said with the kindest, sweetest voice both men have ever heard. "I'll start extracting this substance from your body that's causing you the pain. But there is something very important I need you to do. Alright?"

"What?" he asked with a harsh voice.

"Your power. Do not use it, no matter what you feel. It's very important that you keep it at bay" she said, putting her hand on his head. "It cannot spread in your body any further, do you understand that?" she asked in a concerned but firm voice.

The only answer she got was a frustrated groan from the mutant in her lap.

"Alright" she breathed out, gently stroking his head. "Alright… Charles, I also need your help."

"What… How are you planning on removing it from his body?" he asked looking around the bathroom in search for any kind of instrument or medicine.

"Charles" she said, looking up at him with a stern but worried look. "Please."

"Alright" he said, pushing his hair back, taking a deep breath. "What do I do?"

"Water" she motioned to the water pouring out of the showerhead. "Keep the water flowing over the wound. Continuously."

He had no idea what good that would do, but for some godforsaken reason, he trusted her. He grabbed that damn showerhead, kneeled next to his lying friend and held it over his shoulder. He could hear Erik flinch under the sensation of hot water washing away the upper layer of blood and goo.

"Now what?" he asked in a confronting voice, looking up at her.

But she didn't react. She was sitting there with her eyes closed, breathing slowly, focusing. One hand on the head of Erik, stroking it in a comforting manner, the other a few centimetres above the injured shoulder. Looking closely at that hand, then at the wound, he first didn't believe his eyes. The water flowing on Erik's skin slowly seeped inside the open wound, making him hiss and grab the back of Olivia's shirt with his left hand. Charles could swear he saw the water move inside the infested veins, to the end of them, then returning back to the wound. And the water that came out had the same rusty colour as the rest of the infested skin. After a few rounds of flushing, he could see the long veins started retracting, leaving only the natural skin colour behind. She was working on one part at a time, with several rounds of cleaning water, slowly and precisely going along the infested areas. The way she controlled the flow of the water with only a few small movements of her fingers blew Charles away. Looking at his lying friend, he seemed to be in a much better shape, but he already lost his consciousness after a few minutes of treatment. Charles kept checking the clock every now and then, while he just stayed there holding the showerhead relentlessly, even though his arms already hurt. 5 minutes, then 10, 15, 30, 60, 120… Time was flying by cruelly, but this was not a process that could be quickened if she wanted to do it properly. But she was getting tired. Looking at her, Charles could see it: her eyes darkening, her skin getting pale, her breaths becoming shorter and faster. Still, she continued. The appreciation and admiration Charles felt toward her at this moment… He would never be able to express it by words. The wound on Erik's shoulder was almost completely gone, breathing steadily, his peaceful face showing Charles everything he needed to know. A few more rounds and she was done with the treatment. With a long, deep inhale and exhale, she finally opened her eyes, throwing her head back.

"He'll be fine" she whispered.

"Now I understand why his rampaging power didn't phase you" Charles smiled, turning off the water. "But I guess you have many questions."

"I surely do" she breathed out. "But those can wait. Let's patch you up as well."

~v~

The room Erik woke up in was like the one in their apartment. Looking around, he saw a makeshift IV stand next to him, and an IV tube still in his arm, securely taped to the skin. The room was dark, with only a dim light from the kitchen/living room area penetrating through the half-open door. Slowly sitting up in the bed, he scratched the back of his neck and let out a short, relieved groan as he felt none of the pain in his arm or back. Then he heard a rustling noise from the living room, followed by silent bare-foot footsteps. Looking out the door, he saw a feminine figure approaching with slightly wobbling steps. Fully opening the door, most of the room was totally lit up, making him squint until his eyes could adapt.

"How are you feeling?" Olivia asked him softly, rubbing her eye as she switched on a small desk lamp on the drawer next to the bed.

"Fine" he replied with a raspy voice, just to be offered a glass of water, already prepared for him.

"The poison was removed from your body. All of it" she said, putting her hand on his forehead, then holding his earlobe between her pointing and middle finger for an approximate temperature check. "I gave you fluids with some morphine, I didn't know if it'd still be painful."

"I see" he replied. "Where's Charles?" he asked nervously, thoughts racing through his mind as he tried to stand up quickly.

His body was not ready for the sudden movement, making him trip forward. Realising that this wasn't a wide decision, he instinctively grabbed onto Olivia. She tried to stop him, and as it didn't work, she then tried preventing him from falling. Well, considering the difference in their weight and physical capabilities, it didn't work either.

"Erik" she said with a surprised voice as she stumbled backwards, falling to the ground with Erik on top of her. "Charles… He's alright. In the other bedroom" she groaned painfully.

Pushing himself up from the ground, he looked down at the woman beneath him. He could see that the fall hurt her, and he felt rather guilty about it. Taking a closer look, she looked exhausted. As she opened her eyes, she was somewhat creeped out by the metal-bender's adamant stare. Still, he couldn't tear his eyes away from her.

"Did you hit yourself?" she asked worriedly.

"I'm…" he breathed out, still staring her. "I'm sorry" he said, getting off of her, sitting down the floor with his back to the bed.

"That's okay" she said, crouching next to the seemingly confused Erik. "Are you dizzy? Do you feel any pain?"

Hearing the commotion, Charles woke up in the next room, already regaining some of his power after the few-hour sleep. Getting up from the bed, he could feel a slight sting from his wound, but he continued his way to the room Erik was sleeping in a blink of an eye. When he reached the door, he could see Erik sitting on the floor with Olivia crouching next to him. He felt that Erik was frustrated and confused.

"Erik" he entered the room, letting out a relieved chuckle. "How're you doing, my friend?" he asked, sitting down next to him on the ground.

"I'm still alive, in one piece" Erik replied unsurely, his eyes scanning the ground, as if the answers he was looking for were there. "But… How?" he finally asked, looking at Charles with a confused look.

Charles' first reaction was a short chuckle, darting his eyes at Olivia with a wide grin. Following his friend's eyes, Erik looked at her, questioningly raising one of his eyebrows. Lowering her head, she sighed loudly before she stood up.

"Us mutants should stick together, right?" she asked half-heartedly, passing by the two men.

Erik first just looked after her wide-eyed, then at his still grinning friend who followed her going to the living room with his eyes. Charles turned his head toward Erik, throwing an arm around his shoulder. Erik shook his head in disbelief, making Charles laugh out loud.

"You should try to go back to sleep" they heard her sleepy advice.

"You heard the lady" said Charles with a soft smile, standing up, holding out his arm for Erik.

Looking up at him, then out the door, and with a grunt, he grabbed Charles' arm.