Short chapter this time... but hopefully you'll enjoy it.

Just a point of interest: Raven's point of view goes back to about a week after Charles wakes up in the hospital. We'll get back to the foreshadowing point from the last chapter in the next chapter.

Also… this chapter is more focused on the events in Texas… which, is turning out way better than I hoped. : ). You all should be very nervous right about now…. Hehehehe.

The Perks of Being a Telepath

Chapter 31: Chaos Reigns

Sean was the first one to notice that something was wrong with Charles, which honestly, should have told Raven that she should spend more time paying attention to what was going on at the hospital and less time worrying about whether Hank was going to be seen in their hotel room.

"I don't know what's wrong with him, Raven. He's just not himself."

Raven brushed it off.

"He just spent two months in a CIA prison, Sean. Of course he's not himself."

It was a week after Charles had woken up, around midday. Charles was currently sleeping while Raven and Sean conversed softly over cheeseburgers that she had brought with her to the hospital. Sean was almost ready for release while Erik remained the same. Charles was the main point of concern.

Sean shook his head, grimacing.

"You don't get it. When you're not here, he's not himself. I can't explain it… but he's scary."

Raven sighed. She had learned long ago how to deal with Sean when he got into one of his paranoid moods, but that didn't mean she wanted to deal with it now.

"He's just recovering from whatever they did to him. He'll be fine."

Sean didn't look convinced, but finished his cheeseburger in silence.

Raven finished hers more slowly while turning the conversation with Sean over in her mind. Sean considered Charles to be one of his heroes, or at the very least, a father figure. There was no reason for Sean to suddenly be afraid of him.

Unless, a small voice in Raven's mind said. Unless there is something wrong with Charles.

She shoved the thought out of her mind. Sean was crazy. Charles would be fine. Wouldn't he?

Loud music began playing from a small orchestra on the other side of the street as the president's car slowly began its drive down the street. Erik could feel the metal in the instruments as he glanced around the crowd, looking for Charles and Emma. He froze as he spotted both of them nearby, locked in a staring contest. From the way Charles had his fingers pressed to his temple, there was a battle of wills going on.

For the first time in his life, Erik felt grateful for the large crowd, glad that it gave some small advantage to Charles. There was no way Emma could shift into her diamond form and block the other telepath.

But then, Charles turned, and his horrified blue eyes locked onto Erik's, and the metal bender knew that there was something very, very wrong.

Erik was distantly aware that Angel was saying something, an apology of some sort. Then, his head exploded in a world of pain and he sank to the ground with a growl.

"NO!"

Charles' shout—both mental and physical—rang out loud and clear over the cacophony caused by the band and the cries of surprise and alarm that started when Erik fell to his knees.

Erik tried to respond, tried to say something that would reassure his friend that he was all right, but found himself entirely unable to move. Something—or someone—had taken over his mind, forcing all thoughts and actions out of his mind, and replacing them with nothing but pain. It felt as though someone had lit his brain on fire.

Something that might have been a whimper crossed Erik's lips as the burning agony suddenly intensified. He closed his eyes and fought to concentrate on breathing, on anything that would take his pain away.

You can't escape me, sugar.

Emma's voice was ice cold and resonant in his mind, adding the sensation of someone driving icy metal pikes through his skull to go along with the burning feeling.

Erik longed to respond, to say something witty, to snarl angrily at her, to do anything to fight back against what was happening, but he couldn't get past the constant pain in his mind.

Suddenly, Erik's agony eased considerably. He could still feel it, like a molten mass in the corner of his mind just waiting to erupt again, but it no longer consumed him.

Cautiously, Erik opened one eye, both unsurprised and slightly alarmed to find Charles standing over him. The telepath had his eyes clenched shut, his face contorted in pain, and his fingers were driven so hard into his temple it was certain to leave a bruise.

Around them, the crowd was completely frozen. The president was stopped mid-wave a few feet away, completely obsolete in that moment. It was as though the entire world had been reduced to Erik, Charles, and Emma. Even the CIA agents were stock still, their hands reaching for their guns.

Are you all right?

Charles' voice sounded strained in Erik's mind.

I'm fine. Are you?

It was a lie—Erik felt like his mind had been split open and he couldn't help the violent tremors that wracked through him.

I'm fine.

The words were curt and tight, betraying Charles' lie more so than his facial expressions. But before Erik had the chance to respond, Emma let out a chuckle.

"Cute."

Charles grimaced.

"I'm not going to let you attack the innocents."

Their conversation was pushed to the back of Erik's mind as he realized that Emma wasn't paying him any attention at all. It wasn't that he wanted her to—he was happier with things the way they were—but it just seemed odd, almost as though she still believed him to be frozen.

She does.

Charles' mental projection seemed fuzzy, now, as though he was having problems projecting.

Erik blinked and looked at him in confusion.

Why?

Charles didn't respond. Blood began dripping out of his nose, slowly at first, but gradually getting stronger and faster. Erik couldn't pretend that he wasn't alarmed, but Charles was ignoring him.

A thought hit Erik so sharply it felt as though a lightning bolt had hit him. This was all in efforts to protect him. The frozen time, the way Emma couldn't see him… all of it.

Emma let out another laugh, more of an evil crow than a joyful noise.

"You know some good tricks, little telepath, but you're not as strong as I am. It's only a matter of time before you're forced to end this little charade of yours, and it will all be for nothing. I will kill Erik and you won't be able to stop it."

Charles smiled serenely, though there was an unmistakable edge of danger in the way he locked eyes with Emma.

"You don't know what I'm capable of."

A fleeting look of fear crossed Emma's face, before settling into a cold mask of indifference.

"Then why don't you show me, sugar?"

Charles shook his head.

"In your dreams, sweetheart. For now, I just want to talk to you, here, where you can't hurt anyone in case you get… unpleasant."

Erik heard the effort it took for Charles to keep his voice even, saw the effort it took for his friend to just stay standing.

Charles, you have to stop this.

Charles was stubbornly silent, locked in his test of wills with Emma.

Emma arched an eyebrow.

"And what makes you think I want to talk to you? I can just as easily snap this little mind game and kill Erik."

"Then why don't you?"

The woman laughed.

"Because where would the fun in that be?"

Charles smirked.

Erik sent another thought at his friend, louder this time.

Please, Charles. This is going to kill you.

"You really need to work on your lying, dear. You're just not convincing enough."

His voice shook violently, betraying to Emma just how much the effort was costing him.

Erik had had enough.

Charles, I know how much this means to you but you are going to die. For god's sake, just let the woman go. I'll kill her myself!

The words were an echo of what Charles had told him that fateful night where they first met each other. It was Erik's last hope for breaking through to the telepath.

It worked, but what Charles told him made Erik wish it hadn't.

I can't, Erik. The second I let her go, she is going to erase your mind. You'll be gone, Erik, and I can't stop her. I can't save you.