Erik remained awake on the plane ride back home as he leaned back in his seat, his hands clasped together. The blonde slept beside him and he occasionally glanced across at her. She was sleeping soundly as the pilot informed them that they were nearing the states once again. Erik didn't know why he had decided to kiss her. It felt right at that moment in time and he truly did feel something for the French girl. He knew she wasn't as strong as he had initially believed when he met her in Switzerland. The way she had held herself when she demanded to see him in his apartment was completely different from how she was now. But Erik felt that it was his right to protect her. She was a fellow survivor from Shaw. She was his daughter. But she was nothing like him. She couldn't be anything like him.
...
"I don't know how you survived Charles," Erik teased as they stood on the large green yawn in Westchester. Charles had a small grin on his face as Erik peered up at the large mansion which stood in front of them. The teenagers also seemed impressed by the sight which they were seeing.
"It must have been difficult," Annalise joined in with the joke as Raven moved over to the man she claimed to be her brother.
"It was a hardship softened by me," she said and Charles kissed her on the top of her head.
"Now it's time for the tour."
...
"I thought your apartment was nice," Erik said as he saw Annalise in the makeshift later that day. She looked over at him as he had a wide grin on his face and she smiled lightly. "But I have to say that Charles' house wins."
"I cannot disagree with that analogy," she admitted. Erik took in the clothes which she had borrowed from Raven and folded his arms. She was stood in a white vest top with grey sweatpants on her legs. Her long curly hair was pulled back into a high ponytail as she looked at the metal weight, wondering how on earth she was supposed to lift it up. Erik took in the way she was staring at it and muffled a laugh by placing his hand on top of his mouth.
"You're supposed to lift that up," he told her and she rolled her eyes.
"Very funny," she commented as Erik watched her and he walked over to her.
"Just lie down on the mattress," he demanded. She looked questioningly at him but he nodded at the blue material and she slowly moved over it.
"Now lift your arms up and grab onto the metal," he told her and she did as he told her. "I'll help you to lift it up and then I'll let go when it's in the air."
"But what about if it crushes me?" she worried. "I'm not cut out for physical exercise."
"Well you need to be if you plan on facing Shaw. Now just get ready for it."
Annalise took in a deep breath as the weight moved up with ease and Erik's help. As soon as he stopped using his powers the weight seemed to increase and Annalise felt her arms bend, unable to hold it into the air all the way as she turned red with the heat. Erik watched her struggle for a moment before it nearly touched her stomach which would have helped to crush her. He outstretched his hand, lifting the metal back up as he sat beside her on the mattress and placed the weight back onto its stand. Annalise sat up, coughing lightly as Erik placed a hand onto her back, patting it to help her.
"Maybe you should stick to lifting small things," he informed her. "Are you alright?"
"Oui," she told him. "I'm fine...just...clearly I'm not that strong..."
"Apparently not," he smirked and looked out the window at where Charles was training Hank about how to use his feet. "I have a question though."
"And what is that?" she wondered, pulling up the vest top which she was wearing and tightening the bobble in her hair.
"When we find Shaw," he began, "I am still going to kill him, and you know that, don't you?"
"I didn't think that aspect had changed," she blinked quickly and Erik remained quiet as she thought about what he had just told her. "You thought my mind might have changed now that I know he's my father."
"I had my doubts," he admitted.
"No," she said quickly. "Nothing has changed. I still want him dead as much as you do."
"Good," Erik nodded. "Anyway...Charles told me he thought you were in here. He wants me to teach you how to fight."
"The man who would rather use words than actions?" she checked.
"The time for words has passed," Erik simply spoke. "Now come on..."
Erik stood up and Annalise did the same as he took hold of her hand and tucked her fingers inside to make a fist.
"Never punch with your thumb inside of your fist. You need to keep it on the outside."
"Got it," Annalise nodded.
"Of course you have the advantage. You can see the move which your opponent will make before they make it. The only issue is that you may not act because you're not the violent type."
"Okay," Annalise nodded.
"And the main issue is when someone has you in a hold you can't get out of," Erik said and quickly acted. He held onto the fist he had made for her and twisted her arm quickly, holding it at her back as she squirmed in pain.
"Erik!" she snapped at him as he held her arm in his grasp, pressing her back against his front. "That hurts!"
"People won't care if you are in pain," Erik told her.
"I care!" she yelled and he twisted her arm even further and she yelled out 'ow' several times in a row.
"Now the question would be how to get out of this," he told her. "There's option one-"
But Erik stopped his teaching in mid sentence as he felt pain run through his body. He allowed Annalise to escape his grasp as she fell forward, turning around and looking at Erik who had his hands clasped onto his groin and he bent over in pain. Annalise watched with her mouth open as Erik fell onto the ground. She placed her hands over her mouth, dropping to her knees to, her hands not daring to touch Erik as she saw a small tear escape his eye and she shook her head.
"I am so sorry!" she told him. "Erik...oh God...I'm so sorry...Erik..."
"It's fine. I'm okay," he promised her. "That was good...very good...as long as you just don't apologise to your attacker."
"But still. I shouldn't have done that...but you were pissing me off," she bit her bottom lip and he looked at her with a grin as she stood up. "I'll fetch you some ice."
...
"I heard you hit Erik in the nuts," Sean told Annalise as she stood on top of the massive satellite with him, Charles, Erik and Hank. Erik narrowed his eyes at Sean as Charles grinned widely at what he remembered Erik telling him. Annalise pulled Erik's leather jacket tighter around the dress she was wearing.
"And that is a warning not to annoy me Sean," she told him and he seemed slightly worried before Charles distracted his mind.
"Don't worry. Now you just need to remember that your throat is a muscle," Charles said and Sean nodded once.
"I don't know if I can do it," he replied and Charles nodded once.
"You don't need to do it," Charles promised him whilst Erik rolled his eyes, stepping in front of Annalise.
"Let me help," he said and his hand pushed Sean from the edge. The young boy went flying down the side of the satellite screaming as the others stood by and watched him. Finally, Sean screamed loudly and the waves travelled from his throat, keeping him flying. Annalise sighed in relief before hitting Erik on the chest once.
"What?" he asked her. "I knew he'd be fine."
...
Annalise stood in the bedroom of the mansion, looking onto the sight of Erik and Charles speaking to each other. She saw how Charles pointed into the distance at the satellite, demanding Erik to turn it to face them. The look of surprise was evident on the metal bender's face as he shook his head, telling Charles he didn't have the anger in him to turn it. Before Annalise could watch anything further there was a knock on the door and Raven entered. She had her gym gear with her and she dropped it onto the bed.
"Erik told me to bring you some more clothes to work out in. Apparently you couldn't lift a spoon," Raven told her and Annalise rolled her eyes.
"Erik does talk rubbish," she complained. "He tells me that you're looking for a way to change your natural blue looks."
"Hank is developing some form of remedy," Raven said with a nod.
"Why do you want to change?" she asked her. "I know your natural blue form isn't exactly normal but it doesn't matter, does it?"
"You wouldn't understand," Raven said in an almost apologetic tone. "You're naturally beautiful and have Erik falling all over you...everything is perfect for you...but me...well I'm not any of that."
"I am hardly beautiful," Annalise replied. "And Erik is doing anything but falling all over me and believe me, I do not have a perfect life."
"I know it's probably not perfect...I know what you went through in the war...well...not like Erik..." Raven blathered.
"I'm his daughter," Annalise blurted out. "Shaw is my father Raven..."
"What?" she snapped back and Annalise sighed, pushing a hand through her hair. "No...it can't..."
"It is true," Annalise said quickly. "And it isn't common knowledge. Charles and Erik are the only others to know and I plan to keep it that way. Now you can see that no one has a perfect life Raven. But just because of the way you like doesn't mean anything. You're different Raven and that is nothing to be ashamed of."
...
A/N: Thank you to SasoLOVE111 and SanctuaryLover for constantly reviewing. And thank you to all of the people who placed this onto an alert! A review wouldn't go amiss and so pretty please let me know what you make of it so far! Ta!