I do not own X-Men: Days of Future Past.

Or the DVD. Yet. Boo.

The Story Left Untold

Chapter 9: Unsteady Reunions


Hank woke up alone and naked, tangled in the now musky sheets of his motel bed.

And wondered if it had all been a dream.

He disentangled himself from the bedding and stood up. Rolled his shoulders once or twice, wincing at his slightly sore muscles and the stings of the thin, fresh scratches on his back.

The shower shut off.

Raven appeared, blond and dripping wet from the shower.

She was toweling her hair dry. The morning sun filtered in through the drawn shades and caressed her lithe figure in rays of light.

She was beautiful.

Why is she staying in her human form? For me?

He remembered last night. Human, mutant. They had embraced each other in both forms and it had been amazing.

So amazing, he feared it would never happen again. Which was why he had let go and done all the things he had. In case it never happened again.

She walked toward him now, damp towel wrapped lightly around her svelte frame.

This is too good to continue. She won't just abandon her mission for me. I'm her Raven. She's my Erik. She won't stop for me. She's learned too well.

She reached out for him and took his head gently between her hands, moving her sky blue eyes slowly over his face.

I feel like she's drinking me in. Why does that make me feel unsettled?

He couldn't decipher his whispering emotions just yet and so he simply let her look.

And looked back.

Finally, she smiled and reached further into his embrace to kiss him.

It was warm and soft and accepting.

Then she broke the contact and moved back just a little.

"Show me," she requested quietly, rippling into her natural blue form.

He did.

Morphing into the Beast and drawing her to him for another embrace.

Then he let her go.

And she smiled softly, laying a light hand to his face.

"Go take a shower," she murmured.

And he went.


His hot, cleansing shower lasted only five minutes.

And when he stepped out, toweling himself dry, it was quiet.

The quiet that reigns you are all alone and no one is showing up to save you.

On the cheap dresser, there lay a piece of hotel stationary.

And he just knew.

He moved on unfeeling legs and picked the note up with numb fingers.

Hank,

I still have to do this.

Thank you for caring and being my friend.

Raven.

She had known all along. When she was gazing at him minutes before. And kissing him.

She had known.

She was going off alone to kill Trask. Kill Trask and possibly die.

And she had said her final goodbyes.

Hank dropped the note and his towel.

And immediately reached for the clothes hung neatly on the hook, his unimportant aches and pains completely forgotten.


Charles!

Hank had arrived at the White House to a throng of people milling about everywhere.

He had no desire whatsoever to engage Charles Xavier but he had no choice.

It was his only chance at finding shape shifting Mystique. And saving Raven from destroying the world. And herself.

Charles!

He imagined his mutant signature spreading throughout the area like a scent or a mist. He knew that wasn't the way it really worked, but it was his only option.

I should really invent a telephone that people can carry with them wherever they go. It would be so much more convenient. Like a portable transistor radio.

Hank walked here and there mentally calling out and visually searching for a wheelchair-bound serum head and his wild-haired, people-punching cohort.

As he was beginning to despair, he finally saw Logan heading toward him at a brisk and purposeful pace.

Neither man smiled, both stayed grim.

It was not a happy reunion as such.

He's going to punch me again, isn't he?

Logan didn't.

Though he didn't exactly hug Hank either.

"Way to throw a tantrum there, Bub," he deadpanned, folding his muscular arms across his chest. "I've had to listen to that guy gripe and moan for two days straight."

Hank shrugged, a slightly sardonic expression alighting on his face.

"Ten years," he retorted.

Logan huffed, rolled his eyes, and shook his head.

"Yeah, okay, I'da run away too."

Hank shrugged and opened his mouth.

"Shut up and listen," Logan demanded.

You know, people spend an exorbitant amount of time telling me to shut up. I hardly talk as it is.

"This thing's about to start and you two have to work together with me so we can stop it. It's still going to happen otherwise I wouldn't be here right now."

Hank thought of mentioning the immutable river of time but the wolverine was on a roll.

"Now I know you broke up with him and ran off with your psychotic, crazy girlfriend . . ."

Hank momentarily bristled at all the wrong things Logan had just thrown out of his mouth.

" . . . but you two have to fix this. Now."

Logan glanced around at the crowd steadily streaming onto the White House lawn and then back to Hank.

"And you've got about five minutes."

Hank sighed. Logan eyeballed him with a set 'I'm waiting, Bub' expression.

Hank went.

Charles was sitting near the metal detectors, glaring at the ground in front of him.

Hank's gut twisted and clenched, phantom rage and pain raking its claws through his already bruised soul.

Charles looked up and his jaw tightened.

"Hello, Hank."

Hello, you vindictive bastard.

"Hello, Charles."

As he looked upon the broken man whom he had once highly regarded, Hank found himself lost in a sudden, vicious daydream.

Moving to shake Charles' hand and suddenly launching himself forward to punch him in the face, breaking his nose, blood spewing everywhere.

Logan advancing from behind to intervene, Hank throwing an elbow backward into his face as well.

Logan, growling, dropping to a knee. Hank upending the Charles' wheelchair, spilling the disabled man unceremoniously out onto the rough concrete.

Tossing a dismissive glance back at the rising, furious Logan.

"Take care of him yourself, Future Man. I'm all done here."

Stomping off, never looking back. Somehow finding Raven, taking his stand by her for better or worse. Never looking back. Never leaving her side.

Caring for the boy who was not his own. Raising him as his own son as the three of them traveled the land, uplifting and encouraging and strengthening their Mutant Brotherhood.

The vision evaporated as his hand met Charles' and the telepath gripped it firmly.

Hank started to draw back but the man removed his amber sunglasses to look Hank squarely in the eye. His gaze seemed haunted.

"I am so sorry, my friend. What I did was unforgivable. To her and to you."

Hank said nothing.

Charles continued.

"I swear to you that I will never do that to another human or mutant ever again."

Hank continued to wait.

"If I ever take control of a person's mind or speak through them again it will be for good reason and I will never cause them pain regardless."

Charles stopped.

Hank felt the regret pouring off him in waves.

Logan stood behind him.

Hank decided it would have to be good enough for now.

"Let's go. I'll push the chair," he said.


Okay, just so you know, Raven was not just using Hank at any point here or in the last chapter. She just truly wanted to make believe she could be different for a while. And she does care about him.

But Hank's right. She will not stop her mission just for him. In her mind, the fate of all the mutants including her son weighs on her killing Trask. Which we know is misguided but Raven doesn't.

And here's what will really kick you in the head.

When she had him morph in his Beast form before she ran off, it was to remind herself why she was forcing herself to continue on with her mission. Because she's fighting for him too.

Anyway, it's been interesting to discover different readers' reactions to the relationship development of the last chapter. I anticipated it and published anyway. Which took some guts I can tell you.

Poor Hank. Got bested on inventing the first cell phone by the Motorla guys only three months later. That's right, gentle readers, the first cellphone (weighing a whopping 4 pounds!) was publically demonstrated on April 3, 1973 and the Paris Peace Talks previously took place in January of the same year. Sorry, dude.

Nobody cares about that but me I'm sure.

Meh.

So thanks to brigid1318, Very Highly Enthusiastic Guest (get a free account & rename yourself, sweetie), and MoonlitShadowsoftheHumanSoul for offering up your individual perspectives.

So I lied. One more chapter to go. But ten is the end I swear.

And it's all done.