Okay. So. This begins the section where I start presumably tying everything up because twenty chapters seems like a relatively nice number for a story, right?
...Right. I'l llet you keep thinking that.
And for some reason, FanFiction hates italics now and so some of my words/sentences get deleted because FanFiction, in all of its infinite wisdom, deletes words/sentences if they're smashed together, even if it's their fault that it's smashed together. So, if that happens anywhere in here, I'm sorry. I know it happened in the last chapter...
The Perks of Being a Telepath
Chapter 18: Pressure
Their little slice of heaven couldn't last forever. The ominous threat of the war between the mutants and humans which they had inadvertently started loomed over them, threatening to break out at any second. As much as Erik and Charles both longed to just hide out in the mansion for the rest of their lives, drinking scotch, playing chess, and philosophizing over the morality of the world, they knew that it was inevitable that the world would come crashing down around them sooner or later.
When it did, they just wished it all hadn't happened so suddenly.
Stryker sank to the floor with a cry of pain as blood poured out of his now shattered leg.
Charles had never said anything about kneecaps.
Erik ignored the fallen military man as he walked hesitantly over to Charles. Outside of the small cry of pain, he hadn't made a sound.
Erik crouched amongst the broken glass and reached out a gentle hand to touch Charles' shoulder. There was no response.
"Charles?"
There was a low grunt of pain behind him. Erik turned, reaching out with his powers for the gun as Stryker pushed himself into a crouching position.
"You have the whole power of the world in your hands."
The words sent shivers down Erik's spine as he aimed the gun once more at Stryker. Promise to Charles aside, Erik would kill Stryker if he tried to harm Charles.
"Take one more step and I will fire."
Stryker laughed, a cold and bitter sound that cut off as soon as he attempted to take a step.
"You have the power to eradicate us, you know. The humans you hate so much."
"What are you talking about?"
"The telepath you're so fond off. Do you know what he's capable of?"
All too well.
Erik stayed silent.
Stryker shook his head.
"Unbelievable. I can't believe that you, Erik, of all people wouldn't want to take advantage of this."
"Advantage of what?"
"Xavier can erase every single human and mutant from this world with just a single thought of his mind when he's connected to Cerebro. With just the right word right now, you can get him to do what you've always dreamed of."
Erik looked in astonishment from Stryker to Charles and finally, the machine the telepath was attached to.
He had known Charles was powerful, but powerful enough to kill everyone? Even with the amplified powers of Cerebro, that was impossible.
Or was it?
Erik's hands were shaking as he slowly stood back up to face Stryker. Everything he ever hated in humans was exemplified by this one man. Their arrogance, their cruelty, their ignorance, and their instant hatred to anything and everything that didn't conform to their society.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"You would figure it out soon enough anyway."
The walls shook violently once more as Erik looked back to Charles.
He wouldn't use Charles like that. It would kill the telepath if he ever recovered to know what he had done. It wouldn't matter if it had been Erik's idea or Stryker's machine—Charles would blame himself. He wouldn't even hate Erik for making the suggestion in the first place.
Which was why Erik couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it, not to Charles.
"Do it, Erik. Show me the hatred and cruelty I know you're capable of."
"No."
A metal pole came out of nowhere and slammed into Stryker's head, sending the man collapsing to the ground in darkness.
The smell of cooking eggs and burning toast woke Charles that morning. He groaned, rolling over and burying his face into his pillow as he head throbbed angrily.
He hated hangovers.
Belatedly, he realized that he should probably investigate the source of the burning toast, if only to yell at Hank or Sean for waking him up at five-thirty in the morning.
It was five-thirty in the morning.
That thought took longer that it should have to register in Charles' mind.
What the bloody hell was someone doing cooking at five-thirtyin the morning?
He let out a growl as he rolled back over and searched for his robe. A twinge of pain in his lower back stopped him cold.
Damnit.
The twinge disappeared as quickly as it happened, but it was enough to peak Charles' alarm. Since Hank had perfected the cure, the old bullet wound hadn't caused Charles any pain at all.
This morning was going to be the morning from hell.
Charles could just feel it.
There was motion behind Erik. He turned, using his powers to handle the gun, and breathed a sigh of relief as it turned out to be Raven and Hank, both looking extremely dazed and confused.
He turned back to the telepath. Charles was still unconscious. He still had the Cerebro helmet on his head.
"Get him disconnected from that thing."
Hank quickly did as Erik ordered, unplugging the wires quickly. Erik gently pulled the helmet off, shocked to find blood staining the underside of it.
He looked for the source, horrified to find blood seeping out of Charles' ears and nose.
Raven let out a gasp.
"Charles!"
Fear colored her voice as she quickly, but carefully picked her way around the glass and debris to crouch beside Erik. She took hold of Charles' hand. A single tear ran down her face.
Hank came back over, his yellow eyes grave. Blood seeped from a cut across his face and on his back.
"He's dying."
The words were barely audible. Hank didn't want to believe it anymore than the rest of them did.
Erik glared at him.
"Don't say that."
"Erik…"
Raven's whispered admonishment trailed off as Charles started seizing.
Erik swore as he quickly, yet gently laid Charles out on the floor.
"Come on, Charles, don't do this!"
The telepath shuddered violently one last time before going completely still. His chest wasn't moving.
"NO!"
Erik's roar vibrated through the metal of the room, causing the entire building to shake violently.
"Erik, let go! He's gone."
Raven's broken cry barely registered.
She was wrong.
She had to be.
Charles was not dead.