Title: Desperate Measures

Verse: X-Men movieverse

Timeline: During X3

Author: KumaDaPuma

Pairing: Magneto/Mystique

Rating: M

Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and I am not making any money off of this.

Summary: An alternate version of when Mystique takes the cure dart for Magneto.

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As they waited for Callisto to return with one of the vans Magneto made his anger with the situation quite clear through his actions. Mystique was still clutching him to her, the cape draped tightly around her, his arms shielding her from the outside world. At one point she happened to glimpse her pale hand and gave a slight whimper that had involuntarily escaped her mouth. She hadn't thought it audible but she felt Erik tense up. A moment later the group jumped as the large metallic prison crumpled loudly like tinfoil behind them. They all turned to look at Magneto but he hadn't made a move, acting as if nothing had happened, or too upset to display any emotion.

Callisto soon came back with one van then left to get the other. As she descended from the driver's seat she looked questioningly at the destroyed mass of metal but didn't ask. Everyone piled into the two black Suburbans. They quickly and quietly increased the distance from the demolished prison that had once housed three of the planet's most dangerous mutants. In one car Magneto had ordered Callisto to drive Juggernaut, Jamie, Quill and Archlight while he, Pyro and the human woman would lead the way in the other car.

From their seats in the suburban the five mutants watched as their leader uncharacteristically showed so much concern for the woman. He helped her into the van, making sure the cape was draped tightly around her then having her lie down across the seats. Pyro opened the door to the driver's side, about to get in when Magneto waved him away and hopped in instead. Pyro seemed confused but he merely shook it off and got in on the passenger side. From there Magneto started the van and drove away, making sure Callisto and the rest of the brotherhood was behind him.

"Who is that woman?" Archlight asked the newest members. Both Multiple Man and Juggernaut (who looked ridiculously uncomfortable seated in the back of the suburban) both shrugged their shoulders.

"Don't know." Jamie said. "But she's the one Magneto came to rescue."

"But she's human. I thought we were rescuing a mutant."

"What happened in there?" Callisto asked as she looked in the rear view mirror at the two men. "I could sense five mutants inside the trailer then suddenly only four."

"She was a mutant. But she got shot with something that turned her human." Jamie said.

"She saved Magneto." Juggernaut added. There was a stone cold silence after that revelation. They all sat in silence contemplating the meaning of the woman's transformation. Whatever had made her human put them all at risk.

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The silence in the lead suburban was just as thick as the one behind it. No one had said a word since they had driven off to wherever it was Erik was leading them. Pyro noticed that Magneto was not driving in the direction of the private airport and although curiosity was overwhelming him he still did not question his leader. He looked back and saw that Mystique was lying on the bench behind them wrapped in the black cape. She held it close to her, over her nose, her green eyes trained on the driver.

Mystique was trying to stay strong but for once in her life she felt terribly helpless. She felt as though her mask had been ripped away, exposing her of all her flaws and baring her vulnerable soul. She felt naked.

She watched Erik as he drove. He still wore his helmet so she could not see his face. She knew that was why he kept it on. He had driven the car specifically so he could think and not have to worry about consoling her or letting her see the expression in his eyes but she could sense his anger, his frustration, his grief. She hated that she had become human. More for Erik's sake than her own.

Erik was also feeling something of hate as well. But he didn't hate Mystique. He could never hate her even if she joined the X-Men, revealed his plans and then got a job with the government. His hate was towards the men who decided that the "cure" as he had heard it called was placed in a gun and used against their wills as if being a mutant was offensive enough to allow a "cure" to be utilized as a human defense. He hated that there was a cure at all. He hated that he had to be witness to his most loyal soldier's demise. He hated that she had become human for his sake. He hated that she had become what he most hated. He could never hate Mystique, but at this moment he was very close to it.

She had saved him. Why couldn't it have been anyone else but her?

She had saved him. He owed her. A lot.

Dark clouds were beginning to befall the caravan. The rain started to come down heavily. By now they had traveled for hours. The black Suburbans had run out of gas half an hour ago but Magneto was still leading them towards the destination he had in mind. The storm that poured down around blocked the sun's rays making it seem like dusk though it was only four in the afternoon. Luckily the batteries still worked or else Pyro would have had to light the way and that would definitely have raised a few red flags.

Although Erik's cape kept her from freezing it had lost the heat of his body temperature and where before it was like being in his embrace now felt cold and empty. The quiet didn't help much. She shifted, hoping to keep her feet warm at least. She looked down to see how much of her feet were exposed and caught a glimpse of the white flesh. It didn't look like her feet at all. That couldn't have been her skin. She brought her hands out from under the black cape. Against the dark cloth her flesh looked so white, not at all like her indigo skin. She attempted to morph. Perhaps the effects were only temporary. Nothing changed. She looked under the cape at her naked body. Even under the black cape she could clearly see her pale flesh and for the first time it really hit her that she was no longer Mystique. The thought pierced her heart like a sword. The pain the Wolverine had caused when he had sliced his adamantium claws in her side at Liberty Island paled in comparison to what she was feeling now. She glanced up at Erik but he hadn't looked at her since they had driven away from her prison. She knew it was hard for him to look at her. Hell, it was hard for her to look at herself. She felt disgusting, repugnant, ugly… She hated that she was reduced to this and that it had happened in front of the one man who would take it harder than she would. A tear slid down her cheek at the thought that her Erik couldn't bear the sight of her.

Erik heard her crying. He could tell she was trying to keep him from hearing her but he heard it all the same. He didn't think it was possible but his heart hurt three times more than it had. He sighed.

"We're almost there, Mystique." He said quietly. After that he didn't hear her muffled tears. Still, he was too afraid to look.

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Forty minutes later Magneto brought the vans through a gated manor. He stopped the caravan in front of a large Victorian house somewhere in the middle of Virginia. The land was surrounded by trees and acres of untouched forest. The house was secluded and shut off to society. Perfect for harboring fugitive mutants.

Everyone piled out of the vans. They all looked at each other and shrugged. None of them had any idea where this was. Even Pyro seemed to have never seen this place before.

"Pyro," Magneto said slowly getting out of the Suburban. "Please assist Mystique. The rest of you follow me." Despite being grim and hollow his voice still sounded like the word of God. What else could they do but obey?

Pyro went to Mystique and he helped her out of the Suburban. A small gasp emitted from her lips when she saw the house.

"What? What is it Mystique?" Pyro asked somewhat in alarm.

"We're in Virginia. The prison guards wouldn't tell me where we were."

"You recognize this place?"

"This was our first house back when we left Xavier's. We haven't been here in years." She said nostalgically. They entered the house and she looked around in recollection. Pyro could see the wistfulness in her eyes and he was glad that she could momentarily forget her current troubles. As they passed by an old table in the foyer she gasped lightly and covered her mouth with her hand. She went to the table and picked up a black and gold Swiss Army knife that had been lying amidst the scattered dusty papers. She looked at it in amazement.

"I guess Erik left it here." She looked at Pyro. "He had gone crazy when he couldn't find it." She held it up and lightly stroked the gold emblem with her fingers. It was a little bigger than most Swiss Army knives and much more sleek.

"That's the coolest Swiss Army Knife I've ever seen! Looks expensive." Pyro said enthusiastically.

"It was. I had to steal a lot of wallets to afford this."

"You bought it for Magneto?"

"Yes. For his birthday. Ten years ago. I was only nineteen and so in lo…" She had to stop herself from continuing. That was then. She had realized a while back that as long as he fought for mutant rights he could never spare her his love. She could never be with him because he would never stop fighting and so she abandoned the idea long ago although her heart continually held out a glimmer of hope. Pyro noted her entranced expression. She was recalling memories the knife had triggered.

"So I guess that was the best knife money could buy." He said trying to bring her back to reality.

"I had it made specifically for him. I liked that it was larger than most and that the casing was onyx and gold." Pyro nodded his head but the symbolism escaped him. Mystique wanted to give him a knife as large, strong and precious as Erik. She ran her fingers over the knife, almost caressing it when her motions stopped and her eyes went wide. The knife slipped unexpectedly out of her hands. It clattered on the floor loud enough so that some of the others heard it from the living room where they all sat.

"What is it Mystique?" Pyro asked but she seemed not to hear him as she glared at her hands then hid them under the protection of the cape. There was a harsh silence as she remembered why she was at this house again. Erik had brought her, a human, to his house. She went past the living room where the other mutants were talking and strolled to the end of the hall where she knew Erik would be in his old office.

He was sitting behind his desk. He was deep in thought. His hand shielded his eyes, a frown crossed his lips. He looked like he just lost his best friend.

"What are we doing here, Erik?" She asked as she stood in the doorway. He looked up at her but didn't answer her. Several silent seconds passed before she saw him swallow hard. That was all she needed to know. She turned quickly, leaving him in his office to wallow in his pity. Outside the rain came down even harder. Erik hated the rain. It rained when his mother was taken. It rained when his father was taken. It rained when he left Charles. It was raining and he knew he was about to lose another.

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I promise the next chapter will be the last and will have smut and a surprise. It's surprising smut. Not for the faint of heart.

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