Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men Evolution or any of its characters, they belong to some fat cats sitting in their penthouse offices, smoking Cuban Cigars with their feet up on Mahogany desks. Speaking of Cats, I also do not own Memory the theme song from Cats.
Memory
Memory,
All alone in the moonlight
Charles Xavier sat alone in the retiring room. He had never though of updating décor. Everything remained untouched, reminding him of his happier days. The books on the shelves were covered with a thick layer of dust, so thick that you could not tell what the book was. His back had sunk in the tattered armchair, which he refused to replace. The brown fabric had been stained so many times that it was almost unrecognizable. Stained with ketchup, sherry, and thousands of salty tears.
I can smile at the old days
Life was beautiful then
The old man's deeply creased face studied the yellowing page of the book, illuminated by the roaring fire in the corner. He gently turned the well-worn page carefully to read the next passage of text. He couldn't focus on the text though. He dropped the tired novel shut on the tartan blanket covering his legs. What was the point of covering his legs? It wasn't like he could ever use them again. He was just a decrepit old man, condemned to a wheel chair forever.
I remember the time I knew what happiness was,
Let the memory live again.
He gently stroked the tartan, a few fuzzy fibers coming off in his hand. Maybe he was meant to be alone? Everybody else had gone away for the holidays; they were spending them with their loved ones. Even Scott was gone, the boy he had loved and cared for as his own child. He was off in Aspen with Jean and her family.
Every street lamp seems to beat a fatalistic warning.
Someone mutters and a street lamp gutters, and soon it will be morning.
Xavier's tired eyes turned down to the blanket as he reminisced. "Moira," he whispered softly. This was her tartan, her clan. The last memory he had of his old sweetheart, that he would keep until the last thread unwound. It reminded him of his happier days, the time when he could walk, when he could run. An era when nobody had to cower and hide because they were a mutant, because nobody knew they existed. The days when there was always somebody who cared.
Daylight, I must wait for the sunrise.
I must think of a new life, and I musn't give in.
He raised a glass of sherry and pressed it against his dry lips, letting out a silent prayer for it to wet his cracking throat and soothe his tired head. He was thinking too much, too hard. It was the holiday, a time to be jolly. He returned the empty glass to his side table as he felt his eyelids becoming heavy. Soon they were closed and the Professor was asleep, snoring softly.
When the dawn comes tonight will be a memory too.
And a new day – will begin.
His dream was a repeat, the occurred every holiday – like 'It's a Wonderful Life'. A woman dressed in white, descended out of the sky like an angel. "Come here Charlie," she called holding out her arms. His mother, the mother that he lost so many years ago. He rolled towards her in his wheel chair, wanting to grab her to make sure she couldn't escape. "Come here, Charlie," she called again.
Burnt out ends of smokey days, the stale cold smell of morning.
The street lamp dies, another night is over, another day is dawning.
"I'm coming mom," he rolled faster, his arms were weary, he was running out of energy. "I'm coming," he called again. A man came down behind her.
Touch me. It's so easy to leave me
All alone with the memory, of my days in the sun.
"You can do it son," he called. Xavier was puzzled; his father had never appeared in this dream before. It made him even more determined to get there. The figures started to ascend back into heavens. "Hurry Charles," He was almost there, but they were out of his reach. He held his arms outstretched.
"Don't leave me," he whined.
If you touch me you'll understand what happiness is.
"Jump!" And then Charles did something he hadn't done in a long time. He bent his knees and gave a giant leap of faith landing tightly in his mother's open embrace. "Charles," she cooed nuzzling her son's head. He was home. Back in a land of warmth and love. No more hiding, no more sorrow, disappointment or loneliness. Happiness was no longer only a memory – it was here.
Back in the ancient armchair in the dilapidated retiring room a lifeless corpse lay, covered with a shabby tartan blanket. His skin was pale and clammy, showing small dark blue veins and on his face was peaceful, childish smile.
Look a new day has begun.
I really felt like doing an Xavier angst song-fic piece. I don't think I did a good job though, I started half way through the song. I couldn't figure out how to end it. I was going to give him a surprise visit from Moira, or Magneto but I decide to go with a 'The Little Match-Girl' type ending. Thankyou very much for reading this, I hoped you enjoyed. Please review and tell me what you thought.
Thanks.
Kaminarimon
