"If we were to die tomorrow, what do you think it would be like?" Erik jumped back as he heard her voice from the darkness. He turned the light switch on to illuminate the room which he was using in Charles' Westchester mansion and he looked at the French girl who was sat cross legged on his bed. She was still wearing the white vest and grey sweatpants from earlier in the day when Erik had been teaching her the correct way to go about fighting. He walked over to the small desk in his room, placing his watch onto the wood as Annalise's eyes followed him.
"Shouldn't you be in bed resting up for tomorrow?" he pondered and she shrugged lightly at him, playing with a strand of hair.
"I don't think I would be able to sleep," she admitted. "And I did ask you a question?"
"You almost scared me to death whilst you did it," he reminded her with a sly brow arched on his forehead. "And I don't know what death would be like. I doubt it will come to that anyway."
"Hm," she agreed lightly, lying back on his bed which caused him to roll his eyes and stamp his foot lightly as he sat down on the edge of it.
"Don't you have your own bed to go to?" he wondered as she closed her eyes, grinning lightly whilst Erik lay on his side, propping himself up by his elbow as he looked at her.
"I suppose so," she informed him. "After tomorrow they are going to know that we exist; aren't they?"
"They won't accept us," Erik declared, moving onto his back. He had just had this conversation with Charles. And now Annalise seemed as if she was in the mood for it. "Humans and mutants will never be able to live side by side."
"What makes you say that?" Annalise asked him, opening one eye and turning her head to stare at him. He rested his hands onto his stomach, his thumb moving up and down the black material which covered his flesh.
"They will think that mutants aren't supposed to be here. They will turn against us. We will never be deemed normal Annalise. We both know what it is like for us to be experimented on. That stage would happen again if we do what we need to do tomorrow."
"And so what do you suggest?" she whispered to Erik, sitting up and looking down at him. "You think that Shaw is right? You think we...you think we need to kill all the humans?"
"Don't talk daft," Erik snorted.
"Well it sounds like that is what you're saying," she told him.
"I am saying that you view every human like Moira," he told her.
"And you see them all as Schmidt."
"And so we have a dilemma," Erik replied to her and she shook her head at him.
"I don't see a dilemma," she admitted. "We simply need to stop Schmidt tomorrow and after that...then we can decide what we need to do, okay?"
"What makes you think there is a we?" he enquired and sat up, watching her blink hastily.
"I just...well...I thought that you liked me..."
"I do," Erik agreed. "But I am not sure what I want in the future."
...
"You know," Charles drawled as he entered the library at three in the morning, "you're angry thoughts aren't helping me sleep much."
"Then stay out of my head," Annalise snapped at Charles who sighed. He was dressed and ready for the morning. He hadn't been trying to sleep at all. He doubted he would be able to do so. But he had heard Annalise storm out of Erik's room and he had seen the conversation which the two of them had spoke about.
"I am afraid it is too late for that," Charles said to her with a small smile. "Erik has worked alone all of his life. He doesn't know what he wants and he doesn't really know how to accept anyone else play a large role in his life."
"I know," she replied. "I just don't know what to think."
"When this is over then Erik...he may up and leave like he has done multiple times before. All he wants is for Shaw to be killed and that is the only reason why he agreed to help us. You do know that?"
"I know," Annalise nodded. "It is why I am here too."
"No," Charles told her. "You're here to stop Shaw but you also care about all of the humans who he could hurt. Erik doesn't."
"He thinks they're all tainted," Annalise said, folding her arms as she did so. "He thinks that most humans are against our kind and how can I blame him for thinking that? After everything that he has been through then I know why he thinks that."
"You've lived differently to Erik," Charles whispered. "You have seen that humans can be good. You have felt their presence..."
"I know," Annalise whispered. "I just wish Erik would feel the same."
"Erik is too strong to control and you can't make him feel what you do. He needs to understand that there is good in this world. The majority of this planet is good. Shaw represents the small majority which is not."
...
"How long have you spent in the mirror trying to make yourself look better?" Erik teased Annalise when they were at the airbase. She was looking up at the plane which Hank had designed as they waited for the genius to join them. She rolled her eyes at Erik and averted her gaze from him, folding her arms over the blue suit. He noted her cold attitude before he wrapped his arm around her waist, bringing her closer to his side.
"You don't need to be worried," he told her. "We will kill Schmidt."
"I'm not worried," she told him harshly. "Schmidt doesn't worry me Erik...I'm scared for you..."
"Me?" Erik cocked a brow as she pushed his arm from her, glaring upwards at him.
"After this then there is the chance that you will up and leave me..." she bit her bottom lip. "If I were to ask you not to, would you do that for me?"
"It depends on circumstances Annalise," Erik sighed. "I cannot make you a promise."
"Erik...just..."
"Hank!" Raven's sudden voice burst out and they all turned to face him. Every single set of eyes went wide as they saw the blue form approach them. It was only Raven who saw him for what he truly was. He was beautiful in her eyes.
...
"Sean!" Annalise snapped as they spoke about the dilemma they had with finding Schmidt's submarine. The telepath unbuckled her seat belt as Erik did the same thing, walking behind her and making sure she didn't fall on the moving plane. Charles stood up with haste as the teenager did the same. "You just need to control it like a muscle Sean...okay? Don't worry...Charles and I will be with you the entire time."
"I know," Sean nodded at her as Erik began to move close to him. "Keep him back!"
"Don't worry," Annalise said, "if he tries anything then I'll kick him in the balls, okay?"
"That makes me feel better," Sean said, his eyes grinning at Erik who would have liked to have done nothing more than push the kid out of the now opening doors. Sean stood tall for a moment, nodding to himself in determination before he jumped out the plane, screaming as loud as he could. Annalise moved back around the open doors as Erik held his hand out to her, helping her to stand upright.
"Sean has a location," Charles said and the plane began to tilt. Annalise automatically grabbed onto Erik's arm, her hands wrapping around him before Charles looked at his friend.
"Are you ready for this?" he asked him.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied. Annalise stepped back, watching as Erik lowered himself onto the wheel of the plane, the arm of it extending out of the vessel. She knelt beside Charles, looking into Erik's mind as he outstretched his hand. Charles reminded him to go to the point between rage and serenity. Annalise watched the concentration screw up onto his face, beads of sweat forming on his normally cool forehead.
'You can do this Erik,' she promised him through his mind.
'It's so heavy...I don't think...'
'We believe in you...I believe you can do it Erik...'
Charles and Annalise watched on in amazement as Erik seemed to become stronger. The submarine was appearing to the surface of the water, its metal clear as Erik smiled once in astonishment. He didn't think he could have done it. But now that he had he had never felt as powerful.
"Watch out!" Annalise snapped as she saw Riptide walk to the top of the sub, two whirlwinds blowing in his hands as Hank snarled in anger.
"It's going to be bumpy," he declared. As soon as the wind hit them they began to feel the plane become weak. The teenagers towards the back began to scream out in panic as Erik continued to drag the submarine along with them, seeing the beach in sight.
"Erik!" Annalise snapped at him. "Get back into the plane..."
"I'm nearly there," he assured her as he released the submarine, allowing it to tumble onto the beach, rolling all the way around. The plane then began to spiral out of control as Erik forced his way back into the object. He grabbed onto Annalise as he felt the plane begin to roll out of control. The pair of them fell onto Charles who was yelling in frustration. Erik kept them stuck onto the same surface, avoiding rolling around the metal object. As it came to a halt with a final bang he then allowed them to fall onto the ground.
"Is everyone okay?" Charles asked, standing up and looking down the plane before he went to help Moira. Annalise sat up with the help of Erik.
"Your hair is a mess now," he informed her and she swatted him on the arm before crawling across to the window and seeing Shaw's team stood on the beach, ready for a fight.
"I'm going in there," Erik told Charles who nodded.
"I'm going with him."
"No," Erik told her and she looked at him with wide eyes.
"What do you mean no?"
"You're not risking being hurt," he said to her. "I know how scared you are of him."
"Don't make me control your mind," she growled loudly. "You promised me Erik. You promised me in Switzerland...this is you and me against him!"
"She is going," Charles decided for them to stop their bickering. "She may be a help to you. Hank and Alex shall cover you."
"I'm going too!" Raven snapped.
"I don't think so," Charles told her. "I need you here. Erik...I can only guide you so far into the vessel and then you will need to rely on Annalise."
"Fine," Erik said with a gruff voice. The four of them moved from the plane. Annalise stuck by Erik's side as they looked at the mutants across the way. Azazel wasted no time in disappearing as Erik and Annalise ran forwards. Angel was hovering in the air which left Riptide on the ground. Erik wasted no time in using his powers to bring a piece of the sub down from the broken part and allowing the metal to hit the whirlwind. Erik leapt into the vessel, stopping and waiting for Annalise to take his hand as he helped her into the transport. She nodded once, looking around at the control room as Charles told Erik to turn off the power supply.
"He was making himself a bomb," Erik informed her. "He was absorbing the energy to start a nuclear war on his own."
"I've been in here before," Annalise told Erik as she moved into the living area where objects were flung about and destroyed. "But where is he?"
"Charles!" Erik snapped. "He's not in here goddamn it! There's no one here!"
"He has to be," Annalise replied, shaking her head as she heard a noise come from the room. Her and Erik turned around slowly, their eyes focused on the mirror room as they saw him stood there, a helmet on his head as he smiled at the pair of them.
"Erik and Anna...what a nice surprise."
Erik pushed his hand through his hair, forcing it to stay out of his face as Anna placed her ponytail behind her shoulder. The two of them walked forward into the room with a slow pace.
"How nice it is to see you both," Shaw smiled. "My darling Anna...I was completely disappointed with you."
"Likewise," she muttered back. "So what is this? You're becoming a bomb to declare World War Three?"
"If you would like to think of it like that," he nodded to her. "We are the way forward Anna, Erik would agree with me, wouldn't you?"
Erik didn't reply and instead he raised his fist, getting ready to hit Shaw but the elder man reacted first. He moved his hand to block Erik and sent him flying straight into the glass, tipping him upside down as the mirror shattered into pieces beside Erik.
"Erik," Annalise muttered, rushing over to him and helping him to his feet, her arm going around his waist. Charles managed to renter Erik's mind, telling him that he was breaking the vortex which had been in place. Annalise looked at her father, ready to hit him but he prodded Erik once again.
"Anna...my little darling...stop this fighting...we need to make peace. Would it help if I told Erik that I was sorry for everything I did to him in the camps? I am sorry for that Erik...but now isn't the time to fight, is it?"
"Shut up!" Annalise snapped at him and he looked at her with annoyance. He moved his hand out quickly, ready to knock her back as she tried desperately to get into his mind but found herself unable. Erik noted what he was going to do and he quickly used his powers, ripping pieces from the submarine's roof and allowing them to clatter in front of Annalise, creating a barrier between her and her father. Shaw turned toward Erik then, walking over to him as Erik used his powers to create a barrier between them two like he did a moment ago.
"You know I'm right Erik...you and I...we can work together. We know that the humans will never work with us...I made you who you are today..."
"I know," Erik whispered back, the metal pressing against his body, his face cut and bruised and his hair matted and out of place. "I know that you're my creator...I've always known..."
Before they could say anything else Erik quickly moved, his hands raising upwards and removing the helmet from Shaw's head. Shaw rushed forwards, trying to get it but Charles managed to stop him, controlling him. Erik dropped the metal which he had been holding as Annalise moved forward past the fallen barrier to see him stood still, frozen in time.
"I want you to know that I agree with everything you have just said," Erik said. "We are the superior race."
"What?" Annalise asked Erik. "You seriously cannot agree with him!"
"I do," Erik replied. "And I am sorry for this...and Charles, stay out of my head."
Erik grabbed the helmet which had been floating and he placed it onto his head.
"But unfortunately...you killed our mother's and for that...you have to die..."
'Tell him to be the better man!' Charles suddenly snapped in Annalise's mind and she looked at Erik. She may not agree with his views on the humans. But his view on Schmidt was something which she did share.
'He's not a monster for wanting to do this Charles. And I am not stopping him.'
"Are you with me?" Erik asked her, holding out his free hand to her and she stepped forward, taking hold of it. She stood by his side, her body turned sideways to his as she rested her head just to the side of his chest. "Are you okay?"
"Can we just hurry up?" she whispered. She wanted him dead. She didn't want to be related to him and she didn't feel like she was. He was no father to her. This shouldn't bother her.
The coin Erik held in his hand began to move through the air slowly as he counted to three. Annalise watched it go forward, her mind completely boggled at what he was doing. She felt a tear fall from his cheek and she knew how much this meant to him. He didn't want peace from killing Shaw. He simply wanted revenge on the monster who had murdered his mother. As Erik counted to three the metal pierced straight through his skin, a trail of blood being left down his forehead as it came out of the other side and he collapsed to a heap on the floor.
"It's over," Erik stated simply, his voice back to its cold and hard self as Annalise stepped away from his grasp, kneeling onto the floor and looking at Schmidt. His eyes were closed but he didn't look any different as she whispered down to him;
"I do wish things had been different...but...they're not and even now in death...I will never forgive you."
Annalise stood up again, looking at Erik who was staring back at her. She raised her arms, removing the metal helmet from his head as she looked into his mind and he allowed her without any protests.
"I want you with me," he informed her. She knew that he felt the guns in the water moving to the beach. She knew the Soviet's and American's were working together to kill the mutants. "We don't belong here Annalise..."
"I don't want to work against society," she said to him. "I'm a part of it Erik."
"Why can you not see that this is for the best?" he asked, his hand resting onto her cheek. "They are turning us against each other."
"No they're not," Annalise told him, placing her hand on top of his on her cheek. "We're doing that ourselves."
"I won't stop fighting against them Annalise...I need you with me...there's something about you..."
"I can't," she replied. "I can't Erik."
"Then I'm sorry," he said and suddenly kissed her again, taking the helmet from her hands as he did so, unknowingly to her.
...
"Jesus," Charles whispered as he saw Shaw's corpse floating through the air onto the beach, falling down with a collapse. Erik stood on the edge of the vessel, his hand holding onto Annalise's as she allowed him to wrap an arm around her waist as he brought the two of them to the ground.
"The time to stop fighting is now brothers and sisters," he declared before they hit the sand. Anna pushed herself away from him, walking over the beach to Charles' side, making her position clearly known as Erik indicated what was happening on the boats in the water.
"Tell me I'm wrong Charles?" he asked and Charles shook his head, nodding at Moira and telling her to call back to control and say that the beach is secure.
"The humans have played their cards...and now we play ours!" Erik declared. There was silence upon the beach as the sudden noise of firing missiles was heard. Everyone watched on as they lit up the sky, moving towards the beach as Erik raised his hand up, stopping them in their flight as he turned them around. Charles shook his head as Annalise did the same.
"Don't do this Erik," she begged him, her voice snapping loudly.
"They are men...good and innocent men...they're just following orders..."
Annalise noted the change in Erik's posture as soon as Charles had spoken them words and he turned to look at the telepath.
"I've been under the orders of men like them," he said. "Never again."
"No!" Annalise yelled as he sent the missiles flying back. She rushed towards him, her hands pushing him back as she tried to fight against him. Charles saw Erik manage to push her back and took his turn, running to him and tackling him to the ground, causing him to drop some of the missiles into the sea. Annalise sat on her knees, crawling the few paces to push Erik off of Charles as he hit him.
"Don't make me hurt you Anna!" he snapped at her, pinning her under his weight, his eyes narrowed into hers as his hands held her wrists by her side.
"Stop this Erik...this isn't you...you don't kill innocent people...just stop this..."
"I can't," he said as he heard gunshots coming towards him. Instinctively he stood up, his hands pushing the bullets of the way until a loud scream was heard. Annalise sat up, seeing Charles' back bend backwards, his knees collapsing to the floor as his face showed excruciating pain. Annalise grabbed onto him before he fell, lifting him up so that she had him cradled in her arms.
"Charles...oh God...Charles..." she worried whilst Erik fell to the other side of him, looking down at his friend.
"I'm sorry," he said quickly. "I'm sorry Charles...so sorry..."
And then he looked at Moira as she held the gun by her side, his eyes glaring at her as she began to panic.
"You," he hissed. "You did this!"
"Erik!" Annalise snapped at him as he used his powers to pull the necklace around her neck tighter against her flesh. "You did this to him!"
Erik released Moira looking at Annalise as she began to cry, wondering what was going to happen to the man she had always relied on. The man who had helped her and helped Erik.
"You did this to him so don't you dare blame anyone else!" she yelled. "You...you...how could you?"
"Calm your mind Annalise," Charles pleaded with her. "Yelling won't help anyone."
"But he did this!" she yelled again, looking over at Erik.
"They've achieved what they wanted," Erik told the pair of them. "They've turned us against each other."
Erik stood up, looking down at Charles as Annalise looked after him. His attention went to his fellow mutants, pointing down at the scene before them.
"They have made us turn against each other! The humans will never accept us for what we are and fighting against each other will not make anything better, do you not see? Join me now...and we can live how we need to...there will be no more hiding."
The last part caused Raven to stumble forward, looking at Erik who was waiting for her to take his hand as she went past it, sitting by her brother for a moment.
"You should go," Charles told her. "It is what you've always wanted."
"You promised you'd never read my mind."
"I promised you a lot," Charles reminded her and she kissed him on his forehead.
"Look after him," she told Anna who nodded once, moving Charles's hair from his face. Erik smiled at Raven as she joined the others in the line and he then looked back at Annalise, his eyes looking into hers for a moment. She didn't say anything to him and she couldn't even silently communicate with him. But she supposed words were not needed for the pair of them as she looked back at Charles and Erik went with a loud pop.
"We're going to get you to a hospital," she promised Charles. "You'll be fine."
"No," he said as she tried to help him move and the others rushed forwards. "I can't...I can't feel my legs..."