A/N: Here we go! And yea! We're getting towards a plot! :D Before this, I have no idea what kept you guys interested, so for that, I applaud you!
"So, am I correct to assume that you won't be coming with me then?"
Charles took in a deep breath through his nose, causing a loud, snorkeling noise. He sent Erik a glare, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm fully capable of coming with you." Charles attempted to push himself into a sitting position on the bed, falling back down when his arms collapsed underneath him. "…if you help me get up," he said with a soft voice, muffled from a clogged nose.
Erik – who was standing a foot from the bed, already dressed, with his arms crossed – raised an eyebrow. "You really think I'm going to agree to that?"
"I'm not missing our first student recruit," Charles protested, nose obviously plugged.
"And what good will you be, besides making everyone else sick?" Erik responded, keeping his tone light. "You're going to stay home, get some rest, and maybe eat some soup. And if it makes you feel any better, it's technically not our first recruitment."
Charles groaned. "Yes mommy," he muttered as he flipped over and buried his face into the pillow.
Erik pulled the comforter up over his shoulders, "I'll check on you later," Erik whispered mockingly as he patted Charles on the back.
He headed out to the car and began his drive to Annadale-on-Hudson.
xxxxx
11 year old Jean Grey sat hunched up on her bed; a blanket drooped over around her shoulders. Over the past year, she had grown used to the solitude of hiding in her room. However, today was one of those days where the voices were beyond bearable. When she told her mother, she had immediately contacted the colleague of her psychiatrist.
Professor Charles Xavier.
She heard a knock at the door below her, immediately followed by the creak of the door's old hinges. She could hear her dad's voice underneath her.
"You must be Mr. Xavier."
She heard a man with a German accent respond.
"O, I understand," her dad said. "She's upstairs in her room." Jean heard one set of footsteps coming up the stairs, followed by a knock on the door.
"Come in." Her bedroom door opened and a tall, dark haired man entered her room.
"You must be Jean," he said after a moment.
"Are you Professor Xavier?"
"No, I'm Erik Lehnsherr. Unfortunately Charles has a small cold, and sent me in his place." Jean nodded slightly. "So, your parents said that you haven't been feeling yourself lately. Would you mind telling me about that?"
"When I was ten, after…" Jean trailed off, not wanting to talk about Annie. She quickly changed her train of thought. "After certain…experiences I started, hearing voices. Not like made up voices…but like actual trains of thoughts. Some days were worse than others, and now…that's why I don't go by people It seems…the more people I'm by, the louder they get…" Jean stopped, hoping she'd said enough.
"I'm going to tell you something Jean," the man – Mr. Lehnsherr – said, "and I want you to understand, that what I'm about to tell you, is not a bad thing." Jean looked down at her hands, watching as her thumbs circle around each other. "There are other people like you, Jean. People like me. Did any of your teachers ever talk to you about something called evolution?" Jean nodded. "Well, Charles is much better at explaining this than I am, but people like you and me are what they're calling homo superior. All of us have our own mutant gifts. Char- Professor Xavier and I are led to believe you're a telepath – much like the good Professor himself."
"And what about you?"
"Hmm?"
"What's your power?"
She watched as Mr. Lehnsherr raised one hand towards her desk. She watched as a few coins on her desk began to rattle. She watched as the coins slowly floated over towards her.
"Money?"
The man laughed. "Metal. My friend, Charles Xavier is starting up a school for the gifted – mutants – people like me and you. And if you'd agree to it, we'd very much like it if you come back with me to our school. We'd like to help you Jean. Help you learn to control your gifts."
"Yes." Jean knew she wanted to go with the man the second he said something about the school. A place where she would be normal. It was one of her favorite fantasies. The man gave a polite nod and started towards the door. "Uh, Mr. Lehnsherr?"
"Erik, please."
"Erik…could we not tell, my parents about…that I'm…a…" she watched as Erik's expression showed a little bit of him dying inside.
"If that's what you would like."
xxxxx
It hurt Erik, seeing a girl like Jean. Only 11-years old, and already afraid to reveal herself to her own parents. She's only 11-years old and she's already wanting o go into hiding for the rest of her life. He wasn't going to push it yet, but he would help her accept herself. At Charles's school. He thought about his conversation earlier.
"…come back with me to our school."
It was their school new. His and Charles. He had admitted it without even thinking about it.
Erik talked to Jean's parents, explained the school to them, and arranged for her to be dropped off later that week. He answered any last minute questions, politely said goodbye, and drove home – hoping Charles had actually listened to him for once.
xxxxx
When Erik came home, Charles was standing in the kitchen, stirring the soup that was on the stove.
"Something told me you wouldn't listen." Charles turned around to see a grinning Erik leaning on the table. "What's your excuse this time?"
"I was hungry" Charles turned back around, grinning while he stirred the soup.
"And Raven couldn't do it?"
Charles shrugged his shoulders. He was never one who liked to admit to illness, and Erik knew it. Within a few seconds, Charles quickly felt Erik within close proximity to him. He looked over his left shoulder and saw Erik beaming down.
"At least let me finish your cooking." Charles rolled his eyes and stepped to the side. He leaned against the counter by the sink. Erik looked far too pleased with himself as he made Charles his soup.
I presume all went well then?
More or less. Charles raised an eyebrow. She'll be here on Thursday…
Charles had a tug at the corner of his lips. Oh! Erik that's wonderf…
…but her parents don't know.
Any chance of a smile were quickly loss. Erik, didn't I say that if they're under the age of…
They hadn't figured out what she was yet, and she want to tell th-
You, of all people, Erik…I thought I could…Charles didn't know where this anger was suddenly coming from.
Charles, she trusted me. He could feel the sincerity in Erik's thoughts. I don't want the first kid of our school to hate me like all the others do.
That shut Charles up. After a moment, he immediately went soft. They don't hate y…wait. Did you just call it our school.
Charles saw guilt gleam from Erik's eyes. I'm sorry, if that's not what you want…
O, Erik… The telepath immediately threw his arms around the taller man. He rested his forehead on his shoulder. …you have no idea what this mean to me.
Erik reciprocated the sentiment by pulling him in closer. Those few seconds passed on feeling like minutes. "I think you're soup 's done," Erik whispered softly in Charles' ear.
"Well, since you worked so hard on it…" Charles looked up and gave Erik a truly genuine smile. Erik opened up the nearby cupboard, pulled out a bowl, and scooped the soup into it. Charles reached for his bowl, but Erik quickly held it high above his head. Erik walked over to the table - soup still high above his head – and set it down on the table. Charles followed him across the room, cocking an eyebrow as he pulled a chair out for him. He sat down, with Erik quickly sitting across from him.
Erik watched Charles happily lift spoonful after spoonful into his mouth. "So Professor, what are we going to teach at our new school? I think we should officiate it, especially since we're starting on Thursday for reals."
"For reals, Erik? I think you've been around Emmett too much," Charles laughed in between spoon-fulls. "I was initially planning on all the regular classes – we want them to get a regular education." He paused for another spoonful. "But I think given certain circumstances, we should also provide some sort of personal defense training."
"Makes sense."
"And…vsunrvgfouechings…"
"Sorry, didn't catch that last part," Erik aid with a curl to his lip.
"I was wondering if…maybe you'd consider…teaching some foreign languages…" he mumbled, quickly shoving more soup into his mouth.
The other man laughed as Charles became suddenly transfixed with the floor. "Did you really think I'd say no?"
He continued looking down at the floor. "Well I just thought that maybe you'd think…" he trailed off.
"O, Charles…" Erik reached his hand across, wrapping the telepath's hand in his own. "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't teach it."
When Charles looked up, he was met with a grin so wide, it was an accomplishment even for Erik.
Erik didn't let go of Charles hand until he finished his soup. "Well, Vicar, since you are starting school in only a couple days, it'd probably be best if you weren't sick for that. I'd suggest you get some rest."
Charles raised an eyebrow for the umpteenth time that week.
xxxxx
By the time Thursday rolled around, Charles was all well as far as health was concerned. The mansion was as ready as it would ever be. Erik couldn't be more excited. He didn't know when Charles's dream had morphed into one of his own, but he was – dare he say – happy about it. The soft side of Erik was excited for household of baby mutants run by him and Charles.
What's happening to me?
The question only put a bigger smile on his face.
"So, what is going on in that pretty little mind of yours now?" Erik was brought out of trance when Charles tapped on his shoulder.
"Mm' nothin'," he said pulling Charles next to him on the chair. "Just really happy."
Charles placed the back of his hand on Erik's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever, you sure you're alright?" Charles said, a smile plastered on his face.
"So. You ready to start the beginning of our lives?"
Charles snorted. "Did that just come out of your mouth?" Erik didn't respond. "Though, I suppose, it really is the rest of my life, isn't it? I mean, even if the kids grew up and leave – will they want to leave? But either way, there will always be more coming, right? So, there's no turning back now, is there?"
"Listen to yourself liebe. This is what you've always wanted. Teaching mutants. Teaching them to accept themselves. Are you really second guessing that?"
Charles took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "No you're right, of course you're right." He rested his head on Erik's shoulder. "Thank you, for…making me go through that now…it was only a matter of him before…I had my doubts, so…that-you for that." The telepath gave a weak smile. "But if I did, ever doubt myself again, you'd be there. Right?"
"You're not going to get rid of me that easy." Erik paused. "You know, sometimes I don't want to know what goes on in that head of yours." Charles rolled his eyes.
"The only thing that goes on in here," he tapped his temple, "that should dare concern you, is how much I love you."
"Awwww. How disgustingly sweet." The two men looked over to the doorway, seeing Raven – in blonde persona – standing there. "You-know-who is here." Raven walked out of the room.
"You ready for this?"
"Let's find out."
xxxxx
Much to Charles's relief, all went well with Jean's parents. All the boys had behaved (thankfully). Raven was thankful to not being the only girl anymore. And Jean; she was happy to finally be accepted.
John and Elaine Grey weren't lied to, but they weren't told the full truth either. They knew it was a School for Gifted Youngsters, they just didn't know how gifted these youngsters really were. They said their goodbyes to Jean and arranged to pick her up for summer break.
Jean happily settled into her room, finally feeling comfortable. Charles was more than excited to start training a telepath. However, Erik, was in mixed feelings, mainly because Jean was reminding him too much of Anya.
Please Review! :D