A/N: Here is the next chapter. This should answer most of your questions. And yet, I'm not done. Anyway, I have a lot of trouble with Wanda. She was never a favorite of mine, yet she holds a certain value in the progression of Erik's character. Hopefully, you will be satisfied by her. And then there is Charles. I love him. Trust me, I have been writing him for a while now. However, I have never written this side of him. He cares so much for his students, and I think he would be this over protective of Ororo. But if you disagree…or agree…let me know. I love hearing from yall. It's really interesting all the different opinions. Anyway, without further ado, the next chapter.
Charles Xavier wheeled himself into the garage. He was planning on visiting the Police Station in search of answers, from both Erik and Chief Harrison. However, as he reached to open the door, he sensed another presence in the room.
"Ms. Maximoff?" He could see the rebellious teenager sitting sideways on one of Logan's motorcycles. "May I help you?"
"Actually, I think I can help you." Charles raised an eyebrow and settled back in his chair watching her with curiosity.
"I was under the impression you wanted your father to suffer for his sins."
"I did. Once upon a time. And part of me still does." Wanda never made eye contact. "What he did to me was unforgivable."
"I completely agree with you, my dear." There was a long silence which Charles did not dare break. He could only image how much courage it took for her to come and talk to him after all she had been through as a child. It surprised him she was willing to help after the abandonment she had received from her father.
"He's been trying to mend our relationship or whatever," said Wanda. The sarcasm did not go unnoticed. "And as much as I hate him for what he did, I could tell he was honest with me and Pietro. I mean, he was actually trying...not like he used to when he wanted to use us."
"Forgiveness is hard."
"Yeah, well I never said I forgave him." She hopped off the bike and shuffled her way to him. The girl towered over him in his chair, but for once she did not wear her usual intimidation. "Pietro has, though. And I guess the child in me wants to as well. But we both know it isn't that easy."
"You really believe he did not do this," murmured Charles. Whatever the meaning behind this testimony, there was some point to her being here. With Wanda, there always was an alternative motive.
"That's not the point." And there it was. "You mentioned something about an alibi when you had him on the phone."
"Yes. Erik says he does not have one."
"I can only think of three reasons Magneto would go through as much trouble as he has to make amends with us. One, like all the times before, is to use our powers to his advantage. If he wanted to use us, he wouldn't be in jail right now. Two, he is dying. I checked with his doctor and nothing has come up." Wanda paused again, this time looking him straight in the eye. "Peitro thinks I'm crazy, but the only other reason I can come up with is that there's a woman involved. That he's...in love."
"What makes you believe that?" Charles' mind was spinning.
"He has cleaned up. And he just seems happier. He was so gloomy after Apocalypse according to Pietro, and all of the sudden he's all new again. Plus...I don't know...call it intuition? There is a woman in his life. He is cooking and cleaning and trying to live again."
"I believe you, Wanda. Now, if you will excuse me, I am going to speak with your father." He opened the car door and positioned himself so he could get in.
"It's who he is protecting. Whoever it is, she is worth going to prison for."
"That is what worries me."
Erik was led by two armed policemen into a conference room where he had been meeting with his lawyer. Only this time, he was surprised to find an old friend waiting for him. Charles Xavier was sitting at the table with a most curious look on his face.
"Charles, I had no idea you were coming, otherwise I would have put on something more suitable," said Magneto, motioning to his orange jumper.
"I only came to ask you a question."
"And seeing as it could not be asked over the phone, you know I'm going to lie about the answer." The two men stared each other down before Magneto shrugged. "I guess at this point I have nothing to lose."
"Funny you should say that, Erik. I think you have much more to lose than you let on." Charles watched as his rival's eyes darkened for a few seconds. "But before we delve into that subject, I thought I should update you on the world outside these walls. The Brotherhood is wrecking havoc on my house and the children seem to be at war with each other. You have no idea how many fights I have had to settle day in and day out."
"I am sorry to have imposed."
"No need. I know the danger you think they are in, because the danger is everywhere. Which is something I have been trying to teach my students for some time now. However, it's hard to convince them of that when the enemy changes so often. The lines become, shall we say, blurred."
"Your point, Charles? Surely you did not come here to mock me." Xavier continued as if he had not heard the interruption, only raising his voice.
"Ororo Munroe is missing, Erik." The look of shock and fear that spread through Magneto's face answered all of the old man's questions before he even had to reach into the mind of his comrade.
"What are you talking about?" Erik snapped.
"She never came home the day they arrested you."
"She has nothing to do with this, Charles. Nothing."
"I warned you, Erik. If she is hurt, I hold you personally responsible. How dare-"
"How dare I what Charles?" Erik stood up shaking. "You couldn't help her! She came to me!"
"What happened, Erik? What have you done?" The guards at the door were tensing up as the tension in the room rose dramatically.
"Nothing. She had nothing to do with this. I am innocent and whoever is setting me up has her. I did not even bring her into this. I have an alibi, Charles. But I would never-"
"I does not matter what you did or did not do. You damned her the moment you took her in!" There was so much rage in Charles' voice, it stunned him. The anger left Erik's eyes instantly at his words only to be replaced with an emotion so new to the both of them, Charles hardly recognized it.
"I never meant to hurt her." The raw, agonizing pain flooded his voice. "You have to save her. Whatever it takes, Charles. I will take a death sentence if it will save her life."
Charles Xavier motioned for an officer to escort him out of the room. As he finally got into his car, a single tear slid down his face. They were all in over their heads.
Footsteps awoke Ororo from her light slumber. Two, maybe three people were approaching her prison. That wasn't odd; they never came alone. She guessed they figured she could over power one of them. At least it was a tribute to how powerful she was. In some aspect, there was a fear on both sides. Storm almost laughed at the concept. They were too scared to face her one on one, but she had no weapons but her own body; which, thanks to Logan, were dangerous enough. Nevertheless, she was scared.
The door opened and she was not surprised to see a tall man with a mask enter first flanked by two more. Only this time, the man with the nasty smile that smelled like cigarettes wasn't in front. He wielded one of the guns. The new man carried himself in a much more dignified manner, not at all like the criminals that surrounded him. Ororo had seen this before, back in her years on the streets in Africa.
"You must be the boss," she said simply. Her comment did not faze him at all; he only turned to his comrades who were shifting their weapons.
"Told ya she had a mouth on her," muttered one of them. Ororo smirked at the comment. Once they stopped asking her ridiculous questions she started asking her own.
"Of course she does. An intelligent lady of her stature would want answers. It's what her precious Charles Xavier taught her." His voice sounded so familiar to her. "And she will get them." The other two chuckled lightly, causing Storm to feel uneasy.
"If you know so much about me, then why am I here?" The man just laughed and squatted down to her level on the bed.
"If you were human, I might have respect enough to answer that question. But you aren't, are you? You are a mutant; one of the despicable creatures that thinks it can walk like a man."
"I beg your pardon. I do not think I can walk like a man." Her blazing blue eyes met his brown ones. "I am a woman. I know I can do better." Ororo braced herself as one of the other men stepped forward to hit her for her snide remark. Sure enough, the butt end of his shotgun slammed into her shoulder; the scope grazed the side of her face. The popping noise that sounded when it made contact only seemed to satisfy them more.
"Tisk tisk, Ms. Munroe." Where had she heard that voice before? Her shoulder stung and it was affecting her train of thought. Of course, it was only another injury to add to the list. "Of course, none of this will compare to how your precious X-Men will feel when they find out you've been sleeping around with their arch enemy."
"That is none of your business." The man shook his head and rose to his feet.
"Oh, but you see, Ms. Munroe, it is my business." He waved his arms airily around him. "This is all my business. I knew I couldn't beat you mutants without the help of the public, but after you saved everyone from the oh-so-mighty Apocalypse, you have their sympathy."
"I still do not understand why holding me here is helping your cause," pressed Ororo.
"See, I conducted the perfect plan. Until I realized that my primary playing piece had a little distraction." Storm paled considerably.
"What have you done to Erik?" she demanded. It took all of her strength to pull herself to her feet. Both of the thugs cocked their weapons. The man let out another laugh. Apparently, he saw the entire situation hilarious.
"See, that is the genius of the whole plan. I did nothing to him. It is his own self image that will get him in the end. All I had to do was commit the perfect murder." Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. The questioning, the secrecy, their interest in Erik.
"You killed Edward Kelly."
"No, ma'am."
"I apologize. You had him murdered by Thelma and Louis over there." One of them made another lunch, but this time Ororo's flinch had gone unneeded.
"Wrong again." The man reached up and pulled off his mask. "I am Edward Kelly."