Chapter 3
"Lies."
"Charles wouldn't lie. Not about something like this."
"It wasn't Charles that contacted you. An imposter. Someone posing as Charles' son."
"And your son."
"Impossible. Preposterous."
"I know what I felt Magneto. Those were Charles' memories."
"Someone could have taken them from him while he was incapacitated. Use this farce as a way to trap us."
"How many telepaths have we met in the last eight years? Less than a handful including Frost and Charles. There isn't anyone out there more powerful than my brother."
"There's always the possibility someone like that exists and we just haven't met them yet. And why are you being so trusting? You're usually the first of us to urge caution."
"I'm blue. You can fly. Is it really so difficult to believe Charles gave birth to a son?"
"No! That's not...if he was mine Charles wouldn't...he would have told me."
"Well we won't know the truth unless we go see them will we?"
"Magneto."
The voice breaks him out of his reverie. He's apparently been standing outside the mansion, staring at the front door. "I'm fine. I just...need a minute."
Mystique turns to look at him, her usual inscrutable expression firmly in place. "Come. They'll already know we're here. You'll get your answers inside."
The door opens a crack before he has a chance to answer, a mop of dark hair peeking out followed by a scream of excitement. "You're here! I felt you outside! Aunt Raven it's really you!"
He watches as Mystique crouches down to catch the boy as he flings both arms around her. "Hello Max." Her voice is warmer and softer than he's heard in years. "I'm so pleased to meet you."
Max pulls back and grins, before looking up to take in the imposing man standing in front of him. His expression is curious and a little puzzled, wide blue eyes bright and discerning.
Beautiful. He has Charles' eyes.
He watches as the boy pulls Mystique inside the mansion where Havoc and Beast are waiting, seemingly relaxed but very obviously on guard.
"Havoc. Beast." Mystique's smile is cautious, wary.
Beast answers in a welcoming tone. "Mystique. Magneto." Havoc says nothing, though his eyes dart back and forth between him and Max.
"You knew we were coming." It's not a question.
Havoc's expression is coolly neutral as he answers, though he smiles at Max when he looks over at the boy. "Max told us afterwards that he used Cerebro to look for Erik and Raven and to bring them home to see Charles."
Mystique looks impressed, "I wondered how you were able to reach me, especially when you said you were at home." She turns to Beast, "Isn't he a little young to be using Cerebro?"
Max looks sheepish as the older man laughs, "He didn't actually have permission to use it. He swiped the elevator code out of my head, then rigged a remote on-switch to activate Cerebro from the center platform. And he set a timer so that the machine would automatically shut down every half hour."
Magneto looks between the two men, shaking his head in disbelief. "How did he..."
They both answer in unison, "Genius."
There are amused chuckles from the others as he continues to stare at Max. Charles has a son. A 7 year old, telepathic genius. A beautiful, perfect boy with Charles' eyes, Charles' smile, Charles' brilliant mind. Who sounds every bit like Charles when he speaks, confident and poised and slightly accented.
He's unmistakeably Charles'.
It's also like looking into a mirror and seeing his own 7 year old self reflected back at him.
He's unmistakeably his.
He finds it a bit hard to breathe.
Max is staring at him too, head slightly tilted as though he's trying to figure something out. He steps in front of Magneto and holds out his hand, "Mr. Magneto. It's nice to meet you."
He reaches to shake the boy's hand, a wry smile on his face. "Likewise."
Max turns to Mystique next and smiles. "Were you able to find my Father, Aunt Raven? Is he going to come too?"
Havoc snorts in amusement even as Mystique looks confused. "I did bring your Father, Max." She points to him, "This is Erik Lensherr."
Now it's the boy's turn to look confused. He steps closer and stands on his toes to get a better look at Magneto's face. "You don't look like my Father."
He scowls at Havoc who is laughing out loud. "I assure you. I am Erik Lensherr."
Max shakes his head, "I know what my Father looks like from Daddy's head. You don't look like him at all. You're wearing a cape and a helmet. My Father doesn't have a helmet. He wears turtlenecks and sweatshirts and sometimes no shirt..."
"Max!" Beast interrupts. He crouches down in front of the boy and puts a hand on his shoulder. "I know this may be confusing but people can change the way they look enough that they're hard to recognize. Trust me and Alex. This is Erik. He's your Father."
He still doesn't look convinced. "I can't feel you with my head." He looks at Mystique. "I could tell it was you right away when I found you, Aunt Raven. Your mind is just like Daddy remembers it." He turns back to Magneto. "You don't feel like Erik from my Daddy's head. I can't feel anything from you at all."
Beast looks uncomfortable, while Havoc just laughs, mirthless. "Yes Magneto. Why don't you explain to the telepath why he can't read your mind."
They're interrupted by what he assumes to be a message from Charles – the two men and Max all stand still at the same time, head looking up towards the second floor. "Daddy says it's past my bed time. And that you should stay tonight and then we can all talk in the morning." Max turns his big blue eyes on Mystique. "You'll stay won't you? You're not planning to leave? You have to see Daddy still though not right now because he's still very tired from the pneumonia."
"Come Max." Havoc picks him up easily and tosses him over his shoulder. "Say goodnight."
"Good night Aunt Raven! Good night Fa-, Mr. Erik!"
Beast sighs, rubbing his face with a furry hand. "Let me show you to your guest rooms."
"I need to see Charles. Now."
A low growl, followed by a look of annoyance. "The Prof has been heavily medicated for the last three days. He's just coming out of the worst of it and he needs rest. Anything you have to say to him you can say after he's had a good night's sleep." He turns and heads towards the stairs, expecting the other two to follow. "You've waited eight damn years what's one more night."
"Fine. Tomorrow." He'll give Charles until the morning and then he's going to demand some answers. Like why his son's existence has been kept from him all these years.
Yes, they're going to have a good long talk in the morning.