Okay. I'm definitely torn about this chapter since it could literally go anywhere I want it... which is strange O_o
I could stick to the movie ending a little and have Charles be paralysed (the inner child in me is screaming "NOOOOOO" at that prospect) or I could go in a completely different direction and have the pair of them against the world as the governments try and end them.
Grrr... it's actually really challenging to just choose one 'cause my brain is running away with each idea (at the same time) and building upon it so basically I've got AU's of my AU floating about in my brain and I have to chose which one I'm going to do... *throws self out window in frustration only to be levitated back in by Charles who wants me to finish the fic*
The plan I've actually got down is roughly another uh... four/five chapters at least, but I think I could condense it down into less chapters and add more depth as I go along. That's what flashbacks were invented for right?
Arrrgggh! This is so annoying! And just so you know, if you reading this pointless jargon, then I haven't actually STARTED writing the chapter; these are just my thoughts prior to my beginning to scribble for you to enjoy. Sorry if you just want me to shut up and get on with the fic :p
Anyway. I'm going to shut up now and just get on with it but I think I'll condense my chapters into two or three to get the story plot moving... to the Slash we go! xD
Sorry. I'll shut up now... (wow, I talk/write a lot :p)
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For Me this time;
Lesson Six: Just don't bother with a plot – it's not going to be stuck to anyway... *facepalm*
..
For you lot as well;
Lesson Six: When in doubt, give the humans a gift and call a truce – or, give them who's responsible for the mayhem and then sit back and enjoy the fireworks (lol... I'm vindictive aren't I? :p)
"Beast!" Havok shouted out as he spotted the blue, furred mutant ambling towards Raven. Upon hearing his name the young mutant spun around to face Havok who was trying to hold up an unconscious Banshee. "Banshee's injured!"
Immediately, without any preamble, both Beast and Raven hurried over to Havok and helped him support the slightly woozy Banshee over towards the damaged remains of the Blackbird. "There's a first aid kit in the jet." Beast said, looking at Raven. "See if you can find it."
Raven nodded in affirmation and scarpered over to the jet where Moira was waiting. "Help me find the first aid kit." Raven called out to the CIA agent and the pair of them set to work, sifting through the wreckage of the jet for the kit.
"Careful. Set him down here." Beast said lowly as he and Havok lowered Banshee's form until he was resting against a piece of metal that was protruding from the sand. "Where was he hit?" Beast asked looking up at Havok who shrugged.
"I don't know. Angel got his wing when we were coming in to land and we kinda fell." Havok answered, confusion and worry rolling off him so strongly that one didn't have to be a telepath to feel it. Beast growled slightly in frustration as he realised that if there wasn't a physical wound on the surface then the injury would be internal where he couldn't reach.
"Hank!" Raven's voice echoed behind them. "Got the kit!" She added as she ran up to them, Moira trailing behind them. "How is he?" She asked as she passed the blue mutant the case.
"I don't know yet. I need to check to see if he's got any external injuries." Hank answered quietly as he searched through the case until he found a scalpel and a couple rolls of gauze. Quickly and efficiently he cut away the arms of Banshee's suit before moving onto the rest of the top-half of it, the zipper looked like it had been partially melted and Hank surmised that was Angel's doing.
Alex, Raven and Moira waited impatiently as Hank worked to free Banshee's chest of his suit and they all gasped in surprise when they saw that their friends chest was mottled with rapidly purpling bruises. None of them spoke but Hank sucked in a harsh breathe as he took stock of the damage to Banshee's body; it was obviously internal and that was a bigger problem than anything else. If it had been a cut, a wound or even a burn then he could have dealt with it decently enough. But this was inside Banshee's body...
"He needs to get to a hospital. Fast." Hank said solemnly as he looked up at the others. "I can't treat this." Raven's eyes widened in realisation as the others processed Hank's words. If they didn't get their friend to a hospital quickly, then they might end up losing him. Permanently.
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As they sat around Banshee's still form, each lost in their own thoughts as Hank constantly checked Banshee's vitals, they watched in silence as the two fleets began to move in the waters. Moira watched them impassively, not really taking in what was unfolding around them, and it was only when the sound of grinding metal echoed around them that her attention snapped back to the present; everyone else following quickly.
Snapping their gazes from the ships onto the sub behind them they watched in apprehension as a large piece of the hull broke away and fell to the ground. Raven slowly rose to her feet, Havok and Moira rising behind her, as they waited to see who would step out on to the beach before them. They breathed out a sigh of surprise and relief when Erik floated through the hole, followed by Charles and a frozen Shaw.
"Charles!" Raven exclaimed, happiness flooding her system as she saw her brother, in the flesh, for the first time in days. She smiled widely and ran across the sand towards her brother who was slowly descending to the floor. She noticed that Erik was watching her brother warily but she dismissed any thoughts pertaining to the other man's wariness as she threw herself into her brothers arms.
"Raven." Charles cried out in exhilaration. "How good it is to finally see you with my own eyes!" He laughed as she hugged him tighter and he held her close to him as she began to sob against his chest in earnest. "Hey..." He said softly as he titled his head. "It's alright... I'm fine."
His attempts to reassure his sister obviously didn't seem to work as she began to sob even more and he looked over at Erik, the expression on his face mirrored by his friend who shrugged and thought. 'Don't look at me... I don't do girls.' Charles frowned slightly in annoyance at Erik's less-than helpful thought before refocusing his attention on his sister.
"Raven. Raven sweetie... I need you to let me go." He murmured quietly and he groaned slightly as Raven tightened her grip around his waist in response. "Raven, I need to keep Shaw contained." He added, hoping that his sister would see reason and stop crying an ocean on him.
Slowly Raven raised her head off her brother's chest and looked at him. She stared at him for a long moment before nodding silently and releasing him from her strong embrace. Smiling at her, Charles brushed a strand of her red hair away from her face before turning away and focusing his attention on Shaw again.
Erik, who had stood by in silence and watched the siblings interact, wondered if Charles could control all of his power if the need ever arose. He knew his friend could do things that Erik himself had only ever dreamt about, but he didn't know if Charles could retain all of his mental faculties whilst doing so. He doubted Charles knew either. And that was where the majority of his concern lay as he watched as Charles reasserted full control on Shaw's body and mind, at least he assumed Charles was controlling Shaw's mind. Erik knew, from his own experiences, that if one had a gift but didn't know their own limits then one day, some fateful day, something would go wrong and everything would fall apart. That had happened to Erik the day his mother had perished at Shaw's hand and he didn't want Charles to ever experience such a thing. And that was why he was worried about Charles pushing himself too far now, when he was just discovering the extent of his abilities but not the limit of it. Erik was worried that Charles would push too far and fall off the metaphorical precipice into the murky place of emotions ruling ones actions.
Erik turned away from his friend when he realised that he didn't need any assistance from him. Deciding to focus his attention on Shaw's mutants Erik walked towards them, slowly and warily lest one of them perceive his approach threatening. The last thing they needed was another fight.
"My brothers. Sister." Erik said, his voice carrying across the beach to reach the three mutants standing away from Charles' team. "We do not need to fight one another." Azazel watched warily as Erik stopped barely three feet away from them. "I do not know what Shaw promised you, but please, we don't need to fight. Violence will not solve anything." Erik looked at each of the three mutants in turn. "Shaw does not control your destiny, you do that. Whatever he has promised you he would never had given without a price."
Angel shifted uncomfortably and Riptide looked away from Erik but Azazel continued to stare, it was almost as though the teleporter was sizing him up; checking him out to see if he had the weight to back up his words. Erik looked directly at Azazel and said firmly. "We are not enemies and we are not monsters so let us not act as such."
Watching Azazel closely, Erik waited for that decisive moment when some little movement on Azazel's part would affect the other two mutant's choice. He realised that, without Shaw or Frost, they still followed some sort of chain of command and it seemed that Azazel was the one in charge of them. And so Erik knew that, in order to convince the others, he had to convince Azazel first. And he hoped to God that he succeeded.
Azazel stepped forward slowly extending one of his red hands in a gesture of agreement but Erik also realised that it was a show of trust on his part. Azazel could teleport him wherever the hell he liked and Erik knew that, as did Azazel. This was the teleporter's test and in order for Erik to pass he had to place his life in the teleporter's hands. For a small moment he hesitated, he knew the consequences of whichever choice he made, but just thinking back to how he had watched Charles turn into a man he barely recognised was motivation enough for him to reach out and grasp Azazel's hand in a firm grip.
They stared at one another for a long moment, the world momentarily stopping around them as Erik tried to convey with his eyes the belief he had in his words and Azazel challenged his every claim. As quickly as their eyes met and the challenge was met and completed, Azazel broke off the handshake as the two other mutants stepped up beside him, one on either side.
"We are family. We are all the same." Azazel said, his accent emphasising the meaning in the words. Family... yes, perhaps not by blood, as was evidenced by Raven and Charles, but family nonetheless. None of them were superior. And none of them had the right to be judge, jury or executioner. This, Erik realised as he turned around to survey Charles' interaction with the still frozen Shaw. No one man had the right to chose another's fate and every man had the right to change their own destiny. Erik was an example of this and so was Charles. It doesn't matter what power one may possess, at the end of the day, at the end of the battle, at the end of the war, every person is the same as the other. No-one is superior and none are inferior. 'We are all the same... whether we have extraordinary powers or not...' Erik thought as he noticed Moira standing next to Raven watching Charles. It should have looked strange to see the non-mutant standing next to the blue Raven, but it wasn't because Moira didn't fear them. Moira was an example of a human who could overcome her base instinct to fear a stronger predator and Erik realised that if one could do it, then so could the rest.
He finally realised that what Charles had always said to him whilst they battled on the chess board was correct. The Human race can accept them because they are them. They always will be human, just different, like a person with Autism or club-foot is human. Variety is the basis of life. Without nothing would have existed in the first place.
'That's what I've been trying to tell you for a while Erik.' Charles voice rang inside Erik's head and he looked over at his friend sharply. 'Though I do find it mildly ironic that you had to remind me that revenge doesn't bring one peace when it is what I was trying to advocate to you from the moment we first met.'
'Aren't you meant to be keeping Shaw frozen?' Erik thought caustically as he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. 'Or are you going to ask him nicely to not move for the foreseeable future?'
'Oh Erik. So kind aren't you?' Charles thought back, sarcasm evident in his thought and Erik wanted to know how one could think sarcastically. 'And actually I have an idea about that.'
'Oh? Well do tell Professor.' Erik began walking over to his friend. 'And perhaps we should switch to the spoken word lest we confuse the children.' Erik suggested as he noticed the others looking thoroughly confused. Obviously Charles wasn't letting them listen in on their conversation.
"Yes, quite right Erik." Charles said aloud as he turned his head to look at his friend. "Splendid idea." He smiled as Erik glared at him and couldn't help but add. "You might want to put the kettle on friend."
'Just tell us the plan you sarcastic pain in the-' Erik thought but Charles cut him off mentally and began speaking aloud.
"I am going to place Shaw in a permanent state of stasis, for want of a better word." Charles said looking at the others who were listening to him. "I don't know if it'll work but I am hopeful, however." Charles paused and looked at Erik. "I am unsure as to the side-effects of this since I'm planning on using Shaw's own power to strengthen the stasis. That means I want you off this beach as quickly as possible."
"What! And leave you here!" Raven exclaimed as she stepped towards her brother. "No way! We left you once! I won't do it again..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes began to well-up with tears and Charles sighed lovingly, reaching out a gloved hand to wipe a loose tear away.
"I don't want you to get hurt." He whispered softly as he placed his hand on her cheek, watching her as she leaned into his hand. "And you won't be leaving me. I won't let you remember?" He added smiling at her and Raven hiccupped a laugh as she stared at her brother.
"I remember." Raven acknowledged softly and taking a deep, steadying breath, she stepped away from her brother and over to the others who were watching anxiously. "How far away do you need us to be?" Raven asked, her voice level and her posture composed; every bit the professional in a war she shouldn't have to be a part of.
"Well, if our teleporter friend here is willing, as far as you can get from Cuba whilst still being in the United States." Charles answered as he gestured to Azazel who nodded at the telepath.
"I am." Azazel said quietly and Charles smiled.
"Excellent." The telepath said as he returned his gaze to the others and he couldn't help but add. "Preferably somewhere where there's a hospital nearby for Banshee." And though he couldn't see it with his own eyes, he saw Azazel nod through the eyes of the others around him. "Brilliant. You'd best be going then."
"I'm staying." Erik said firmly, refusing to look away when Charles' gaze snapped on to him. 'And don't even thing about making me leave because I will murder you if you do that.'
Charles smiled and said, his voice coloured with amusement. "I wouldn't have it any other way my friend." 'Because you mean more to me than words could possibly describe and making you go would break me in ways I don't wish to think about.' Charles thought but he kept that thought to himself as Erik came to stand next him.
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Azazel, Riptide and Angel walked over towards the others and Azazel silently held out his red hand. Raven looked at the red mutant questioningly and Azazel explained. "We must all be in contact in order to teleport."
Nodding, Raven silently reached out and gripped Azazel's hand without any preamble and the others gripped her hand, Beast and Havok holding onto Banshee as Moira held Angel's hand. Azazel looked at Raven who nodded again and said. "Go on."
A heartbeat later a loud "crack!" sounded on the beach and Erik looked to see that the children and the other mutants had disappeared, leaving rapidly disappearing wisps of smoke in their wake.
"Looks like it's just us now." Erik said solemnly as he returned his attention to Shaw.
"Let's get on with this then." Charles answered as he took a breath and reached out with his mind, searching through Shaw's mind for the power the madman had consumed less than an hour beforehand. He frowned in concentration as he dug though the myriad of thoughts, feelings, emotions and memories the madman had within his head; it was almost overwhelming for Shaw had lived far longer than any person had any real right to, and the man had left a trail of pain, death and despair throughout the ages. It was... agonising and heartbreaking because Charles knew that Shaw had shaped a lot of human history since the turn of the century. Eventually though, after what felt like years of searching but had only been mere minutes, Charles found the source of Shaw's power and he recoiled instinctively from it because it burned. It was burning and boiling and it felt alive. Quickly pulling out Charles took a deep, calming breath as Erik stared at him in concern.
"There's too much power in him for this to work. If I linked his power to the stasis he would still be in stasis a hundred years from now, maybe even longer." Charles sighed as he rubbed his forehead. "The only way to do this is if I siphon off some of his power into myself and that should allow the remaining power and stasis to naturally come to an end in a couple of decades." Looking at Erik he elaborated seeing his friends concern and confusion. "The energy would be harmless, in fact, I highly doubt it would do anything but make me seem as if I were running on adrenalin. And if the stasis came to an end within the next hundred years, which is certainly will if I siphon off some of his power, then his mind will die as he body fails on him. He won't ever come back and he'll never be a threat to anyone ever again."
Erik stared at his friend in disbelief. He couldn't belief what Charles was suggesting. Was he insane? Shaw's power, the raw energy the man thrived upon, had already caused Charles injury – Erik remembered the marks on his friends chest, hidden by his suit and he knew that his friend didn't relish the idea of absorbing more of Shaw's harmful energy. "Charles-" He started but his friend cut him off, uncharacteristically angry.
"No Erik! There is no other way! I have to do this otherwise millions will suffer!" Charles voice rose and he stared at his friend with wide eyes, no, not wide, 'wild' eyes. His friend had obviously seen something in Shaw's mind that terrified him and was making him take risks.
"Charles you cannot do this! How much power would you have to take to make this work?" Erik challenged as he stepped closer to his friend. "I'm betting it'll be too much for you to handle." He said and Charles glared at him.
"I can handle it." Charles bit out and Erik snorted in disbelief.
"Really? Are you sure? Or is that arrogance speaking before reason my friend?" Erik argued as Charles continued to glare at him darkly.
"I have to do this Erik." Charles said firmly as he turned away from his friend. Erik wanted to grab him by his shoulders and shake him. He wanted to put some sense in his friends head but he didn't know if there was any sense of reason that applied to this. Suddenly something in his mind clicked and Erik could have laughed at how simple it was.
"But you don't have to do it alone." Erik argued softly as he reached out a hand and placed it on Charles' shoulder. "If you absorb most of the siphoned off energy on your own you're likely to burn up. But if we both absorb it then we're more likely to survive."
Charles shook his head. "No. It's too dangerous." He started to say but Erik cut him off as he stepped closer to his friend and stared intensely in to Charles' eyes.
"No more dangerous than you taking in more than you can handle. If we do this together then we're both more likely to survive." Erik stared intently at his friend as Charles stared at him, his face unintelligible and Erik was worried in case his friend said no. He didn't want to see Charles suffer anymore, and he didn't want to lose his closest, his first, friend. 'I care too much to lose you.' He thought, hoping Charles wasn't reading his mind but he didn't look away as Charles blushed.
Charles stared at Erik as his thoughts rushed around his mind chaotically. Half of them were for Erik's idea, the more rational part of him on the side of sharing the power, but the other half were screaming for him to say "no!" because Erik could be hurt and he couldn't handle it if he caused Erik any pain. But... if he took all the siphoned off power into himself he'd likely die and his death would hurt Erik...
Whatever choice he chose, he couldn't avoid causing Erik pain, the only difference between them would be the fact that one type of pain, Erik would be willing to feel whilst the other he would hate him for. Charles blinked and in that moment, that brief moment after he heard Erik's thought, Charles made his choice.
"Alright." He whispered and Erik breathed a sigh of relief. "But you're going to have to follow my lead and listen to everything I say." He warned and Erik nodded in agreement as Charles lifted a hand and grasped Erik's hand in his own. "First of all. Do not break contact with me. No matter what."
Erik stared at their entwined hands for a moment before looking up at his friends face and couldn't help but think. 'Should I give you a bear hug instead?' And he smirked when Charles' blush deepened. 'Or I could-'
'Hand holding is perfectly sufficient for this.' Charles thought firmly and Erik grinned. 'Now, if you're finished teasing me do you think we could get on with this?'
'Of course. Lead the way genius.' Erik said, his words solemn but there was an undercurrent of humour in them which made Charles roll his eyes at him.
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"Where are we?" Havok asked as he looked around the clearing Azazel had teleported them too. Havok looked over at Azazel questioningly.
Azazel sighed and wondered why he had agreed to any of this. He didn't like these children and they didn't like him but that was the result of circumstance, just like his teleportation of them was. "I do not know exactly but I do know there is a hospital that way." He pointed behind Beast who was hunched over the still unconscious Banshee. "It is not far, about ten minutes walking distance." He added as Raven looked in the direction he had pointed.
"Right." Moira said. "I'll go with Banshee and Havok to the hospital to get him treated." She looked around at the mutants and said firmly. "No fighting." Raven and Beast nodded at her and the other three mutants nodded in acquiescence as well. Moira cast them another glance as she helped Havok support Banshee before they began to amble off in the direction of the hospital.
In the small clearance there was silence for a long time until Raven broke it and asked. "Anyone up for Truth or Dare?"
They groaned and Azazel looked at her for a long moment before saying. "I am returning to the beach so they shall have a way out." He cast Angel and Riptide a glance before adding with a slight smile. "It will beat playing Truth or Dare at any rate."
Before anyone could say anything against him, Azazel teleported, the "crack!" of his teleport echoing around the clearing.
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Erik spun around when Azazel teleported back onto the beach, but he didn't let go of Charles' hand who also turned to look at the teleporter. "Thank you for returning Azazel. How thoughtful of you." Charles said politely, smiling at the red mutant who simply nodded. "Though it might be a good idea if you stood quite the way back." He added and Azazel teleported again so that he was standing on the edge of the trees on the opposite side of the beach. Charles sighed and muttered. "Good enough."
Erik looked at Charles again and Charles looked at him. "Shall we?" The British man asked with a nervous smile on his face.
"Definitely." Erik replied and the next thing he knew he was being sucked into a world of sound, light, colour, screams, tears and hate. In short, he was being pulled by Charles into Shaw's mind on their hunt for the madman's power.
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Okay. I officially give up with this chapter... my eyes are falling out of their sockets! T_T
Damn... I wanna curl up and sleep now... can I sleep now? :)
Anyway, this hasn't turned out exactly how I wanted it but meh... it's close enough... kinda :p