Rise or Fall

by Heiress Mellie

First Class: Charles and Erik have accepted their roles as guardians and headmasters over the young mutants but there is still work to be done for the greater than typical family. This is a familial and discipline, including spanking, centered fiction.

228. Chapter 228 Lost Boys

X-Men-First Class: Rise or Fall

Chapter Two Hundred Twenty Eight

Author's Word: Fam? Are you there? Even if you're not, Happy Anniversary! I am so sorry this was not posted on Halloween. Last week involved about three major projects and an exam. Good news is that I made an A on all of the homework and believe I did well on the exam, too. I'll see tomorrow.

Anyway, enough with boring school facts. Four years, fam. Four! Years! Of Rise or Fall. I cannot tell you what a little movie I had no intention of liking whatsoever did for me all those years ago, not to mention finding a fam in you guys. Now that so much time has passed, any thoughts on who your favorite people, instructors, allies, overall X-Men are? Do please let me know as you enjoy and review!

Even through the tinted windows that allowed for much needed privacy within the X-Van, that face could be seen bouncing back at him off the glass. His chestnut brown hair completely contained by it, the all black mask made his solely visible blue eyes dark and dismal. Oddly enough, he wished for his heart to ignite with pounding as opposed to the stiff, detached chest that matched the rest of him. He did not feel numb so much as locked and unwavering. Those were the qualities necessary for that night's planned activities.

The only elation provided for him came in the form of the one currently acting as driver. Trick wore his mask peeled back to access his full vision on the lowly lit road. Despite a neat trim at the tips of his ash blonde hair, only a shade up of paleness displayed any significant outward change. As soon as he had made his arrival in the form of the Specter and showed him the ever kind and cordial face underneath, the Professor absorbed the ease it brought him. When they hugged, it took a lot on his part to maintain the stiff upper lip of a proper Englishman. Though Charles still carried the bulk of it, it felt wonderful to have at least part of the weight transferred over to one he knew so well.

"Professor? Charlie?" The familiar nickname captured the passenger's attention and Trick glanced at him only briefly. "Are you sure you want to proceed?"

The other man looked at him. "Are you? Sure, I mean."

"I'm sure about your judgement," Trick stated with an unusually firm resolve to his voice. "I am on this quest with you for every step, Charlie. After what they did to Seanie- after what they almost forced upon him," he gripped the steering wheel tighter, "it would bring me no greater pleasure than to round every single one up for the slaughter."

"Let us pray it does not come to that." Professor X stared forward and saw that the masked face followed him. "For now, we will keep our sights on the most immediate threats."

Pressing his foot down, Trick caused a significant surge in the vehicle's acceleration.

IIIIIII

As if sand had filled his mouth and made a desert of it, a short coughing spell unleashed from the equally dried lips. Eyelids slowly dividing, Erik had to grip the arm of the sofa to steady himself. His vision blurred before him and he had to remain in place for nearly a full minute. When he could at last register things, he realized he still wore the last garments he remembered changing into; navy athletic pants and a red Westchester University t-shirt.

"Erik? Brother?"

Making out the voice, Erik turned to see the one in pajama pants and a bathrobe approaching. "Charles? What… where?" He shook his head a little, attempting to rid it of the fog. "What time is it?"

"Almost ten now," Charles replied, giving him a smile. "I'm so glad the little ones did not bother you. You had me worried. You were so tired last night, you couldn't stand to keep your eyes open. In fact, you very nearly toppled into the chess set."

"What?" Erik darted his eyes, trying to scan his own mind. "I don't even remember. I don't- I couldn't have been nearly so tired last night."

"Helping with things at the Temple likely took a lot out of— ah!"

At the Professor suddenly losing his upright position, alertness reclaimed Erik and he leapt up to catch him. "Charles, what's wrong?"

Letting off a hiss blended with a groan, the younger man indicated his right knee. "It's humiliating to admit, but I could not have been more oafish in the shower a moment ago. I must have hit my leg just right… or rather, wrong."

Reaching down, to tug up his pants leg, Erik's eyes widened in great alarm over the extensive bruising there. "Thank God it wasn't your neck. Look at this, you shouldn't even be walking." With whatever strength allowed him, he hoisted the injured one up. "Hang onto me, Lab Rat."

Not bothering with an argument he knew he could not possibly win, Charles merely held onto him by the shoulders. "And to think I was the one worried about you."

Leaving the parlor and starting for the stairs, Erik asked, "How did this happen? You tripped?"

Charles nodded into his shirt, trying to keep from dampening it with his still wet hair. "With no degree of elegance, I can assure you. I only wanted to keep from disturbing Emma, so I thought I would shower down here. I must have tripped on a bit of soap because the next thing I knew, my leg met the porcelain in a trip I do not care to make again."

"I wish you would be more careful, Lab Rat," care but also firmness reflected in Erik's tone as he brought them up to the second level, "You know how much more delicate your legs are now."

Momentarily returning to that early evening in the car with Emma that resulted in their hospitalization, Charles honestly shuddered. "I know. I'm sorry. I can't imagine what made me such a terrible klutz."

"You know you are far from a klutz, ever regal one." Erik then asked, "Hank went into work already?" The telepath nodded. "We'll have to make do then." Arriving at the metal wielder's own quarters, he carried Charles inside to place securely on the bed. "Perhaps I could ask Kayla to heal you up a bit."

"No, brother, please don't trouble her," Charles requested. "You know she doesn't care to use her power outside of an emergency."

Erik nodded to that. "Do you think you can manage with the pain?"

Charles looked up at him confidently. "Yes, I'll be fine."

"Alright. Then I'll go get you—" His pulse flew at Charles sinking into the pillows, both hands going into his hair. "Lab Rat?" Erik clutched his shoulder and tried to look into his face. "Is it your telepathy, too?"

"Erik, I'm sorry, but it…" Only the thinnest veil hid Charles' sob. "It hurts so badly…"

"This is ridiculous. I am not letting you suffer from all sides," Erik determined. "I am getting you some ibuprofen and then you are going to sleep until further notice."

"But…" Charles sucked in air. "Erik, my powers…"

"I am more concerned with your well-being at the moment and God only knows where Hank leaves that tonic buried in the lab," Erik stated. "Should you have any spells, I will be right here." He placed a cooling hand of comfort across his forehead. "Right here, Lab Rat. Don't worry."

"Kay, brother," came the whispered reply.

As Erik left, a secondary pain attacked the Professor. One that targeted the center of his chest.

It took no time for Erik to hunt down the necessary pills. Instead of water, he warmed a little milk. After collecting a couple more items, he brought everything up on a small tray.

"Here we are. First things first." Offering him the pills, Erik instructed, "Swallow." Charles did so then did not have to be told as he thirstily went after the milk. "There we are." Sitting, Erik placed Charles' legs onto his lap as gingerly as he could. He laid a fat ice pack on the pained one. At the short hiss, Erik hushed at him and massaged his legs. "Look what else I happened upon while I was downstairs." He raised the book for him to see the title.

A sincere smile crossed Charles' lips. "Sherlock."

Erik nodded then put forth, "Should I read a little?"

Charles gave off a shrug. "If you deem it best."

Erik patted him on the stomach. "Close your eyes."

As he did, Charles asked, "Will you do the voices also?"

"The voices?" Erik raised an eyebrow. "You're inviting me to mock the English accent?"

With a laugh on his lips, Charles countered, "Says the man frequently mistaken for an honest to goodness emerald."

Erik resisted an eye roll, even if Charles could not see it. "I spent a great deal of time traveling across Europe. It all comes and goes, including Ireland. Now, shall we have a story or skip to the nap?"

"Story," but Charles also added, "You're a mean nursemaid."

"And don't try to butter me up." Opening the book to the first chapter, Erik began the mystery tale.

A few minutes into the story, the metal wielder noticed Charles' drifting but continued. However, when sleep murmurs turned into twitching on the Professor's part, Erik dropped the book altogether.

The second he grabbed onto him, Erik experienced a rushing drain before everything around him darkened all at once.

IIIIIII

Rubbing fist against eye followed by a murmur, Charles slowly awoke. He did not receive sufficient time to register the lack of aching in both his upper and lower regions when he discovered those appendages to be significantly… tinier. Feeling his heartbeat increase second by second, Charles raised his hands and saw that his feet barely reached the halfway point of the bed that suddenly felt so much more massive. He tugged at his clothes, registering the soft material of the jade green pajamas he recognized yet had not seen for years.

At another murmur, Charles initially jumped then peered over the side of the bed. There, a taller youth, about fifteen or sixteen, attempted to rise from the floor. He wore dark pants and equally black short-sleeve shirt and had rich brown hair nearly the same shade as Charles', but much shorter. The need for his mental senses proved unnecessary when Charles honed in on the stranger's left arm, specifically the numbers scrawled out there.

Before he could speak, the thin body jumped to his knees, making the one on the bed gasp.

"Erik," came the voice, soft-pitched and airy, "it's me. Charles."

Staring deep into the round face belonging to the pudgy little boy, the older one recognized the warm, welcoming glint about the blue eyes. "Charles?"

Attempting a friendly smile, the child clarified, "It is me, brother."

"But what… I…" Erik reached forward, stroking through his hair, as if trying to see if Charles would disappear before him. "What happened to you?"

"Me?" Charles' laughter came out in a giggle. "Have you taken a good look at yourself?"

"Me?" Erik echoed him. Going across the room to the mirror that hung on one wall, his jaw dropped at the face of pure adolescence staring back at him. "Am I… no, no, no, no… I'm a teenager?"

Standing in bed, Charles watched him in amusement while bouncing against the springs lightly. "And you're still a giant. Like Seanie. That just isn't fair."

Turning to him, Erik approached without a trace of humor present. "This is not funny, Lab Rat. Stop this trickery. You have no business toying around with illusions while you're ill."

"But it isn't me." Charles rethought that claim. "Well, not intentionally. I think I know what happened." He leaned his palms against Erik to steady himself and gain momentum in his bouncing. "When we were drained from our powers, the Triad entered a vivid dream state. It was the most exciting thing. We zoomed back and forth across all kinds of lands, saw all kinds of things…"

Erik gripped him at the waist. "So you're telling me this is nothing but a side effect of your powers?"

Charles nodded. "Likely the pain killers. Don't worry. It ends eventually."

"So until then, we're mentally stranded," Erik deduced. "Lovely. Do you think you could at least return us to our rightful bodies for the duration?"

"Of course. Hold on." Taking his hands back to touch to his head, Charles tried to grow them upward. However, nearly thirty seconds passed with no results. "This… didn't happen before. In fact, Emma, Becky, and I stayed our same ages." He then noticed, "This feels differently, too." He hopped down from the bed, glancing around. "I feel as if we're still home. But… in the past."

Erik followed his movements, noticing none of his things present within the room. "We have to be careful. We do not know for certain how things work here."

"We'll have to test it." Forming a little fist, Charles punched him in the thigh. "Did that hurt?"

Taken aback by the action, Erik replied casually, "I don't know. Does this hurt?" With an open hand, he aimed for Charles' thigh, the back of it.

"Ouch!" The boy immediately rubbed the swat. "I'll say!"

Erik smirked a tiny bit. "Good. So, this is what you looked like as a little boy, eh?"

Charles folded his arms with a small eye roll. "You know very well that Raven's shown you all the pictures."

"Yes, but this is the real thing." Kneeling to him, Erik took him by the waist again. "How old are you now? Seven, eight?"

Charles looked back at him dryly in an expression that better resembling sulking. "I can't be that little. Say," a gleam entered his eyes, "I wonder…"

"Charles!" Erik reacted to him dashing away. "Wait! Come back here!" He hurried after his path.

At first confused as to why Charles ran into a stray bedroom away from the master suite, Erik realized it when they arrived inside. The room, decorated with various bits of blue, also appeared to double as a toy emporium.

"Look, look. Look at this." Picking up an impressive green plastic airplane, Charles held it up proudly. "This was one of my very favorites. I got it for my tenth birthday. And it's brand new. See? It's missing that nick I made dropping it. I must still be ten years old!"

"Still?" Erik crossed his arms in amusement. "You left that age at some point?"

Ignoring the remark, Charles jumped onto his bed, spun the propeller on his plane, and starting making appropriate sound effects. "We're clear for landing now. Jolly good then, roger that."

Minus the English accent, Erik could not help noticing how much his antics resembled Scott's high-flyer games. "Pardon me, Captain, but shouldn't we be figuring out a way to get home?"

"It isn't so easy," Charles informed him, standing in place for a moment. "And my powers feel as limited as when I really was ten. How are yours?"

Finding a target, Erik searched out a target. He chose one of the picture frames on Charles' end table. It surprised him at the level of strain it took in summoning the object over into his grasp. Growing annoying, a thought passed through him and the frame seemed to shoot over with fear into his clutch.

Watching the whole thing, Charles said knowingly, "You were using anger again."

Erik shot him a particular look, placing the frame on the dresser. "You were reading my mind. Again."

"I was not," Charles denied matter-of-factly. "I could tell it. Besides, you project sometimes."

Moving on to the next matter of business, Erik said, "Listen, we need to search the house. Is Raven here? What about your mother?"

"Raven isn't with me yet," Charles told him. "Mother and Curt aren't, either. I would have sensed them by now. In fact, I can't sense anyone but you."

"We're by ourselves? But still," Erik cautioned, "we have to be careful. I know this is only some bizarre dream, but it feels all too—"

"Real," Charles filled in. "I know. Especially this one."

Erik frowned at the unhappy face Charles made next. "What's the matter, Lab Rat?"

"I am… famished." Putting his plane down, Charles went to take Erik's hand and tug him out into the hall. "Let's see if we have anything to eat."

"Good plan," Erik concurred.

As they maneuvered throughout the second floor, Erik kept eyes and ears peered for anyone else. Except for a few stray furniture pieces here and there, it appeared as if the exact same mansion he had been introduced to that first day after the CIA attack.

Once in the kitchen, Charles started for the stove. "How do flapjacks sound?"

Seizing him by the back of his pajama shirt, Erik replied, "They sound like something a little boy has no business fiddling around with. I'll make them."

"Erik, don't be silly. I can do it," Charles insisted. "I'm only in a child's body."

Erik shook his head firmly. "No touching the stove, fooling around with sharp knives, or anything else we wouldn't allow the smaller children to do back home. You may have your memories intact, but if those toys you drooled over upstairs are any indication, you still have a child's limitations."

"Ohhh, Erik," the young Professor moaned.

"Have a seat." Erik indicated the table. "They will be ready before you know it." Going into one cabinet, it pleased the metal wielder to discover it fully stocked.

Charles took a chair, but immediately grew bored. "Can't I do anything, brother?"

Erik suggested, "Why don't you set places for us?"

"Alright," the boy agreed.

Retrieving the necessary plates and cutlery, Charles got out glasses for them as well. As he finished, an idea stroked him. He went to the refrigerator and with great satisfaction, saw a tall bottle of orange juice inside. He poured a tall glass for each of them. While Erik busied himself flipping the browning cakes, Charles took the salt shaker and sprinkled a few dabs into one of the glasses. He then sat down with a show of patience.

Carrying the finished pancakes over, Erik placed two on Charles' plate. "That enough for you?" The boy nodded then watched his brother pour the syrup for him as well. "We don't need you making a sticky mess. Now, go on and eat up."

"You mean," Charles unleashed a faux gasp, "you aren't going to cut it up into a little pieces for me as well?"

"I believe you can handle yourself around a butter knife." The smirk he wore immediately faded when the glass of juice he went to sip touched his tongue. "What- is this expired?" It was then he noticed the remaining salt crystals and glared over at Charles, who ate with a happy hum about himself. "Charles Xavier," he spoke calmly, "do you want a spanking?"

"It was only a joke, Erik. Besides, you can't spank me," Charles stated with great confidence. "We're both kids now, remember?"

This moved Erik not in the slightest. "What does that have to do with anything exactly? We were full grown men the first time I spanked you."

This caused a significant increase in Charles' nerves as he picked at the remainder of his pancakes. "Well, it's… I… um, it's just different now!"

"Not really. Actually, not at all." Erik leaned in to look at him closer. "You're still my little brother to protect. Only now, you need me more than ever. Though I wish you would tell me you're upset the next time instead of," he picked up the tell-tale salt shaker, "this."

At that, Charles stood to hug him. "I'm sorry, brother. I don't know what came over me."

Erik held him and kissed the top of his head. "Your emotions are at a strange stage right now. I understand. Finish eating then we'll figure out what to do next, alright?"

Returning to his chair, Charles hungrily resumed eating.

As he became interested in his own food once more, Erik felt delight at one little fact of their present state. No sign of poor health appeared present anywhere on his brother. He preferred the telepath's naturally lighter skin over the sickly pale any day.

After they had the dishes secured in the washer, Charles went to tug on Erik. "Come, let's go play."

Erik allowed himself to be pulled but still wondered, "That's your priority at the moment?"

"Well, why not?" replied Charles nonchalantly. "Think of it. When will we ever get another chance to be kids again?"

"Again?" A wry smile passed over Erik's features. "There was hardly a first time for me, Lab Rat."

At the information sinking from his chest to the pit of his stomach, Charles put forth, "That's why this time around has to be perfect." He received an idea. "I've got it. Let's play football. The yanks' version I mean."

"What the kiddies call soccer?" Erik realized something. "I don't think I've ever played that game."

"Never ever?" Charles' eyes widened. "Oh, then we simply must." He turned to speed from the kitchen. "I'll grab the b—" His chin meeting with the fifth step up interrupted him.

"Charles!" Coming up behind him in practically instantaneous speed, Erik helped him up and checked him over. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." Charles rubbed his chin. "Just a little bump. I need to watch where I'm going."

"Yes, you do," Erik concerned firmly. "Your leg is perfectly fine here. I don't want you to have anymore unnecessary accidents."

"Yes, brother," Charles complied. "I'll be more careful. Now, please may we go play?"

Erik determined, "I think we could both use a shower and change of clothes first." At Charles' falling face, he tacked on, "A quick shower. Don't worry. There will still be plenty of time to play."

"Okay, Erik."

When they reached the second floor, Erik directed, "Call me mentally if anything happens. We still have to be watchful."

Charles nodded dutifully and went to his room. In his personal shower, began to rinse off. Under the warm water, certain prior thoughts shot at him and he quickly switched off the faucet and toweled off. It amazed him how everything remained the same from some of his earliest memories, right down to his bath toys.

Going out to his room, Charles pawed through his dresser. He found a pair of soft dark blue pants and a yellow and white striped shirt. After he had shoes and socks on as well, he went into his closet. The moment he pulled back the door, he stumbled backward. A blackened cloud rushed over him so briefly he had to wonder if his eyes, however mental, had deceived him.

"Charles?" Erik's voice sounded loudly. "Are you alright in there?"

Shaking his head, Charles spotted his soccer ball rolling out and seized it. "Just fine!"

Chosen toy collected, he made haste over to Erik's room. "Are you ready?"

"Just about." To Erik's pleasure, the room that would one day have his personal touch had provided him with an assortment of clothing items. He did not understand the way things worked in the dream state, but had no major complaints other than the presence of teen in his age. "Come in."

Charles did, letting off a sigh. "Why aren't you ready yet?"

"Patience, Lab Rat." Erik started buttoning up his shirt.

Charles took a seat on Erik's bed, making the ball bounce up and down in his hands. "If we were off to train, you'd be racing out the door like a pup in heat."

Erik looked back at him in mild shock. "My little baby brother making such crude references? Aren't you supposed to believe that puppies rain from Heaven?"

Charles smiled cutely. "I wasn't that silly as a child. I had books after all."

Ready to question the Xavier library, Erik decided it could wait. "Alright." Fully dressed, he noticed Charles' appearance. "A t-shirt? Charles, it's December out there."

"It's December back home." Charles walked over to the window. "Haven't you noticed?"

Joining him at the window, Erik took in the abundance of sunshine and lushness all across the gardens. "It looks like the middle of July out there."

Bouncing on his tip toes again, Charles hugged the ball to himself. "Let's venture forth and see."

"Yes," Erik seconded, feeling the spirit, "let's."

The Headmasters turned typical schoolboys held onto each other as they galloped for the backyard. However, Erik's enthusiasm tapered off significantly when his coordination proved off. He also suffered troubles adjusting to his smaller, thinner frame that did not carry the extent of his years of extensive physical excursion. Charles took to the soccer game with impressive footwork.

"Come on, brother." Charles bounced the ball off his knee. "Try again."

Erik wobbly kicked the black and white sphere. "I think I prefer American football." After another ten minutes, he requested, "Can't we try something else?"

"Hmmm," Charles looked to think about it then kicked the ball again, "no. I like this."

Erik reminded, "We've been at this for over an hour."

"Well, I want to play this kind of football."

"Yes," Erik crossed his arms, "because you get to show off so. Stop it."

Charles threw back, "You're only upset because I've bested you at something, Mister-Thousand-Mile-Runs every morning."

"That is not so and you know it," Erik countered. "Now, if you're going to act like this, I won't play with you at all and we can go back inside."

"No," Charles quickly protested. "We'll do something else. I'll play the other football if you like."

"Let's do something we both like. How about a swim?"

Charles' features brightened again. "Alright!"

"Good," Erik smiled. "Let's see if we can round up a couple of trunks."

They returned to the indoors as well as upstairs. To both their elations, they found the necessary swim gear along with extra towels.

Once they made it out to the pool area, Erik clamped a hand down on Charles' shoulder. "Hold on. We, especially you, will need this first."

Charles stood still for him to begin smearing the sunblock protective over him. "I completely forgot and I absolutely hate sunburns!"

"Yes, you burn far too easily." Erik put some of the lotion on himself. "Now, we're ready."

Charles let off a loud, "Yippee!" as he went to take a dive into the water.

Erik followed after him in a cannonball motion.

When Charles spotted him, he feigned alarm. "Oh no! There's a shark in the water."

"You bet there is." Erik swam in a straight line for him.

"You can't catch me, sharky." Plugging his nose, Charles dipped deep into the pool.

Swimming in a circle past Erik, Charles froze in place when the previous black figure came at him from the other direction. He quickly shot up to surface level again.

Erik went after and towards him. "Charles? What's wrong?"

Charles blinked rapidly. "Nothing. I just… I…"

Erik searched his face. "Yes?"

"I…" A smirk appearing, Charles started splashing him with great gusto.

"You sneaky little rat!" Erik immediately threw water back at him.

After the pool grew tiresome, the two took to playing around in the garden, including racing back and forth through the sprinkler system.

Eventually, Erik looked up to notice the sun's position. "How long have we been out here? We ate breakfast so late, we forgot about lunch. I better get something on for dinner." He looked at Charles. "What would you like?"

The boy thought then replied, "Roast beef and potatoes sound grand."

"Alright then," Erik agreed. "We better change first. Since it's just the two of us, we'll keep it casual."

"Okay." Charles personally had no desire to get into one of his collared shirts.

Erik finished getting into comfortable clothes as quickly as he could to get back downstairs to search out food items. Not wanting to be left alone for too long, Charles dried off his hair some more, found some play clothes to put on, and scampered down to the kitchen.

A very pleasant aroma tickled his nostrils. "Is that blueberry pie?"

"I'm afraid I've no idea of what you're talking about," Erik smirked. "Go on and set the table. Hands away from that salt shaker."

With a smile, Charles went to work with their plates.

After he had everything prepared, Erik poured a glass of milk for them both.

Before he touched anything, Charles put forth, "Erik? Perhaps we should give thanks first."

Erik nodded. "I'd like that."

Taking hands, they each prayed quietly to themselves.

They started to eat with great vigor afterward, with the outdoors having taken a lot out of them.

Despite his hunger, Erik did not miss the way the mound of broccoli on Charles' plate remained untouched. "Do I really need to prod you to eat your vegetables?"

"I am. See." He indicated the white part of his plate. "I'm nearly done with my potatoes."

"Broccoli has real vitamins. Potatoes are simply starches."

Making a face, Charles shook his head at the green pieces. "I had trouble eating broccoli at this age, Erik. The taste is too much."

"I think you're exaggerating from memory. Here," Summoning over a spare fork, Erik gathered a few bits of broccoli from Charles' plate. "Open."

With a cringe, Charles took the offered food into his mouth and swallowed. "Ugh, it's actually worse than I remember. I can't believe I can stomach it as a man."

"You did well. Now…" Erik collected the next round.

Charles dodged the fork. "But Erik, I already ate some."

The Poland native said simply, "Eat some more then."

"Please, Erik," Charles shook his head, "don't make me."

Erik shrugged and said, "Alright. Here I thought you wanted that blueberry pie I found in the refrigerator earlier…"

"Oh, I knew it!" Charles formed a pleading expression. "Please let me have a little, brother. Please, please?"

"No, Charles, the rules are the same no matter where we are," Erik reminded him. "You have to clean your plate if you want dessert. I enforce the same with the children."

With mind on the children, Charles attempted one of their methods. His eyes glossed over before he dissolved into a full-blown crying spell, though it remained set to Charles' standard soft and saddened variety.

Sighing, Erik hoped this would not occur, but knew well how to handle tantrums. Putting the fork down, he took Charles by the lower arm and pulled him right over his lap.

Not having anticipated this outcome, Charles panicked and wriggled vigorously. "No, Erik! I- I'll eat, I'll eat!"

"Yes, you will," Erik started swatting him hard, "after this and a time-out. You know far better than this, Charles Xavier."

Now, Charles' tears came out genuinely.

Erik made sure not to go overboard on his suddenly much younger brother and brought him up into a hug after the fifteenth strike. "I know your emotions are getting the best of you, but you are too good a boy and man to behave this way. Aren't you?" He felt Charles nod against him. "Now, go on to the corner."

Charles wanted to keep being held, but chose obedience. He marched to the corner closest to the kitchen table and reached his hands back to rub at his sore bottom.

Eyes locked on him, Erik instructed, "Keep your hands at your sides."

Dropping his hands, Charles' cries did not slow anytime soon, as far more than that evening weighed in on him.

Only leaving him there for five minutes, Erik summoned him with, "Come here, Lab Rat."

Charles practically ran back to the embrace. "M'sorry, brother…"

Feeling particularly mean in that moment, Erik held him in his lap and hugged him closely. "I know you are. It's alright now. I know you want things to be perfect for us and they have been very fun, but I still need to be your big brother."

Sniffling, Charles told him, "I'm glad you are. Even… even when you punish me."

"Even if it hurts me." Erik pressed a kiss to the child's temple. "If you finish your broccoli, I'll get a big slice of pie for you. I'll even keep feeding it to you if you like."

"'Kay," Charles agreed, not wanting to budge.

Without a trace of complaint, the little Professor remained still while the metal wielder fed him the remainder of the broccoli.

"Very good," Erik praised him. "Get up so I can get your dessert."

Charles managed to detach from him and return to his own chair on his knees.

He managed a smile when the slice of blueberry pie complete with scoop of vanilla ice cream came down in front of him. "Thank you, Erik!"

Tickling his chin, Erik said, "Anything for my Lab Rat."

They sat enjoying their desserts together.

After he finished, Charles tapped his fork against his plate. "This is still so strange. When Becky, Emma, and I did this we seemed to get teleported to different locations. Though in the end, we stayed here the longest. We even met…"

Erik regarded him gently. "Who?"

"… Daddy," Charles answered softly. "He was here with us. Emma and Becky even met him. It was like he never left. I haven't spoken about it. I don't want to upset Raven."

Nodding in understand, Erik reached over to wrap arms around him. "I'm here with you, Lab Rat. As I'll always be."

Holding on tightly to his arm, Charles let off a sharp gasp. Light seemed to suck out of the room all at once as the two mutants found themselves in complete darkness.

Strengthening his clutch on Charles, Erik wanted to know, "What's going on? What's happened?"

"I… I don't. Erik!" He pointed to the devilish figure that grew out of the floor.

"What the hell?" Erik hissed. "What is that thing?"

"I thought I saw it before," Charles buried his face against Erik's shirt. "It won't leave me alone!"

Getting up, Erik kept Charles behind him, eyes fixated on the creature. "I don't know what you are, but if you want to harm my brother, you'd best have the forces of hell and several back-ups in place."

When the monstrosity launched at them, a sword materialized, separating it from the boys. Erik wielded his magnetism to drive the weapon into its chest. After a screeching outcry, the creature dissipated.

Dropping to his knees, Erik brought Charles in towards him. "Are you alright?"

Charles rested on his shoulder. "Now I am."

When both opened their eyes again, they found themselves in Erik's room again. Charles laid in bed with Erik touching his head. At the reappearance of their adult frames, Erik placed attention on his nearby clock.

"Hardly five minutes have gone by."

Charles told him, grunting at his returned leg pain, "That's the way it works. Time passes much more rapidly in the mind."

"Charles, what was that?" Erik demanded, readjusting the ice pack on his leg. "What was that thing haunting you?"

"It… it could have been anything." Charles' eyes dimmed. "A memory or a mere nightmare cutting through. Something similar happened to Emma when the Triad was there."

"I cannot believe that entire thing… an enthusiastic daydream?" Erik moved over to place an arm around him. "Your mind is like nothing I could ever imagine, Lab Rat."

"You should catch some of Becky's fancies," Charles smiled. "And you're not without a few of your own. That sword was something right out of King Arthur's court and you made it out of sheer will."

"The will to protect you," Erik stated. "It didn't matter what became of me. Charles," he cupped his cheek to get his full attention, "was that entire thing nothing more than a nightmare? Do you have something you want to tell me? Need to tell me?"

"Yes, brother." Charles brought his head against the older man's chest. "Apparently, I'm very tired."

"So was I." Erik gripped him closer. Last night…

Not missing the thought, Charles closed his eyes to try to rid himself of it all.

XXXXX

Ears picking up the disturbance in his home and quarters, the gray-haired gentleman leapt up in bed. Shock tore through his chest at the one in black mask only a few feet away from him.

"Who are you? What do you want?"

The woman beside him stirred. "What's going on?"

"Sleep!" Professor X raised his hand and the man's wife dropped against the pillows once more.

"I'm calling the police!" His hand froze before he could reach out for the telephone, watching something drop in from his ceiling.

The sight of the ghoulish one in black and white made the man develop a ghostly paleness of his own.

"I'm afraid we cannot allow that," came the voice behind the frightening mask.

A grunt mixed with a gasp sounded as the male in the bed returned to sleep. However, the images that surrounded him next proved more ghastly than anything he had ever witnessed in the physical world. He cried out, but they only continued to circle him with vicious menace.

It took several minutes, but the mutant pair eventually ended it. They looked on as the man shook underneath his covers then took their leave.

X

A hand running down his friend's back, Professor X asked, "Better now?"
Bent over the hood of the car, Specter nodded twice. "Fine. Just… this is whole new territory for me, Charlie. I didn't know I was capable of anything near this level."

"I know. Easy," the Professor coached. "That will be the worst of the manifestations. Ed Harrington is our most difficult opposition. We had to make him unfit to vote on sterilization. I can merely re-work the opinions of the others."

Rising, Specter looked to him. "Are you certain you're up for it after that? Maybe we should spread it out over a couple nights."

"No." Professor X shook his head resolutely. "The vote is too near. If we do not do this now, mutants across New York State will suffer in inhuman ways."

Nodding to that, Specter's strength regrouped and he stood fully. "Get in. I'm still driving."

Returning to their positions in the vehicle, they took off for their next destination of the night.