Chapter Eight: Fifty Genetics Ideas

Charles hadn't replied to any of his messages, apart from to say he was back at work, which did nothing to appease Erik's growing temper. He'd been prepared to give Charles the benefit of the doubt, especially after insulting him with his ideas about what Charles did for a living. But now, Erik was growing increasingly angry that he had been left behind with Charles' messed up situation, and his relief that Charles was out of London, was fading fast. Maybe Charles didn't want Erik involved in all of this, and was trying to keep him at arms length until it was resolved, but it was too late.

Not only had Charles skipped out on him, apparently he hadn't told Raven he was leaving either. She'd arrived Sunday evening at the flat, and had been surprised to find Erik there alone. Usually Charles didn't leave until much later in the day. Unlike Erik, Raven hadn't been worried. She'd spent a few minutes telling Erik not to bother expecting Charles to text him back, since he barely ever replied to her either, and then started bragging about a date she was meeting on Tuesday. Erik had only been half listening to her. Of course she wasn't worried, she didn't know what he did. But Charles had replied to one text, so what was keeping him from replying to all the others? Erik tried not to worry, but he was growing anxious and frustrated.

Caught between being angry and being worried, Erik had known what he needed to do. There was no guarantee that Charles would even return to London this weekend, so if Erik wanted to see him, then there was only one place he could go. It was now Thursday morning, and he was sitting on the train as it sped his way towards Oxford. Erik had only a vague plan, but at least he knew where he was likely to find Charles. If he was face to face with him, then Charles couldn't pretend to be too busy to reply to him, or conveniently ignore him.

Oxford University was a collection of some of the most impressive buildings Erik had ever seen. The heritage of wealth could be seen in every brick, and the city that he passed through on his way felt inspiring. Erik felt envious towards all that called this place their home, and even felt a twinge of jealously towards the students he passed by on his way through the campus. They walked past these amazing buildings with their eyes lowed, not looking around at the wealth of architecture. Or perhaps he was just getting old; he knew he should not judge young people on their failure to appreciate such things.

The students looked up at him as he strode by them in the corridors, he tried to walk as if he some purpose and not to appear to be loitering, and after an hour of repeatedly becoming lost, and retracing his steps, he eventually found the science department. His heart sank as he realised it was just as large as the buildings he had just walked though, and the directions were obviously a closely guarded secret between the university and it's pupils. No wandering trespassers allowed. There was no way he would ever find Charles here without help.

So Erik was beaten; the campus had defeated him and was ready to spit him out back on the streets. Erik knew that he might be here all day if he continued on like this. Taking a right turn, he found himself walking along another corridor that had many small 'quiet study' rooms leading from it. After peering into a few empty ones, Erik found a young man sat alone, his face half hidden behind a book. It was the book's subject title that caught Erik's attention. "50 Genetics Ideas You Need To Know." This was a good a clue as any, and the young man must at least know where Charles might be found. Erik knocked on the door, and then realised the reader had ipod headphones in his ears, and seemed completely engrossed in what he was reading.

Knowing he hadn't heard him, Erik opened the door slowly, and walked in. The young man ripped the headphones out of his ears, and looked up surprised.

"Hello, my name is Erik Lensherr," Erik said, knowing he'd alarmed the student, by interrupting him. "I couldn't help but notice the book you are reading, and wondered if you could help me."

The student frowned slightly, and looked down at his book confused. Most people avoided him after seeing the books he read, apart from his equally science minded peers, who might be persuaded to discuss theories with him. But even they had to admit his reading habits left them blinking in alarm.

"Oh, really?"

"Yes," Erik said stepping closer. "I am looking for Professor Charles Xavier. I wondered if you could point me in the right direction?"

"Oh. I guess so. Actually that is where I am going shortly anyway, I'm just killing time before the lecture starts… I'll take you there…"

The young man made to start packing up his things, but Erik stopped him. He could wait, he was already imposing, and besides, a chance to find out more about Charles wouldn't be unwelcome.

"So," Erik said taking a seat, he clocked the student's ID badge as he did so, hanging around his neck from a lanyard. Erik smirked. "Hank McCoy, from the science department, do they make you wear ID all the time around here?"

Hank flushed slightly, and quickly removed his badge. The lanyard caught on his glasses slightly and knocked them. He hastily pushed them back into place.

"I was in the labs earlier. Professor Xavier says we can use them anytime. He's much more involved than the last lecturer we had… he never let me use the labs unattended…" Hank said with reverence, as he stuffed the badge into his bag. Then he paused. "Why do you want to see him, are you a friend?"

Erik smiled. This was clearly Hank, of the email fame, Hank.

"You could say that. So you're Charles' student?"

Hank nodded. He started packing up his books, despite Erik's earlier protest. He was still slightly wary of this unannounced stranger. The thought crossed his mind that the man might be a rival scientist on the prowl for a heads up on the latest professor. Or maybe the press? Hank's imagination was starting the run away with him, and the sooner he took Erik to see Professor Xavier, the better.

"Yes, we're recapping the genome today, before we break for half term. We have papers due in a few weeks time," Hank said picking up his bag. "I'll walk you over to the lecture hall if you want now."

Erik nodded, he had no idea what a genome was and was glad to be getting off the subject. But when Hank stood, Erik was initially surprised by his height. Keeping his comments to himself, Erik walked with the boy across the campus, realising that before he'd found Hank, he'd been well and truly lost. They took a short cut through a courtyard, and then reappeared in a crowded hallway. It appeared that the lecture room door was locked, and all the students had congregated around it, waiting.

"I thought we were going to be early," Erik commented. He was receiving some enquiring looks, from people obviously wondering who he was.

"We are," Hank replied cheerfully. He was starting to lose some of his earlier apprehension about his guest. If he was digging for details, he wasn't very good at it.

"Oi, McCoy, who's your friend?" someone shouted through the noise.

Erik saw Hank scowl, as two boys approached them. One looked as if he was trying to break the record for the world's most skinniest of jeans and pointy boots look, teamed with a shirt sticking out from under a casual jumper. His reddish hair was rakishly stuck up at 'I don't care' angles. Erik didn't whether the boy hadn't brushed it or whether what was supposed to be the style, you could never tell.

"Are you a teacher?" he asked Erik bluntly.

"Hell no," Erik replied. "Just a friend of Charles'"

"Charles? Who's Charles?" the second boy asked, quitting his phone for long enough to ask the question and look Erik over.

"You know," the skinny jean boy replied. "Professor X!" he crossed his arms in an X shape in front of his chest.

"Oh, right, yeah, Professor X…" the blond boy replied. "Where the heck is he anyway? We've been standing here for ages. I want to sit down and put my feet up."

Erik returned the blond boy's scrutiny. It looked as if he was planning to play sports after the lecture ended, since he was wearing a black tracksuit with 'University of Oxford' embroidered on it, in the centre of his chest. He was busy again with his phone, and paid Erik no further attention. Then suddenly, he looked up, and smirked.

"Hey, professor! What kind of time do you call this?" he yelled, making the entire hallway turned to look his way, and the noise to stop in dead silence.

Erik turned to look behind him, he could see Charles walking towards them, in his hand he had a briefcase, and in the other a styrofoam cup of what was most likely coffee. Charles didn't notice him, but Erik was taken aback by how very 'Oxford Professor meets Topman' Charles appeared to look right now. His suit trousers were cut in a modern tight style, and contrasted well with his green tweed jacket.

"Good afternoon Alex, no shouting in the hallways please," he replied, not taking any notice of Alex's rude greeting. He handed the cup over to the blond boy, Alex, then pulled a key out of his pocket.

"Sean, if you wouldn't mind," he said, then took back his coffee before Alex had the chance to do as he was threatening to do, and drink it.

"Hello professor," Hank said once the students started filing into the room.

"Hello Hank, Hello…" he paused, as his eyes met with Erik. "Erik?"

"Hello Charles, thank you for the phone call by the way. Nice to see you haven't been murdered yet," Erik replied bitterly. Charles could tell by the tone that Erik was angry with him.

"I yelled through the door before I left."

"Well, I didn't hear you!" Erik snapped. If that was true then he felt a little bit guilty. Maybe Charles had said goodbye then, but he hadn't heard him, since he'd been taking the longest Sunday afternoon shower known to man.

Hank looked from one to the other nervously, realising that he was hearing something he should be, and quickly made his escape.

"Well…" Charles said, and then stopped. "Sorry. I suppose I should have called you…"

"I'm not leaving until I get some answers this time," Erik promised, leaning into Charles. "We have plenty of time."

"I have football after this, I can't be late. Trygettingsome on your own time, alright?" Alex said, loud enough for everyone nearby to hear.

Erik stepped back, as much as he liked looking at the blush that was spreading across Charles' face, he didn't want to disrespect him in front of his students. They clearly liked him; even if they were a little boisterous in the way they showed it.

Charles strode past him, following where Alex had quickly disappeared back into the room.

"Alex, in your seat, now," Charles said, striding to the front podium and setting his briefcase down before him.

Erik watched him through the glass in the door, before opening it and slipping inside. A few heads turned as he climbed the steps up the rows of seats, and spotted Hank near the back. He nodded at him, and saw that once again Hank seemed alarmed to have him as a seating buddy.

"Today we will refresh the genome," Charles said, and a few people snickered.

Erik didn't get the joke, if was supposed to be funny. In Charles' hand was a small digital clicker, which he had produced from his briefcase. The lights suddenly dimmed, and the wall behind him became the backdrop for his presentation. "We will recap the basics today, because judging from your test scores, you all love the genome."

There were a few smirks, but Erik noticed Hank looked traumatised at the prospect of not recovering the whole topic.

"Right, " Charles said clicking to the first slide. "Starting at the beginning. You'll want to open your essays with something that will underpin your discussions. A statement you seek to prove, an idea, or a question to answer. Remember to make your statements, reference, examine, explain differing opinions in structured arguments, and then conclude. Remember to use your appendices correctly; it will save your word limit. And always double check your references."

Erik watched Hank scribble this down furiously, whilst others hadn't even opened their books yet. He guessed Charles had mentioned all of this before, and probably a lot. Then after a few questions on suggested topics for opening discussion, Charles began.

"In modern molecular biology and genetics, it is understood that the entirety of an organism's hereditary information is called the genome. It is coded in either," he paused.

"DNA," someone called out.

"Good," Charles continued. "Or, for many types of viruses in…"

"RNA!"

Charles nodded, and clicked his side on. Erik tried to follow along, but it was getting increasingly difficult. The students were busy calling out the answers whenever Charles paused for them, and there was a kind of competitive buzz in the room. Erik had never been around so many people who were there with the single focus of learning. He'd personally stopped after college, and continued in a more practical style of learning. Here, these people had fought tooth and nail for their places, they wanted to participate.

"And RNA is … Hank?"

Hank straightened in his chair, but despite his nervous posture, he had an answer immediately.

"RNA is one of the three major macromolecules, the other two being DNA and proteins, which are essential for all known forms of life to exist," Hank said. Erik guessed Hank must have been correct, because Charles seemed please by that answer.

Erik considered as Charles spoke, how ironic his choice of profession was. Rather than just accept that he was different, he'd devoted his life to trying to find answers for his gifts, and ultimately try to find his place within this highly scientific world. But Charles had missed out on looking elsewhere. Although he might find acceptance among scientists and fit himself into a succession of plotted points on human evolutionary history, the regular man, wouldn't care.

"The Human Genome Project was organised to map and sequence the human genome, first accomplished in 2000. In general, the use of the phrase "genetic makeup" is sometimes used casually to explain the particular genome of an individual or organism…."

Erik gave up on trying to understand anything further. Instead he enjoyed just listening to Charles' animated voice, and watched him pull the answers out of his students without any intimidating placing of people on the spot. He looked so proud when he was rewarded with the correct answer, and even the wrong ones received praise just for being considered.

At the end of the hour, Erik was left wondering why on earth Charles would want to try escaping all of this, by continually living a double life in London. Why risk all that made him happy, to drink as an excuse to use his powers? But there in lay the answer. Charles was at perpetual war with himself, he wouldn't be happy until he had made peace with the fact that he existed to a whole new chapter of history. To a book not yet written. He would never be normal, and the sooner he realised this the better.

If Erik had his way, Charles Xavier would be leading mutants out of the shadows and into the forefront of society. He'd do it with reasoned logic, with scientific knowledge, with calm and acceptance of himself. Charles was fighting the wrong person; he needed to turn that inward battle out onto the world.

Erik saw Charles look up at him now, his eyes hesitant and his smile shy. Erik returned his smile more confidently. Just being around Charles again lightened Erik's mood, but they still had a lot to talk about. As the students filed out, it was soon just Charles and Erik left.

Credits: Hank's book is actually a published work called "50 Genetics Ideas You Need to Know – by Mark Henderson" I have to say I haven't read it. The science stuff featured here, eh, not my area of expertise, shockingly.