So uhm... hooray for me. That update came a lot quicker than the last didn´t it? Which of course shouldn´t keep you guys from continuing to review chappy 22 ;-) I mean, you really make my days a lot brighter with your reviews, so be merciful with a poor university student being doomed to her computer most of the day.

Eternal E: Now I feel truly flattered. You compared my portrayal of Magneto to Ian McKellen! Wow! Honestly! Now I feel good! You made me grin stupidly for a couple of hourse when I read that! So, here you are, another glass for you. :-)

XChocolateChipX: So glad you enjoy reading this. So here you go. A quick update.

2wingo: Yeah, something along that line, although we shouldn´t mention his age. He looks good for his age, doesn´t he? (grins fangirlishly)

AngelofSnow: Oh dear, i feel so sorry for you being in so much pain from your teeth, so I really hope I can cheer you up a little with yet another chapter. Get well again soon, will you? So, this chapter´s for you! I hope you´ll feel better after reading this.

Chapter 23)

Distances

When Erik Lehnsherr walked along the corridor, his boots echoing from the metal walls, he felt his old determination getting hold of him again. He had been forced to be idle for far too many days and if he had needed any other push to get back to work, it had been the look in Shade´s eyes which she thought he had not noticed. Tears. Soon she would no longer have to cry.

As he had expecte,d he found Mystique in the control room down the corridor. Although it might look like a dull place from outside, Magneto´s lair disposed of the most modern technology including a rather spacious room, referred to as the control room by most of them which came along with a number of high tech computers, TV sets that permanently monitored the most important news channels, phone stations and a radar to detect possible intruders nearing the lair. Apart from that, there were about a dozen screens that were connected to security cameras outside the lair. Magneto had never been the kind of person to trust humans too easily. If someone came here, he would know... at least if the control room was occupied. During the last couple of weeks the computers had been off, the cameras had been out and the radar had been out of use. With noone at the lair, there had been no need to monitor things. Then, when he had returned, Erik had seldomly come here. He preferred to observe things from his own study where he had his own computer, his own screen which was connected to the ones in the control centre so that by pushing a few keys he could easily call onto his screen what the cameras were monitoring anyways. And apart from that... the room was so full of technology that it emitted whole bunches of magnetic waves. Not detectable for all of those who did not share his powers, not affecting Erik himself, but the environment was a sensible one. His ability to control metal had often interfered the one or other circuit by accident. If he didn´t watch out, such a thing could happen quite easily.

He was half glad, half anxious to see her sitting at one of the main computers when he entered. She seemed to be busy, absorbed by what she was doing, her blue fingers flying over the keyboard with vicious speed. The clicking of keys and humming of computers and cooling system had drowned the sound of the doors sliding open and for a moment he just stood in the door frame, watching her blue shape. She looked so determined, so... desperate in a way that it made him sigh inwardly. They had grown apart he realized once more. How could that ever have happened?

For a split second his thoughts slipped from him, drifting away, and the grip on his powers that he had been careful to hold when he had entered slightly escaped from it. The screens started to flicker and in the same split of a second Mystique stopped hammering the keyboard, her whole body tensing like a cat´s before the leap.

"What do you want, Erik?" she said in her vibrating voice, not even granting him the friendliness of turning to face him, before she continued working as if his presence was no reason to stop what she had been doing.

He hesitated for a second or two, then he stepped a little closer, away from the door, but still leaving a space between them. "Your assistance" he said in a voice as casual and matter of factly as possibly, just in time being able to keep himself from saying ´your help´ instead. He walked over to the computer she was sitting at, coming to a halt about a metre behind her chair. She didn´t turn around which caused his chest to clench.

"Shade got into contact with one of the mutants that were with her before she escaped and we have a first trace now from where we can start to locate them."

"I see" was all she said.

Erik fought hard to remain factual. Her unemotional way of replying annoyed him. No, he told himself, he would not let her drag him into this struggle, not again. So he kept his expression free of emotion when he continued. "It is likely they were all taken to Washington DC although this is all we know up to know. The next step will be to locate their exact position."

"And you thought about appointing that job to me." It was no question, just a conclusion bereft of any emotion or interest.

"Yes, this is why I came here." he said, realizing that his voice sounded a little more dangerous than he had intended. She turned and got up, looking him directly into the eyes, smiling bitterly. "I thought so." she said in a low, lurking voice. "After all we´ve been through you still know me well enough to know that when it comes to it, I will do my job." Her gaze hardened. "Be a toy. Be a tool."

Erik didn´t break the eye contact. He knew she was testing him. She was testing if he was willing to give in, if he was willing to accept the stronghold she had built to shield herself against him. His heart clenched at her words and he fought hard to harden his gaze against hers.

"And a very reliable tool as I can tell from experience, my dear" he replied coldly, but when he saw fury enter her eyes he couldn´t keep himself from chuckling slightly, although it sounded more than bitter. He stepped back a little, turned to the side walking a few paces along the lines of computer screens causing them to flicker which made Mystique glare at him. "You know very well that you are more than a... tool, Raven."

"Don´t ever call me that again, Erik." she said baring her teeth like a cat. He looked up and their eyes met. He stepped a little closer his eyes never leaving hers. "Then act in a way that serves your true name justice." he said coolly causing her eyes to flicker shortly in surprise of this unexpected reply.

"We are mutants" he continued. "You and I. Whatever happened between us, mutantkind will be at an even more miserable stake than it already is if mutants fighting for their freedom walk on different paths." He stopped. "I can no longer count Pyro as an ally" he said. "I thought at least you would be superior enough to stand up for what you believe in... instead of letting emotions" he uttered that last word coldly "take away your focus on what really matters."

For what seemed like an hour she just returned his gaze, then she slowly nodded. "That just sounds like the man I used to admire." she said. "Sometimes it is better to harden your heart against such men. They only make you suffer."

"This man once told you you would never suffer again." he replied. "I failed you Mystique."

The change he saw in her was so abrupt, it both scared and amazed him. All her demandor of fury, fierceness and revenge vanished like a shadow. Her eyes softened, became sad, suddenly reminded him of the kid at the bus stop all those many years ago. She never said a word. She just walked the few paces towards him and lifted her slender blue scaled hand to touch his cheek ever so slightly. The scales on the back of her hand felt rough and welcome at the same time when they traced their way from his cheeks down to his jaw till they rested there to put up his chin, her eyes studying him intensely. All his boldness was gone, all his cold words vanished when he slowly did another step towards her gazing into her yellow reptile-like eyes before he leaned in to kiss her. When their lips touched, she withdrew and without another word or glance at him left the room.