Chapter Twelve

Villains

Westchester County, New York

"We act now!"

"Magneto! This man just wiped out an entire Navy force. We're not acting anything until we think things through."

"The time to sit idle has passed. How many must die before we act?"

"You're oversimplifying things."

"No, you're overcomplicating them."

Half a day. Half a day passed and this was what he had to deal with already? Erik and Emma Frost battering it out verbally. Barely waited for the body to get cold, did they?

Resisting Hank and Tom's protests for him to continue resting upstairs, he made his way down to the kitchen. The Brotherhood was having an impromptu meeting. Shaw was there as well. The man truly didn't know what to do with himself and he couldn't be blamed. No one had ever been in a situation such as his except the version of Charles known as X. Where'd he gone to? That hopefully wouldn't rear back to cause harm later. Nothing was right anymore.

Charles strode through the doors and used all his might to throw his fist into Erik's unsuspecting face. Er, well, the side of Erik's neck anyhow. He couldn't be bothered to wait until the man fully turned round to look at him. He was, however, careful to avoid hitting the awful helmet encasing most of his head.

Erik, no, Magneto, was staggering away from him. He was surprised and a tad amused. Unacceptable. A momentary pause and he threw the same fist into his former ally's stomach. It was good Magneto hadn't wished to wear his armor inside the manor.

There were a few weak protests in opposition to this treatment of the leader, but mostly there was silence. They didn't know whether they should interfere or let things play out. After all, Magneto was more than capable of defending himself. Which begged the question of why he wasn't.

His face twisted ugly when he reached down to pull Erik straight. "Well?"

Magneto stared. Charles kneed him in the stomach and released another fist into his face. Anger was growing. Things weren't happening as intended. Where was the violence his friend was so keen on?

"You're so eager to fight. Why won't you fight me?"

When Magneto opened his mouth to talk, Charles lashed out. He only partially clipped the man's chin since this time he had the good sense to try to avoid a hit. But he still didn't react desirably. Charles shoved the bigger man, hard, causing him to stumble several feet.

"Fight! Fight back! Hit me!"

The other had the nerve to step forward and look him in the eye. "Never."

His refusal to fight was all well and good if he hadn't attacked him in the past. Charles could not forget the afternoon his world fell apart. He'd forgotten what it was like to feel worth anything after that day. A lot of mistakes and bad decisions happened since then.

"You've hit me before, remember?"

Erik didn't contradict him, but he did infuriate him. "Never again."

He screamed out the emotions churning within. He was at a loss for words in his fury and he was sick of containing emotions inside, some his, some foreign. For all his power, where did that get him? Still alone and helpless and watching people he cared about get hurt and..die.

This time the man was prepared for his assault and grabbed his arm, yanking it toward him. Charles lost his balance from the unexpected move and fell against him. Arms tightly wrapped around him and he squirmed thinking it was an attack. His rushing brain began to slow upon finding his body nearly immobile. He faltered understanding it was not an attack but an embrace.

When the sob escaped his throat, he tore free and got one last hit in. Erik took it and then Charles just didn't have the strength to resist his pull. He collapsed into a broad shoulder and let out his stifled grief. Tears came fast and hot and he couldn't bring himself to care there was an audience. People here or not, Sean was still dead. Dead protecting him.

"It's my fault," he managed.

"No."

Erik said the word firm and certain, like he had a clue. He couldn't. Not in this.

"He died trying to keep me safe. Why would he do that?"

"Repayment of a debt, love. You pick the poison, darling. You mean a great deal to every single one of your students," Emma knowingly said.

Of course she'd go inside their minds without asking at some point. Charles inhaled deep to center himself, trying to ignore he'd gotten an enormous whiff of Erik's scent. Pulling away, he straightened his stance as the Brotherhood member went on.

"Perhaps you should keep that in mind the next time you step in front of a bullet not meant for you, or mouth off to a megalomaniac."

His jaw hung open a little. She was irritated he stepped in front of a bullet possibly intended for her? And mouth off? He did no such thing. Look at Shield with derision, maybe. Explain to Apocalypse he was far from content allowing an apocalypse come to be, absolutely.

Oh. She was flitting her eyes from him to Erik repeatedly. She was trying to mean the message to the both of them. Still, it wasn't her place.

His gaze hardened and he spoke to everyone in the room. "I'm one person. It doesn't matter if I die."

Utter silence. Laughter sliced through it. Sebastian Shaw was laughing at him.

He narrowed his eyes at the man sitting with legs up and crossed on his kitchen table. What was his purpose in offending him? He waited impatiently for whatever the man surely had to say. The laughter ended abruptly and a scary kind of solemnness overtook the man's features.

"The fact you believe that, proves just how important you are."

Now he was confounded. "What?"

"You-dying. Never gonna happen 'cause the people in this room couldn't take it."

He waved his hands about said room. "These people work against the things I hold dear. I very much doubt I factor into their weekly decisions of terrorism."

This earned him a chuckle. "I stand by what I said previously."

His fists clenched at his sides, familiar frustration stirring inside. "That doesn't make any sense!"

"Enough from you, Shaw!" Erik growled, stealing Charles's attention for himself. "Charles, listen, you don't need to be a part of what's to happen now."

"And what, precisely, is going to happen now?" His tone was as rocky as his feelings on the claim asserted.

Erik swallowed that simple enough, presumably anticipating resistance. He felt a speck of satisfaction when the other man hesitated speaking to wipe blood on his lip. Evidence left behind of Charles's recent, albeit uncharacteristic, attack. Those pale eyes stared him down and he met them.

"We're planning to launch an assault on Shield and his Reapers before they get a chance to strike again."

"Premature, don't you think?"

His remark garnered a sigh of frustration. All this time gone by and it didn't hurt any less when his old friend tolerated him like he was a mere child, someone to be handled. Sometimes he thought if Magneto had his way, Charles would find himself locked in a cage where no one could touch him and he could touch no one either.

"No, I don't think it is premature. You've witnessed the level of damage they're capable of. We need to wipe them out before they wipe us out."

"We've witnessed some of their power, yes. But I don't believe for a second we've seen everything they are capable of yet. Frankly, we don't even know how to find them, and they shouldn't be able to find us."

"I'm not taking the chance," Erik snapped back, then refrained from allowing anger or frustration into his voice with a pause. "You can find them. You can find all of them if you use Cerebro."

Comprehension dawned rough. Magneto was bothering to let him in on their plans because he needed his help. It was necessity driving him to be honest, nothing else.

"I'm afraid I can't help. I won't direct you to your next ground for slaughter. Those people should be arrested and imprisoned for their crimes. There are laws in place for criminals."

He looked at him like he was spewing fairy tales rather than facts. Why was it so hard for him to believe in humans? Why couldn't he give a tiny bit to allow his own life to improve? He would always be the insufferable peace lover and human lover to Magneto.

"You are arrogant! Your bleeding heart will lead us into enslavement."

Charles didn't yield. "My bleeding heart does bleed."

This was about more than Marcus Smith and his violent bunch of dangerous mutant followers.

"With every senseless death that occurs at your doing. All because of a fear that never left you as a child. You hate people. You fear they will hate us, hurt us, erase us from the planet. Some of them most certainly may try. Much fear is a highly irrational occurrence, and," He eyed Erik with poignance before finishing his thoughts. "It is also a very human thing to seek more power."

More power was everything Magneto wanted, right? Why not throw it in his face when he was plotting an attack in his house. Magneto, never seeing himself as the actual villain in the story. But oh how that was exactly where he was headed these days.

He lifted a hand to his cheek, feeling the tear tracks that must be observable to everyone. He wondered if his words could have the same impact while he looked a mess. Turning from the room and everyone in it, he started back to the door he entered through.

"Where are you going?"

Erik tried and failed to obscure irritation. He might have trust issues and problems with honesty, but Charles didn't.

"To clean up and dress more appropriately."

Upon returning to the manor, he'd changed out of the blood soaked clothing, but he would require a suit for where he was going. A well-fitted black suit and tie would do. It wouldn't do to let his face be stained with tears though. He had to be professional and strong. Two things he was far from being, but appearances could be performed for a time.

"For what?"

The irritation was growing in Erik. Charles didn't have the strength to let annoyance fester in himself. Grief was the overwhelming factor in this moment.

"I have a woman to visit. You see, I have to decide how best to explain to a mother, why her child is dead."

He left the room and didn't look back. The door slipped shut behind him but he felt a mind join his in the foyer. It was not a mind he expected and he turned to look at her, curiosity clear on his face.

"What is it?"

"Do you doubt yourself or something?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

She hesitated, placing her hands together by her chin in a prayerful position. "I've grown a lot since you knew me. I've learned a lot. A friend helped me find someone to confide in, to look to for guidance."

A brief trace over her surface thoughts developed his understanding of why she was here. He still had yet to understand what she thought she would gain from it.

"Janos led you to God. Interesting, even with faith, you choose to follow a man like Magneto."

"You were his friend once."

Charles let out a soft laugh. "Magneto and I were never friends."

"Erik, then," Angel corrected and breezed on. "And you were there for me when I needed someone most too. Please tell me, even if this is the sole time you ever tell me anything personal. Please tell me what you're thinking."

He gave her a questioning look. "Right now?"

"Sure."

Ah, what the hell. "I'm weak. I couldn't stop Erik from taking revenge and killing or trying to kill Shaw, and I probably won't succeed in stopping him from killing Marcus Smith."

"I've never met anyone stronger. Your mind. And I don't mean the telepathy. You're uncompromising, relentless, brave. You're the one we need."

Was his jaw dropping again? He consciously shut his mouth. When had he earned such faith from her of all the Brotherhood members?

"You mean everything to us misfits of society. Even that man from the future said it's so. You know, the big guy with all the hair and muscles. You're the one we need. If he doesn't see it now, I think he will if you stick around."

"Erik's the one doing the leaving, again," Charles pointed out.

"And it will be you who lets him leave, again," Angel pointed out in turn.

Where were these Brotherhood members getting ideas about him and Erik working together? So much time had passed. Their paths were far too different to cooperate permanently together. It would never work and it would end in regret and pain for him each time they inevitably separated. He wouldn't have that. He wouldn't be able to stand it.

His attention zeroed in on the conversation beginning on the other side of the door, Angel's gaze diverting to where he was looking. Frost was speaking loud and a glimpse into her open mind informed it was intentional. He felt violated for Angel, knowing it was likely the telepath used her eyes and ears to eavesdrop on their conversation by hiding in her mind.

"Looks like we might have a traitor among us. Angel's getting cozy with the professor."

Erik spoke harshly. "Don't you start things."

"I'm only trying to help. You're aiming to let things get out of control, and then where will our happy band of mutants be?"

"Do you know what I find most amusing about all of this, Erik Lehnsherr?"

"I'll not be hearing anything from the likes of you either."

"You think you have that telepath all figured out. You think he's too weak to do what's necessary to guarantee safety and acceptance for mutant-kind."

A loud sigh. "I'm certain you'll tell me something I don't know."

"When are you going to realize he must hold himself back?"

Momentary silence Shaw was gleeful to break.

"His power is extensive to an extreme. He can be dangerous and it scares him so he works hard to contain it. He is the exact kind of threat that could destroy the world. The type of mutant the world will fear. That is a major part of his reasoning for trying to create a world of cooperation and safety for mutants and humans."

Shaw laughed his amusement. "All of you worked hard learning to use your abilities. He spent all that time learning how not to use his. That's how above you he is. It's beautiful."

Charles sighed, displeased with where this had gone. He glanced at Angel's pleading expression and proceeded to push into the kitchen from there. Well, he managed to walk out on Erik first, for a few minutes anyway.

"Fine."

Erik straightened from where he'd bent at the waist to glare at a still comfortably reclined Shaw. He was surprised to see him. Emma was not surprised in the least and seemed pleased with herself. Another manipulation of hers?

"Charles. Fine?"

"Yes, right, fine." He focused his attention singularly on Erik. "If you're convinced the world needs saving from yet another madman," His gaze flickered to Shaw. "Offense intended, sorry."

He was back on Erik again. "Then this is how it will go. We will be a team. The ones I know from your Brotherhood and Shaw. We can keep an eye on him and none of mine will be involved."

"Hey!"

The protest came from Alex. He, Hank, and Tom piled into the kitchen from where they'd been listening behind the other door to the room. He really had to monitor how distracted he became when Erik was around. Normally his power would have detected their presence.

"We should be on the team, Professor! We've been a team stopping the Brotherhood for years."

"I won't lose another student," Charles pledged, shutting the conversation off from any argument by listening to how Erik was taking his determination.

"So now I've got it in my head to save the world?"

"Yeah, I was surprised too. But your urgent need to do something right for once was deeply overwhelming. Touching, really."

Erik blinked. Honestly, Charles surprised himself putting on a convincingly confident and almost humorous exterior. This was how he could manage staying on his feet and doing Sean proud. He'd imprison the son of a bitch who murdered his friend.

He grew very serious for the next part of his offer. "Your other Brotherhood members are welcome to stay here with my students if you wish. This place is secure and relatively secluded but the choice is yours. If you're working with me, Erik, let me be clear. I am in charge. I make the decisions. If you're not okay with that then I'll have to do what I'd much rather not do, which is to take my own team. I trust them implicitly."

"You'll get yourself killed with your insistence to be so stubborn."

Charles turned to the door and Angel was there in the doorway, staring at him.

"Just go back to your own cause and your Brotherhood, Erik. You've made it quite clear nothing is more important than your belief in mutant superiority. You have no interest in saving the world. You wish to destroy it."

"I'm not leaving you to fight alone."

"Why? Because I might get killed? Perhaps it would be better if I died. Then you would not be held back from fighting for the war you so desperately want."

"Charles!"

"I don't want your pity, or guilt, or whatever it is that keeps you concerned for my well-being. Ten years without a word from you, ten. We're not friends, Erik, not anymore. I don't even know you. The years have not been kind on either of us. I am not the same, and neither are you."

Yes. He had to say it with his back turned on the one the words were meant for. It would have been far more difficult to deliver them face to face, those intense eyes reading into his soul.

"Then know me again."

Confusion leaked into his features when he sensed a new mind's thoughts and feelings intertwine with his own. A hand gripped his shoulder and twisted him around, forehead resting against his own before he knew what was happening. He gasped, a gush of images, memories, thoughts, and feelings streaming into him from Erik's completely open mind.

He strained to push him off and Erik backed away. His eyes wanted to burst out of his skull and he suspected he resembled a deer caught in headlights. That..had been a lot. Too much. He knew he'd given some of himself to Erik in his unpreparedness for contact missing a long time. A mind he never thought he'd feel again.

"You are so very much the same," Erik murmured, sounding relieved.

"I'd..I'd rather you not do that again without warning of some kind."

"Do you trust me, Charles?"

Shaken, he took a few moments to regain composure and suss what was truly him.

"I will trust you. I will trust them. I will do this, for you. You realize what you're asking?"

"I do."

Charles hoped he did. Because if he was abandoned by Erik after again trusting in him, he didn't think he'd recover. In fact, he knew he wouldn't. They had to make this team work, no matter how brief it might last, and do it proper.

"Well, hell, I'm in. If only for the entertainment value."

He and Erik jerked around to glare at Shaw simultaneously. He fought the flinch he felt coming before it could be displayed outwardly when Erik fit the helmet securely over his head. Charles focused on the cruelest person in the room.

"Why are you willing to help?"

Shaw grinned and lazily tapped the side of his head. "Why don't you read my mind, telepath?"

"Erm, sorry, but why don't you use words, psychopath?"

He didn't want to go inside a mind like his. Besides, the man could speak perfectly well.

"Fair enough. I'm willing because, Charles Xavier, only you could manage to be rude and apologetic in the same sentence, twice in the last five minutes."

This was the shakiest alliance he'd ever been a part of. An alliance with those who could easily be perceived as villains themselves, to stop an emerging force of them. What if they took down these ones, and one or several of the people he was aligning with stepped into their place?