A/N: Ok. I lied. Sue me. But in all seriousness, when I typed up the last chapter I had originally written, I wasn't satisfied. So there will be one more chapter.

Erik Lensherr sat back comfortably in his cell reading a book. It kept his mind from worrying too much about Ororo. If there was any benefit to her allegiance with the X-Men, it was in a moment like this. He knew they would do everything in their power to find her and punish those responsible. He would take his punishment as it came. In a couple of months, after the trial, he would probably be transferred to a state penitentiary to wait what had to be a death sentence.

He scared most of his inmates, so there was a solid silence in this corridor of Bayville City Jail. However, today, that was interrupted by a loud commotion that seemed to be getting closer.

"You cannot release him!" Fareway's heavy voice rang loud and clear as the brigade entered Magneto's cell row.

"On the contrary, Agent, I believe you are holding Mr. Lensherr under false pretences." Erik smiled at the confident sound of Charles Xavier's voice.

"Oh, really? And what evidence do you have of that? I was not aware you were an investigator or a lawyer." It was Chief Harrison that answered the FBI man's question.

"But I am. And I am authorizing Mr. Lensherr's release." Magneto stood up in his cell and calmly walked to the door about the time the Police Chief, Fareway, and Xavier came to it.

"Chief Harrison, it is always a pleasure seeing you," quipped Magneto.

Watch it, Erik, you aren't out yet.

"I demand to know on what grounds you are releasing this mutant!" Fareway's chubby face was scrunched up and red with anger.

"There seems to be some sort of miracle," stated Xavier calmly. "It seems Edward Kelly has risen from the dead."

"And waiting in Interrogation Room One." Harrison opened the cell door, allowing Erik to step out into the hallway. Magneto smirked as he stood face to face with Agent Fareway, who was huffing and puffing in anger. He held out his wrists to the Chief who, with a little hesitation, unlocked the restraints.

It was certainly empowering to feel his mutation again. Every metal surface seemed to call to him, and in a prison, there were a lot of them. His strength had returned, as had the glimmer in his grey eyes. And that glimmer was staring right at the FBI agent in front of him.

Now, Erik, don't do anything to make them put those back on. Charles' soft warning caused Magneto to chuckle.

"Oh, and Daniel?" Xavier turned his attention to his acquaintance. "I do believe that Mayor Kelly's sudden appearance does not surprise Agent Fareway."

"What do you mean by that, Professor?" Chief Harrison rounded on the other officer of the law.

"It seems he was in on the conspiracy." Magneto hadn't thought it could be possible for the man to get any redder. However, the accused blew up like a rosy puffer fish. It kind of reminded him of a three hundred pound Pryo when he was all lit up.

"You would believe this outrage!" The flustered sound that came out of Fareway's mouth could hardly be considered a sentence. "From a mutant no less!"

"This mutant happens to be a telepath," argued Chief Harrison. "And also happened to be right about everything else about this case." Then with a motion of his hand he waved to two nearby officers.

"Sir, you have the right to remain silent..."

"Is she alright?" Erik broke the awkward silence of the car ride. He was sitting in the passenger seat next to Charles.

"Yes," he said with a sigh. "She has a few lacerations, two broken ribs, and a fractured femur." Erik made no move to reply, letting the fragments of conversation drift by. It was minutes before he spoke again.

"Where are you taking me?" They had passed up the turn that would have returned him to his address.

"The Institute. It is where you will end up anyway." When the other man did not answer again, Charles pulled the car over.

"What are you doing?"

"We have to talk about this at some point." It was Erik's turn to sigh in frustration.

"I have a feeling this has nothing to do with being framed for murder." Seeing the irritated look on the bald man's face, he rolled his eyes. "Can you give a man who just got out of prison a break?"

"You were in jail for three days, which hardly counts as excusable."

"You had your powers still intact. It took everything I had not to destroy those handcuffs as soon as they were off."

"That is beside the point, Erik."

"Look, Ororo is a grown woman who can make decisions for herself. You aren't her father." Charles opened his mouth to protest, but his old friend had other ideas. "However, if you believe the only way she can be safe and happy is to stay away from me, then by all means get in the way of whatever relationship we have and I won't say a word. But only if she is safe and happy."

"You know I cannot promise that for her." There was no such thing as a safe X-Man.

"And neither can I," came the automatic response. Charles raised an eyebrow. "Which is exactly my point. Ororo knows the price of being with me. Let her make her own damn decision."

"You really love her, don't you?" The question came from left field and hit Erik in surprise. He stared straight ahead; a blank look came over his face.

"You really loved her, didn't you?" asked Ororo gently. They were sitting on a bench in the park. It was their fourth evening together, and he had just finished talking to her about his first wife, who had left him a widower.

"Magda understood me, like no one ever could. Like no one ever will." Erik leaned back on the wood, letting his mind drift. It had been a long time since he had talked about his late love. "There wasn't just passion in that relationship...it was a life. Not just love, I lived in her."

"I do not believe I have ever had that experience," she whispered, watching him closely. Her blue eyes were curious, like a child's would be. It was then he remembered her youth.

"You've never been in love?" Erik found that very hard to believe. Storm was a treasure; she was fresh, young, and exceptionally gorgeous. He could not help but drink her in when she threw her head back and laughed.

"Oh, I have been in love several times." She smiled at the memory. "But never as you describe it. And never did it involve marriage. Well...my sister told me a story of how I married my best friend when I was four, but I am not sure that counts." He chuckled at the thought.

"Marriage...well..."

"I guess I would have to be married to understand?"

"I don't think my marriage was normal," he admitted. "When most people say 'For better or for worse', it doesn't involve mutations and a haunting past."

"Still, it has to be wonderful...caring that much about someone...and they loving you back."

"It is a once in a lifetime moment." Erik stared into the stars, playing up Magda's face in his mind. "I can't see myself ever loving a woman so much."

"I have never told her." Erik knew Charles had seen the memory. "I mean, in the heat of the moment, the words were said, but without real meaning." He recalled a particularly passionate moment two weeks ago, and smiled softly at the memory. Charles quickly shut his eyes, shaking his head, and then put the car back in gear and continued on his way. "Well, that's what you get for poking around in my head."

"You pulled that memory up on purpose," grumbled Xavier. Erik truly laughed for the first time in three days.

"I guess you don't want to hear the gory details." The telepath mentally poked him, causing Magneto to rub his forehead in irritation.

Ororo blinked her eyes several times, growing accustomed to the light streaming into her window. It hurt to sit up, so the pain killers must have worn off. Glancing around, she smiled to herself to see Kitty curled up on a chair next to the bed.

"If you're quiet I don't think you'll wake her." The whisper was from the doorway, but she didn't need to turn her head to know who it was.

"Erik." One word. That's all it took to humble the older man. He tried to steady his voice as he approached her.

"How are you feeling?" He took a seat on the edge of her bed near her head. He gently brushed the side of her face without the gauze.

"Tired. And helpless."

"Not so helpless from what Charles told me. Looks like you had already escaped by the time Wolverine found you." He gauged her reaction before adding, "And shot him as well." A smile peaked on her face.

"Well, I was on a roll." Ororo reached out and grabbed his hand. "How are you?"

"I'm not the one lying in bed with broken bones," he argued. "But I'm fine now that I know you're safe."

"Don't blame yourself for this..." She pulled gently on his hand and he responded, leaning over and kissing her ever so lightly on her lips. Erik moved his other hand to rest by her hip so he had better balance to lean over and kiss her again. He stayed hovering over her neck; his breathing shaking against her skin.

"I thought I was going to lose you...I was only thinking about myself and then Charles came and told me you were missing..."

"Erik, hush." Reaching up, Ororo pressed his face to her cheek. They stayed like that for what seemed like forever, breathing as one.

Kitty woke from her cat nap, glancing to check on her ward, only to find Magneto holding her close. They were not speaking, but the moment was intense. A smile crept upon the young girl's face as she watched her mentor and enemy share such a moment. She shut her eyes to feign sleep, but was still able to hear Erik's words.

"I love you, Ororo." Neither of them moved, and he added. "You have no idea how much I love you."