Episode 13: Ben and Eevee

Xavier knew he was going to die.

It wasn't too hard to come to such a conclusion. He felt the pheonix awaken and knew that she would be angry at her captor. He felt her rise from the deepest places in Jean's mind...

And he was not afraid.

He calmly retrieved his will from the third drawer, laying underneath a photo of Scott Summers. He shook his head as he again thought about how much he missed that boy. Scribbling a small note to his Benjamin on the top lefthand corner, he placed it carefully under his hands and waited.

'Dearest students... dearest children. I have an announcement.'

He felt Ben's mind push into his own. As he shifted through his professor's thoughts, Ben let out a mental cry.

"Professor, no! Let me stop her-- this can't happen!"

"This can happen," the professor said calmly. "Let what passes pass. Release me, Ben."

"I can't," Ben shouted, agony welling up in his chest. "I can't. I need you!"

"I am so sorry to leave you." Xavier touched at Ben's mind as the Pheonix approached. "Fare thee well, beloved child."

...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"

Ben sat up abruptly. The dream was fading, but the memory burned in his mind until it overwhelmed him completely, a single dry sob escaping.

It had been three days.

He was suddenly aware of someone sitting lightly on the edge of his bed. He waited a moment for his breathing to slow down before looking up. Johnny, he thought, of Jonah. Please don't let it be Jasmine.

But it was Eevee. Her blonde curls obscured the moonlight in the window, and her green eyes were wet and full of worry. "Ben," She whispered. "You were screaming in your sleep."

"Eevee," Ben sighed. "Sorry. Did I wake you up?" He wondered how he could have woken her up. Her room was seven doors down.

"Tell me you're alright," she pleaded. Her voice wavered. "Tell me you're okay, Ben."

"I'm not," he murmured. "I miss him."

"We all miss him." She looked away. "You look awful. You haven't been eating."

"How can I eat when the Professor is gone?" Ben cried, snapping his head up to look directly at her. "How can I breathe when he isn't? How can I sleep when he won't wake up? How can any of us? How can we until we find Johnny's mom?"

"She's not Johnny's mom anymore."

"Don't you defend her," Ben shouted. "She killed him!"

Eevee flinched away. "This is hard for Johnny too."

"Johnny barely remembers her," Ben growled. "How can this be as hard for him?"

"You selfish... you... you arse!"

Ben sat back. He wasn't used to Eevee shouting at him, or anyone, like that. She was such a nice, quiet girl. He liked that about her. But her true anger overruled anything nice about her now.

"You don't care about anyone but yourself! You fawn after Jasmine, when she and Jonah are so happy, you manipulate Johnny, lie to him, your best friend, and you ignore everything that you have right in front of you! Am I invisible, Ben?!"

He watched her shout and pour her feelings in front of him, watched the angry tears roll down her cheeks, watched her hands flutter in aggrivation.

She was not invisible.

She was wonderful.

Beautiful.

He caught her into his arms mid-shout and kissed her.

She mumbled against his lips, something about needing to say something else, but she gave up and let her lips mold to his. She had wanted this so long, for him to see her, know her, love her.

She didn't even care if it was desperation that drove him forward.

When he let go, she pulled back and gasped. "Ben. You can kiss."

"Can I?" He laughed quietly. "Can't say I've had much practice."

She laughed with him and put her arms around him, rocking him back and forth as he started to cry. "Shhh, my Ben. Don't cry. He died in peace. He wasn't in pain."

Ben nodded. "I still need him."

"You have me now," she whispered. "I can help you."

Ben didn't answer. He thought about everything at once, about Johnny, about the Professor, about Eevee and how warm she was. He figured he could settle.

She was right. He was selfish.

But now everything was going to be alright.

She reached over his shoulder and touched the sealed enveolpe on his dresser. "His will?" she asked softly.

He picked it up and nodded. "Yes."

"Are you going to look at it?"

He was too busy reading the note on the top left corner to hear her. 'My Ben. Handle with care. I will always love you, son.'

"I don't know if I can," he whispered.

"Try," Eevee said. "I'm right here."

Ben nodded, still unsure, and peeled it open.

NEXT: What's Magneto got to do with the freaking will?!