"Do you want to know the interesting thing," Annalise asked Charles as she sat beside him on a bench. She had helped him move from his wheelchair onto the wooden surface for he needed to feel something else for the chair was no longer being kind to his behind. "You're starting to teach. You really are a professor."

"Oh dear," he complained. "As long as I don't go grey and bald then I am fine with it."

"That would be harsh," Annalise said and he chuckled before they lapsed into silence again, listening to the faint hum of the wind around the Westchester mansion.

"Are you sure you won't stay?" he asked her and she shook her head.

"I'm going back to France, Charles...this isn't my place," she spoke. She had told him of her plan about what seemed to be a million times and each time he tried to persuade her otherwise. "I know what it will be like eventually."

"You believe there will be an us and them?" Charles checked with her and she nodded.

"It is you against Erik now," she whispered gently. "And I can't be a part of that."

"He wouldn't hurt you," Charles aid and she chuckled once, shaking her head.

"I'm not worried about him hurting me...I'm worried about seeing him again..."

"Do you think you made the wrong choice?"

"I didn't want to join him and I don't want to join you in working alongside the humans. I don't wish them hurt and pain...but I don't want to join a battle..." she decided. "I want to go back to how I used to live."

"I can see you're determined to do that," Charles informed her as he picked up her hand gently. "But there is always a place for you here at the academy."

"Merci," she smiled. "I should be going...I need to catch my flight soon...you will look after yourself, won't you?"

"Would I do anything but that?" he replied with a smirk, kissing the back of her hand before she kissed his cheek and stood up.

"You're a good man Charles...I've seen what you plan to do to Moira," she said to him and he looked away from her, squinting into the sun as she straightened out her blue dress.

"She isn't safe with us," Charles said and she shrugged.

"Everyone deserves someone Charles."

"In that case before you go I left something in the hallway...I think you should take it."

She raised a brow, wondering what he was talking about but he shook his head as she began to walk away.

"Aurevoir Professor," she spoke out to him.

"Goodbye Anna."

Annalise entered the front door to the mansion, seeing her patent black bag already waiting for her but the thing sitting on top of it was much more interesting. She picked it up and examined it, finding the collar and sliding her finger into it, pushing it behind her shoulder as she picked her bag up and allowed it to hang on her arm, the smell of his leather jacket close to her once again.

3 months later

Mademoiselle Dubois sat in the small rented apartment in the city of Paris. The night air was cold as her large patio doors were open, leading onto a small balcony as the hustle and bustle of the city went by her. Annalise looked to her side at the stacks of paper which she still had to go through and she took a deep breath, dropping the red pen and leaning back in the wooden chair, her hands running through her hair.

"You might want to get that cut, you know," a voice startled her and she looked to the side where it came from. Stood in the doorway to her balcony was Erik. He was there. He was right in front of her. He wore the metal helmet he had stolen from Shaw and a red cape covered his shoulders as Annalise looked at him. "But I quite like it long. It does suit you."

"What are you doing here?" she asked him, anger still apparent in her tone.

"I heard you were back in Paris," he whispered. "And you have a teaching job...I wanted to see how you were doing."

"I'm doing fine," she snapped back at him and he raised a brow.

"Are you not going to enquire about me?" he wondered. "It is common courtesy."

"So is not shooting someone and paralysing them," she quipped back and Erik closed his eyes, hurt by her words.

"I apologised to Charles."

"And you think that makes it alright, do you Erik?"

"I go by Magneto now," he spoke back to her and she cringed at the name, standing up and moving to face opposite him.

"Code names?" she enquired. "How droll."

"You can have your own if you join me," he told her and she shook her head quickly.

"I'm fine here...and what's with the outfit?"

"A disguise," he shrugged. "Join me."

"No," she said again impatiently. "I'm not joining anyone Erik."

"I was surprised that you didn't stay with Charles," he admitted. "He stands for everything you believe in."

"And he also stands against you," she deadpanned. "I can't go against you Erik and I'm not going with you. You must know that so why are you here?"

"I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"You could have had Emma look into my mind. I found out she had joined you."

"Fine then," Erik snapped. "I needed to make sure you were okay Annalise...regardless of what you think...I care about you..."

"Not enough to stop this though," she replied. "Not enough to live normally with me...that's all I want..."

"It wouldn't happen," Erik said determinedly. "It couldn't have worked like that."

"You never tried," she said, trying not to cry in front of him. "You need to go Erik...I've got lots to do..."

"I won't give up on you my dear," Erik promised her, his hands moving the helmet and lifting it from his head. "I still want you Annalise."

"You always wanted what you couldn't have," she replied, folding her arms across the green dress she wore. "I have your jacket too...Charles...asked me to keep it safe..."

"I don't need it," he shrugged. "It looked better on you anyway."

"I'll throw it out then," she lied and Erik shook his head, chuckling gently.

"No you won't," he replied to her hastily.

"Well you should go...I've got this to do then I need to sleep..." she told him, walking back to her desk but he grabbed her quickly, his arm wrapping around her waist as he looked down at her. She didn't resist his hold as his other hand held onto her waist.

"I'm sorry," he told her. "I wish things could be different."

"So do I," Annalise replied. "I miss you Erik..."

"I'm here," he told her.

"I miss the man you were...I miss Erik Lensherr...not Magneto..."

"He's the same person to you Mademoiselle Dubois." Erik paused, his finger tilting to lift her chin upwards. "He'll always be the same to you."

And she didn't even resist the fact that he was kissing her.

...

The next morning Annalise awoke, sheets tangled around her body as she rolled onto her side, fully expecting to see Erik lay beside her. But he wasn't there. She sat up, looking around the room with the sheets remaining on her. He'd gone. He had left her without even saying goodbye. The morning sun entered the patio doors which he had left open as Annalise rubbed her eyes. She looked at the empty pillow again before noting the white paper which had been left on it. She had never dived so quickly to grab onto something as she did that paper. She read it over and over again, not knowing what to think or do.

I'll always be there when you need me, Erik.

...

A/N: Fini!