WARNING: This chapter contains a few period-accurate racial slurrs. Nothing extreme (I hope...not sure) like the N-word, but the word 'Negro' is used and the word 'Spig' referring to Darwin and Angel respectively, as back then that is what white working men would have called them. 'Spig' is a slang term for a Spanish-speaking person first used in the early 1900s.

The dog was blue.

It was some kind of gigantic wolfhound cross and was aptly called "Beast". Although, curled up on the ratty pallet on the floor the huge animal wasn't nearly as intimidating as it had been when it'd greeted Erik at the door with lips curled to reveal jagged canines half as long as a man's finger.

According to his new roommate, Beast was a hit with the children. Erik found that extremely hard to believe. Even hours after Erik had first arrived in the cramped, musty closet of a room, the dog raised its head with a warning rumble if he so much as moved.

Summers, whose first name was apparently Alexander, but who also informed Erik that he could keep right on calling him Summers, had left the room about an hour ago, departing with instructions to stay quiet, not to open the door to anyone, and to "stay the fuck off my bed and outta my shit."

Erik would have been disinclined to heed that last command, if it weren't for the dog. Comedically coloured though it may be, Erik had no desire to test the Beast's guard dog capabilities, and the thing was sprawled across the unmade cot, with his long muzzle resting on its master's bag of personal affects.

He'd spent the night wrapped in a thin gray blanket in the corner of the room farthest away from the dog as possible. Summers had snuggled up right beside the Beast and together man and monster had snored loudly throughout the night. Needless to say, Erik had had better sleeps.

All of a sudden, the door slammed open and Logan shoved his way in, a feral grin on his face. Erik's attention immediately went to Beast, interested to see if he'd maul the intruder or not. A twitch of the ears was all that he was rewarded though, and a lazy thump of his shaggy tail. Apparently the thing didn't mind Logan.

"Okay kid, move you're ass," Logan ordered, "We've stopped for the day and if you're going to tag along with us you'll have to at least do some work in return. We're putting you to use in the animal cars."

The animal cars, it turned out, were something akin to hell on earth. Erik was, of course, somewhat used to animal droppings from spending years mucking out stables on the farm, but nothing he'd ever seen back home could have prepared him for the mess that the circus animals had made of the train cars. The animals themselves, Logan replied to Erik's inquiry, had been taken outside to stretch their legs. Meanwhile, Erik got to make their cars ready for their return.

The young man from the other night, Sean Cassidy Erik recalled, was there to help. "They give the newbies the shit jobs," He explained, irrationably cheery considering that they were ankle-deep in dung at the moment, "I just got here same day you did, except I got on at the station. My cousin Tom works security for the owner and he got me the job when I graduated."

"Highschool?" Erik asked, for the boy looked far too young to be out of college.

"Yup," Sean admitted with a shrug of his narrow shoulders, "Ma and Pa don't have the money to send me off to school so Tom is doing us a huge favour. He's a bit of an ass though, probably just doin' it so that he'd have something to hold over Pa. Nope, not a nice guy at all so I'm trying to steer clear of him for the most part."

Erik managed to extract a bit more information from the younger man before the laborious work took his breath away and he was forced to focus all his energy at the task at hand. According to the boy, the circus did round of New York, occasionally venturing out of state. The owner's name was Sebastian Shaw, a ruthless boss but a charming man when he needed to be. Cassidy's cousin Tom was one of Shaw's "inner circle", a group of men trusted with the circus' security and who sounded to Erik like a bunch of mindless thugs.

All in all the message that Erik was getting was that this was not a place he wanted to be for much longer without permission.

At long last they'd done all they could for the reeking train cars, cleared away the worst of the dung and shoveled the filthy hay out. Logan came by to check their work and instructed Erik to go fetch fresh straw. "It'll be five cars down the train." He told Erik, "You shouldn't run into any trouble, the boss and his crew are bound to be holed up near the engine at this point, just don't linger too long alright?"

Erik played it cautious, first stripping out of the sweat soaked button-up shirt that he'd been wearing for over twenty-four hours, and then trotting off to find the hay. There was no saving the shirt, and the undershirt he wore underneath was only mildly better. He only had the clothes on his back, and soon he wouldn't even have those. It was a depressing thought.

He stuck close to the wooden sides of the train, keeping his head down and eyes peeled for a hostile face. But all was well, the men milling around were too engrossed in getting everything prepared to reboard the train and get back underway.

They were stopped right beside a cleared area of the forest which had been transformed in a matter of minutes into a temporary base for the circus, with tents hurriedly set up to shelter the crew and performers from the morning sun. Erik caught glimpses of some of the more senior members of the circus, distinguishable by the fact that they were sitting around doing nothing.

Drawing level with the compartment that Logan had indicated, Erik peered in before flinching back, alarmed; there was a person in the car. Logan's warnings flashing through his mind, Erik plastered himself against the wooden siding and prepared to head back and send Sean instead, but a muffled curse accompanied by a high-pitched whinny and a scuffle from inside the cart held him where he stood. He pressed close against the wall and peered cautiously around the corner

The boy inside, or rather the young man Erik corrected himself when he caught sight of the strong line of his jaw, appeared to be attempting to convince a magnificent white horse to present its hoof to him. His technique was very lacking, Erik decided with some amusement as the other man stooped and tugged at one long leg. The beast snorted and backed away a step, causing the disgruntled man to unbalance and teeter before steadying himself against the horse's shoulder.

"Oh for goodness sake!" the man exclaimed crossly, "I can't very well help you if you won't let me see what's wrong!" He leaned forward and attempted the move again, both hands wrapped around the animal's slender white appendage and yanking in such a frustrated way that made Erik think that this struggle has been going on for quite some time. Of course, the results are exactly the same except this time the man wasn't able to catch himself before his knees hit the floor.

The man chose to stay where he'd landed, slumped against the horse, which, oblivious to the misery it had inspired, dipped its head to pluck at the straw on the floor.

All the warnings driven into him by Logan and all of the horrified shudders from Sean at the mention of Erik being discovered by the Boss rang in Erik's ears. He had no idea who this man was, for all he knew he could be one of the goons Alex had snarled bitterly about the night before while reading Erik the riot act before turning over on his cot and proceeding to ignore him. Every second Erik dawdled in the doorway the man inside could notice him and raise the alarm that there was an unfamiliar man onboard.

But the hopeless droop of the man's shoulders as he absently strokes the horse's flawless flank made Erik doubt that he was. It really was a magnificent animal, tall and immaculately groomed until it very nearly glowed in the dim compartment. It was walleyed, which some people found unattractive but on this beautiful animal it was striking. The leg that the man was resting his face against tiredly was propped against the floor at an odd angle, and Erik could tell that it was resting most of its weight on the opposite hoof.

Against his better judgment, Erik stepped fully into the car.

"You're going about it wrong." he said by way of introduction, and the man on the floor jerked in surprise. He had a pale, boyish face that was currently tightened defensively. He stood quickly and shifted around so that the horse was between him and Erik and glared at him suspiciously. Erik raised his eyebrows at the move, but took the man's silence as a sign that he wasn't about to yell for others and stepped farther in.

Placing a hand against the horse's muscled shoulder, Erik stroked firmly down the leg and the animal obligingly lifted and placed it's hoof in his waiting hand.

"First thing a horse is trained to do is present its feet." Erik said without looking up, instead running his thumb along the neatly trimmed edge of the hoof. "You just run your hand along the leg, make sure that it can feel it, and it'll cooperate." he glanced up in the direction of the other man, but the great white body blocked his view.

So he stood and regarded the man over the animal's back. His new companion was still silent, eyes turned down to watch his own hand pet along the horse's spine.

He was very short, Erik noted, his shoulders barely reached level with the animal's. His dark hair curled loosely around his face. He was also remarkably clean, Erik mused, fair skin unstrained by dirt, glossy curls lit up with auburn highlights where a ray of light shone from a crack in the wall. Every other person Erik had encountered in the past two days had been covered in at least one layer of grime. Next to the glowing white horse he looked utterly out of place in the dingy train car.

His lips parted, finally, to reply but whatever he was about to say was cut off by a shrill whistle. The horse's ears pricked and it automatically plodded out of the car. The man, looking uncomfortable without the barrier it had provided, rushed to grab its halter, although it looked like the horse knew its own way well enough.

Erik watched their retreat feeling a little put out at the lack of response he'd received. Heaving a sigh, Erik scooped as much straw into the burlap sack Sean had provided him with and hauled it over his shoulder.

"Put 'em up." Is what Erik was greeted with when he returned to the compartment that seemed to be the regular gathering spot for Logan and his buddies. He turned to stare levelly at Logan, keeping his hands stubbornly at his sides.

The idiot was waving an empty bottle at him like a pistol "Don't be a tit Lensherr, hands, let's see 'em."

Erik raised a brow, refusing to stoop to the man's drunken whims (for gods sake it was still early afternoon) and took a seat on a sack of gain across the room.

Logan, however, wouldn't be dissuaded so easily. "Seriously Lensherr, let me see your hands." he growled, hauling himself up and making his unsteady way across the floor to grab Erik's wrist in his free hand much to Erik's chagrin.

"Well looky you at that!" Logan crowed in delight, "fresh as a whore's thigh!" he released Erik's hand in exchange for its twin. "Well whadda ya know, Mr Ivy League is no stranger to hard labour so it seems. Most men's palms would be broken open from blisters after a day like that and you've got notta one."

Erik couldn't help but feel a little pleased but he tried his best to shrug it off nonchalantly, "Spent my while life on a farm." he supplied, stretching out his legs which were actually a little sore, though he'd never admit it.

"Well well! Why didn't you say so before? We just assumed you'd be like any other of those cushy academics chasing romantic notions of running away to the circus."

Erik didn't reply, instead letting Logan reappraise him with one hand stroking his whiskers thoughtfully.

"You know what Lensherr? It seems you might be a bit more useful than I originally thought. And I like you. I think I'm going to introduce you to the boss."

"Woah holy shit!" Sean's curly red head popped out from behind a stack of creates, making Erik flinch in surprise; he'd thought that it was just Logan in the car. The gangly teenager clambered out from the corner to join them on the floor, "You really think that's a good idea Logan?"

"Eh, I don't see why not. He's in a good mood today, breaking in the new stock of booze with the boys as we speak. I think I can sweet-talk him into letting our boy Lensherr stick around a while. How's that sound farmer boy?"

"I saw somebody." Erik said.

The other two blinked at the irrelevance of the statement. "So...did that somebody seem inclined to tell Shaw about this seeing? 'Cause it would really be better for everyone if he didn't hear about you through the grapevine. Really, you announcing yourself would lead to less throwing off trains and such unsavory business." Sean tugged at his filthy hair anxiously.

"I don't know, he didn't say anything really just, stared at me a little and then ran away."

"Stared and ran away? That doesn't sound like one of the thug patrol at least. Describe him Lensherr."

"He had dark curly hair, pretty long. Pale, skinny little guy. Big blue eyes, oh and he had a horse with him."

"Charles." Sean and Logan said in unison, exchanging a mysterious look. "We're probably okay then, I don't think he'll rat us out."

"Che!" Logan spat skeptically, "Unless Shaw asks - 'babykins pookybum, did you see anything of interest today dearest? No? No tall dark strangers lurking around?' - then he'll squeal, you know Shaw likes to make him squeal."

"...Babykins...pookybum?" Erik asked flatly, not liking the way Logan had pitched his voice into a deep almost-purr.

"Sickening, I know."

"Charles is..." Sean furrowed his pale, almost invisible brows, searching for words, "He's Mr. Shaw's...boy...if you know what I mean."

Erik was afraid he did but his mouth ran ahead of his brain, "Boy?" he parroted stupidly.

Beside Sean Logan made a series of extremely crude hand gestures. "Don't look so scandalized Lensherr, this is the circus, if you're going to make it here you have to get used to that kind of thing. That and whores, with the ratio of dames to dicks on this goddamned train leaning depressingly to our end."

Erik felt like his face was in fire, and suddenly he regarded his companions' relaxed slouches, so close that their shoulders were touching, the way they passed one bottle of beer between them... "Are you...does that mean..."

"No, Lensherr. Urgh god no this guy?" Logan's face twisted comically and Sean, a little slower on the uptake, looked at him quizzically until realization dawned and he just looked sick. "Naw I prefer to wait for the whores. And even if I didn't, I'm no child lover."

Sean seemed to be torn between objecting that he wasn't a child and sinking through the floor. He settled for chugging the rest of the bottles contents in one go.

"And Cassidy likes the girlies too dontch Cassidy? Doesn't mean he gets any, but try try again, am I right? Always thought there was something with Summers and Munoz though."

"Armando and Alex? No way!" Sean yelped, chocking a little on the dredges of his drink. "I mean, sure Al is a but of a bitch sometimes, but he's no queer! And Armando was a straight laced guy, for a negro."

"They were mighty close is all I'm saying, and you remember how bad baby Summers got after... after he was gone. Armando Munoz," Logan explained to Erik, "Was Summers' previous roommate and partner. They did the show together. They had to work real hard since Munoz was a black man and normally they aren't allowed in the ring. But they made it eventually. It's why Alex such an asshole to you, he doesn't want to let himself attached again."

"What happened?" Erik didn't really want to know, but at the same time he really did."

"Same as'll happen to you if we don't hurry along to talk to Shaw!" underneath them the train lurched into motion, "Thrown overboard after a row with Shaw. The boss was in one of his moods and was yelling at one of the dancers."

"Angel." Sean supplied quietly, although the name meant nothing to Erik.

"Yeah Angel. She and Munoz were pretty close, him being a negro and her a spig, they stuck together. Shaw got a little physical as he will, and Munoz took objection. They dragged him from his bed and had him off before anybody could do anything. Didn't even slow the train."

"It broke Alex." Sean said sadly.

"It's what happens." Logan snarled, "It's what'll happen to you," he jabbed Erik in the chest, "If you don't make a good impression on Shaw. Or if Xavier spills the beans before we get there. So let's get a move on."

The trip to the boss' personal compartment was intermittent hopping from car to car across pitch-black blurrs of track and squeezing through ones crowded with people, supplies and animals. Erik slowed at the big cats cages, having only seen them from a distance before and being admittedly a bit fascinated. Finally they were close to the front of the train standing outside a closed brass door.

" If you would, don't mention that Cassidy and the others new you were here." Logan says gruffly, " If he asks say it was me alone, I can handle myself. Don't want the kids in trouble though."

Erik nodded.

"And don't forget to lay it on thick, flatter him, tell him how much you admire the circus and think it's incredible. Talk about working on the farm and your biology credits and shit. Graduating from an ivy league won't hurt either."

"I didn't technically graduate-"

"Well don't admit that! You attended right? Good enough." He looked Erik over, straightened his collar roughly, "Well go on." He ordered, "get it over with."

Erik knocked firmly on the door.

They were admitted by a man that looked like remarkably like a thirty year old Sean Cassidy but with dark brown hair. He looked at Erik puzzledly and then at Logan questioningly before stepping aside and letting them into the small compartment.

The room was cramped and opulent in a way that was old and fading. A round table stood at the centre, playing cards scattered in chaotic piles and brandy glasses in various stages of drink. A haze of cigar smoke dulled the edges making everything soft in the gold light of the ornate lamp.

The men seated at the table fit Logan and Sean's descriptions of the brutes employed by Shaw to keep the circus in line. There was one man who was possibly the most enormous person Erik had laid eyes on. A hairy blond lounged in his chair picking at his teeth leered at Logan as if he wanted nothing more than to tear him to pieces and wash him down with his brandy. Erik noticed a nervous looking brunet who had the exact same jawline as Scott Summers and blue eyes that matched Alex's.

The only person in the room who was smaller than Erik had his back to them, and was the one to break the tense silence, "Logan, you've finally decided to join us -Victor do take your fingers out of your mouth- And you've brought a friend how lovely."

Logan waved Erik forward encouragingly, "Yes sir, someone I'd like you to meet."

"Erik Lensherr." Erik supplied calmly, though his whole body was ridged and his insides seemed to be doing a circus performance of their own. "An honour to be here sir, with your amazing troupe."

"It is, isn't it," The man turned at last and Erik found himself looking into a somewhat pinged face. "Amazing. Fantastic, stupendous. The Fabulous Brotherhood, best traveling show in the State of New York. We're a very high-end operation Mr...Lensherr you said?"

"Yes sir" It would probably be unwise to correct his brutal pronunciation.

"So then, Mr Lensherr, I think you'll agree that its entirely reasonable for me to be displeased when I find strange men stowed away on my train. I think that's reasonable yes? Boys? Am I wrong?" Affirmative hums from every direction and Erik's palms were sweating something fierce.

"Yes, I'm a reasonable man. I expect my employees to work for their keep Mr Lensherr, and here you are along for the ride as a stowaway. As you can imagine, that doesn't sit very well with me. Mr Lensherr, does that sound reasonable?"

"Sir, I fully intend to work just as hard as every employee."

"Do you!" Shaw's smirking mouth formed a neat little O, he looked terrifyingly delighted. "And what if, Mr Lensherr, I do not need another worker, eh? What'll you do then?"

"I'm strong." Erik pushed, disgusted by the man's flippant attitude and determined to win this battle, "I've worked hard my whole life. I'll be a good hand to have around."

"Yes I'm sure, and so are a thousand other men. You know what Mr Lensherr? You've caught me on a good night. I've good brandy in my stomach, money in my wallet and a warm bed waiting for me. You may stay the night and be off when we stop in Cayuga Heights."

"I went to Cornell-"

"For what?"

"E-engineering-"

"Not much use to me is that? Veterinary training, something to do with public relations or business, finances maybe, but not engineering, not when we live on the open road, in tents and train."

Erik reached wildly for a compelling argument. For some inexplicable reason he needed this, needed to win this fight and stay in to work in the circus. "I know animals! I lived in a farm my whole life-!"

"And you've been trying my patience for the past five minutes of it. Boy, know when to give up." Shaw had turned his back again and picked up his cards, a clear dismissal.

"I know enough to see what wrong with your horse!" Erik blurted.

That caught the man's attention much better than Erik had expected. He'd been grasping at straws and it appeared that he'd gotten a hold of the right one.

"What's that?" the man asked levelly, turning back to face them, eyes finally alight with interest.

"The big white mare with the limp. I can find out what's wrong with her. If you let me stay on."

Shaw leaned back and stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Our girl has had that bum foot for weeks now. That's our star act limping. You say you can fix it?"

"Well I might be able to." Erik shifted uncomfortably. One of their old hacks had once limped like that. Erik, then a young teen, had sat with the veterinarian during the examination. He decided not to mention the fact that his father had taken the old horse out the next day and shot it. It was a very real chance that the same would need to be done with this horse.

"I'll tell you what. Erik Lensherr, if you can get my star back to normal, you can stay."

Erik knew that it was a stretch but it was also the best he was going to get, "Yes sir, thank you sir!" he exclaimed, barely resisting the urge to grin at Logan triumphantly.

The men at the table resumed their game, and Erik was herded out of the room.