Hi, I'm working on my last month of graduate school. Hi to all the new readers and lovers of the story, to those who have read from the start, and thank you to all of you who have read/liked/favorited/followed the story and/or me. Love you all
Here's the next chapter, hope you like it. It's also way longer than the previous one but I didn't want to interrupt the flow.
Erik jogged in place, waiting for the crosswalk light to switch over to the pedestrian light, snow starting to fall, and pulled out his phone to switch songs to something with more of a beat. Flipping through a couple options, his phone suddenly vibrated in his hand with a text alert. Frowning, Erik tapped the screen to open it and nearly dropped his phone. He stopped moving, people bumping into him as the crosswalk changed but he couldn't look away from the device in his hand.
Mount Sinai Hospital. Urgent.
It was from Scott. Erik hadn't gotten an update from him in a week or so and now…
Oh no, Charles. He turned and bolted back to his house, flinging open the door when he got there. His phone landed on the couch, earbuds dangling onto the floor, Eye of the Tiger now blasting away. Erik showered as quickly as he could manage, preferring not to stink of sweat when he saw Charles again, threw on jeans and a turtleneck and grabbed his go-bag from the closet. He shrugged into a coat and stepped outside, shoving his phone in his pocket. The snow was falling harder now.
He hailed the first taxi he could see, hopped in and snapped, "Airport. Extra twenty bucks if you take the direct route." Tires squealed against pavement and Erik pulled out his phone to check departure times for New York. One left in forty-five minutes; he could make it.
His foot tapped out a staccato rhythm on the mat as the taxi whipped in and out of traffic. He had his money out before the car came to a stop in front of the terminal. "Here," he said quickly. "And the extra."
Erik found the first ticket counter and cut in line, flashing his government badge to the employee. People already in line grumbled and yelled but he ignored them.
The young blonde at the counter blinked at him, peered forward to look at the badge and smiled shakily at him. "What can I do for you, Agent?"
"A ticket on the first flight out to New York."
"Ah, yes, okay." She turned to the computer terminal next to her and typed on it for a bit. Erik resisted the urge to tap his fingers on the counter. Charles could be dead by now for all he knew. No, he quickly shut down that line of thought. If Charles were dead, Scott would have told him. "You're in luck," the woman turned back to him with a steadier smile. "There's a flight leaving for New York from Gate 4 in fifteen minutes with a few seats left. Do you prefer first class or coach?"
"I don't care," he snapped. "Just get me on the damn flight."
She flinched and returned to the computer. After a moment, she said, "I…Method of payment?" He slid a credit card over; she swiped it and returned it along with a receipt, ticket and boarding pass. "Have a nice day," she called after him as he hurried to the gate.
He barely made it on the plane, settling into his seat as the flight attendant gave the safety speech. Erik pulled his phone out and sent Scott a text saying he was on his way then had to shut it off.
One long flight and another cab ride later, Erik slammed a hand down on the receptionist's desk and demanded, "Charles Xavier, what room is he in?"
The middle-aged woman looked up at him over the rims of her glasses and raised an eyebrow at him. "Can I help you?" she asked flatly.
Erik gritted his teeth. Scott hadn't answered him when he landed so he still had no clue what had happened. Surfing the web had told him nothing, either. "Charles Xavier," he repeated. "What. Room. Is. He. In?"
"Name?"
"I already told you."
"Not his, yours." She reached for a clipboard.
"Erik Lensherr."
She scanned the papers. "Not on the list, sorry."
He couldn't have heard that right. "Excuse me?" Not on the list? "What list?"
The woman—Madge, he now saw on her nametag—raised her eyebrow again. "The list of people approved to go up. You're not on it so I cannot tell you which room he's in."
He huffed out a breath in frustration and yanked out his badge. "I'm Secret Service, does that help?"
Madge shook her head. "Nope," she informed him, popping the "p" as she did.
He was fully prepared to force her to tell him what room Charles was in when he heard someone call his name from behind. Whirling, hand flying to the gun holstered at his waist, Erik's shoulders dropped in relief when he saw who it was. "Jean."
"Erik. What are you doing here?" Jean asked, her face looking pinched with exhaustion and concern as she approached him, two drink carriers in her hands.
"Scott texted me the hospital and that it was urgent. What the hell happened? Is everyone okay?"
Jean opened her mouth to say something, stopped, then leaned around him and called out, "He's okay, Madge! Add him to the list. I'll take him up."
"Sure thing, Agent Grey," the old biddy said agreeably. Erik shot her a glare but she was looking down.
Erik followed Jean to the elevator but she didn't say anything until they were inside and the door had closed. She hit the button for the sixth floor, he noted absently. "Jean?" he prompted.
She sighed. "This is going to be hard to hear."
"Just hit me with it." He was already assuming the worst in regards to Charles. How much worse could it be?
"They were hit on the way to the car on campus."
"Hit?" Erik interrupted. He couldn't help it.
She nodded. "Yeah. Whole team of them. Came out of nowhere." She took a breath then said softly, "Logan's dead."
Erik reeled, the words like a punch to the gut. He hadn't liked the man but that didn't mean he wanted Logan dead. "What?"
"Yeah," she sighed. "It was a surprise to us, too."
He ran a hand through his hair. "Scott? Alex? Ch—?" He couldn't quite bring himself to finish Charles' name.
Jean gave him a sympathetic look. "Scott's got a broken arm but that's the worst of it. Some scrapes and bruises. Alex is in surgery; knife to the gut."
Mein Gott (Translation: Oh my god). "And Charles?"
Jean opened her mouth to answer but the elevator door opened at that point and they stepped out. He followed her to the floor's reception desk where he was again added to a list and given a visitor's badge. As they started away, Erik reached over and plucked the top drink carrier out of her hands. Jean gave him a grateful smile and turned the corner. As they walked, Jean told him, "Charles has a dislocated shoulder, three broken ribs and a mild concussion."
Erik swallowed hard, his heart pounding in his chest. So…not the worst, then. But Charles was hurt. And he hadn't been there to help. That would weigh on him forever.
Charles' room was clearly marked by the two men in suits bracketing the doorway. Jean stopped and held out the drink carrier. "Hey, Richardson, Dixon. Coffee?"
They eyed Erik, reaching out to take a cup. Erik returned their looks evenly, studying them in turn. Jean huffed. "Can we do the macho man stare some other time? Guys, this is Erik. He was with us at the start, before he got too injured to stay on. Erik, they were added after Charles won the election. They're okay."
They still stared each other down for a bit more until Jean rolled her eyes and shoved the door open. "I brought coffee," she announced loudly, taking the carrier out of Erik's hands.
Erik took a deep breath. Here we go, he thought and stepped into the room, letting the door squeak shut behind him. Jean was passing cups around. Scott leaned against the wall and Erik noted the sling. Angel stood next to him. Raven was sitting in a chair next to the hospital bed in which Charles lay. Charles had a bandage around his forehead, his left arm in a sling and looked like he'd been scraped against the ground at one point.
No one had noticed his entrance yet.
Then Scott caught his eye, straightened slightly and said, relieved, "You made it."
All eyes in the room were suddenly on him. He cleared his throat and managed, "I texted you I was coming."
Scott's brow furrowed briefly before clearing. "Oh, sorry. I think I remember it buzzing but there was so much going on that I forgot to get back to you."
Raven stood up then and glanced between Scott and Erik. "You told him we were here?" Scott nodded and she continued, "Who gave you permission? What if Charles didn't want to see him? He left!"
"Raven," Charles said quietly.
"It's true, Charles! He left and he broke your heart in a fucking NOTE, for god's sake!" Raven glared at him from her brother's bedside, hands on her hips.
He had nothing to say to that. It was all true, no matter how much he regretted it, both then and now.
Jean stepped between them and said calmly, "Why don't we give Charles and Erik a moment alone to work things out, yeah?"
Scott pushed off from the wall, said, "Good idea, babe," and kissed her cheek. He stopped in front of Erik on his way out and said quietly, "He missed you, a lot more than he's willing to say. But he's really hurt, so tread carefully." Erik nodded and stepped aside for everyone to leave.
Raven was the last, leaving only after checking with Charles. "I'm warning you right now, Erik. You hurt him again and not even Tempest out there will find your body."
He nodded. "That's not my intention, Raven."
"No," she responded. "It's never anyone's intention to hurt someone they care about, but it happens anyway." On that positive note, she left, slamming the door behind her.
Erik didn't know what to do with his hands and Charles wouldn't look at him, hadn't since Erik had walked in. What did you say to someone you broke up with?
Minutes passed; Erik wasn't sure how many. Neither of them apparently knew what to say and Erik stared at the floor, trying to figure out how to break the ice, so to speak.
"Didn't think you'd care enough to come." Charles's quiet comment broke the heavy silence finally.
Erik winced at the amount of bitterness in Charles' voice. He replied quietly, "I'll always care about what happens to you."
"Sure you do. That's why you wrote that lovely letter and vanished." Now sarcasm had joined the bitterness.
Erik forced himself to look up. Damn it, he was a Secret Service agent! He'd faced down guns, bombs, terrorists and he couldn't face his former lover? He was making a concerted effort to speak in English rather than the German he flipped to when he was emotional. "I thought I was doing the right thing."
Charles pushed himself up to a sitting position and gestured at himself. "Does this look like you did the right thing?"
"I should have been there, I know."
"Yeah, you should've. But you weren't." Charles took a shaky breath and it made Erik feel better that Charles was just as off kilter as he was. "You really hurt me, you know? That letter practically ripped my heart out."
Erik closed his eyes. It had ripped his heart out to write it. "I know."
"'I know'? That's all you can say…I know?!" Charles voice went up an octave. "What about I'm sorry? Or, I was an idiot? How about something like that, hmm?"
Erik took a step forward. "I am sorry. You'll never know just how sorry I am. God, I…" Erik ran his hand through his hair.
Charles studied him from his hospital bed. Erik looked wrecked. And his apology sounded sincere. Yes, he'd broken Charles' heart and ignored him for over a month but he was here, now. That had to count for something, right? "I'm not sure I can forgive you right now," he said quietly, his abrupt temper spent.
Erik responded with, "I'm not expecting you to." Again, he sounded sincere.
Charles nodded. Good. He couldn't figure out what he was feeling right then anyway. And did Erik have to wear jeans? Charles loved how he looked in jeans. No, don't think about that right now. Was it possible to hate someone and yet still be in love with that same person?
Erik took another step closer. "Can I ask what happened? All Jean said was you were attacked on campus?"
"Yeah. Surprise attack; they must have been waiting for me to get out of class." Charles flopped back against his pillow and winced. Bad idea. Erik started forward as if to do something but stopped himself. Charles was glad he didn't have to decide if he was relieved or disappointed. "I'm not really sure what happened; it was all a blur, really. One minute I'm following Logan out to the car, the next I'm watching Logan drop to the ground and not get back up. The others surrounded me but then we were attacked and I was pinned against someone." Charles laughed a little bitterly. "I remembered what you taught me. I broke his grip and ran off. That's probably when I dislocated my shoulder. I kept looking for Scott or Alex but I couldn't find them." He fell silent for a moment.
Erik moved closer, rested his hand on the back of the chair Raven had been using. "When did you hurt your head?"
Charles laughed again. "To be honest, I don't really remember getting hurt. I remember Scott shouting Alex's name, people shouting mine." He lifted his right shoulder in a shrug. "I think I fought some more? Turned out I remembered more of your training than I thought I did; so thanks for that."
"Not sure if that's a compliment or not." Erik's tone was light, striving to lessen the tension still between them. Charles wasn't sure if he appreciated it or not.
"An ambulance arrived and by then I was having trouble breathing and focusing on anything in particular. Scott was hovering over Alex, shouting at him to stay awake and I remember thinking that I'd done something similar but it didn't click in my head until later." Their eyes met and for a moment they were back on that theatre stage before the debate. Charles broke the connection before he could blurt out something stupid, like I love you. He fiddled with his sling. "After that, I must have blacked out so you'll have to ask Scott for the details."
Erik was quiet when Charles finished. "I am so sorry about everything that's happened. You have every right to hate me right now, Charles."
"I don't hate you," Charles said automatically, despite his earlier thoughts. Erik raised an eyebrow and Charles shook his head. "Fine. I hate you a little, but that's to be expected, considering the events."
"Which are entirely my fault."
"Did you expect me to disagree with that? Because I'm not going to."
"It nearly killed me to leave you, you know. But I thought I would be too distracted to keep you safe, that by leaving I would somehow take Shaw's attention off you. Now I see that I was wrong."
Charles lifted an eyebrow. "I did try to tell you that, if you'll recall."
The corners of Erik's lips quirked upward briefly. "I remember."
"I also recall that you hung up on me," Charles continued.
"Because I knew that if I let you keep talking, I would come back in a heartbeat."
"Maybe you should have," he retorted quickly, his voice full of bitterness and hurt.
Erik winced and ran a hand through his hair again. "I should have. I really should have. And I know I hurt you, a lot, and I'm really sorry for that."
Charles pointed out, "You've said that already."
"Because I mean it."
The door to the room opened and Raven poked her blonde head in. "I don't hear shouting. Charles, don't tell me you've forgiven the bastard already?"
Erik rolled his eyes and Charles fought the urge to smile. "No, Raven, I have not. But not all of us solve our problems by shouting." Perhaps a change of subject was in order. "Have you heard anything about Alex?"
She opened her mouth then ducked out of sight. Charles smiled and heard Erik huff a laugh. Scott's head poked around next. "Alex is in recovery, Charles. Doc says he's gonna be fine and he'll be your roommate as soon as he wakes up."
"That's wonderful, Scott," Charles said, relief in his voice.
Erik said, "That's good to hear, Scott."
"Thanks. I'll, uh, leave you guys to finish talking," and Scott pulled out, closing the door.
Erik glanced at him. "I suppose we should tell them they can come back in."
Charles shifted against the pillow, making his blanket slide down. With a frown he reached for it and his hand brushed Erik's, who had been reaching to do the same thing. Charles jerked his hand back, trying to ignore the rush. "Yeah," he managed as Erik resettled the blanket against him.
Erik asked, "I know we have more to talk about but I think if Raven doesn't come back in soon, she's going to burst."
Charles chuckled a little, despite himself, and pressed a hand lightly against his ribs. He blew his breath out slowly. "No, we're not done, yet. But we're getting there. And I do appreciate you coming to check on me."
"Scott sent me just enough to send me into a panic."
"What did he text you?" Charles asked, curious.
"The name of the hospital and that it was urgent."
"That's it? Well, it got you here."
Erik smiled softly at him. "That it did."
Charles swallowed hard. "I'll have to thank Scott for keeping in touch with you."
"Me, too." Erik paused then said, "Okay if I let them back in?" Charles nodded and Erik went to the door to tell them it was all right to come back. They came in slowly, leaving Richardson and Dixon outside.
Raven shot Erik a glare and promptly took the chair next to Charles, an air of protectiveness about her. Charles hid a smile. Awkwardness filled the room for a moment until Angel asked, "Are you taking lead again, Erik?"
Erik blinked, surprised. "Do you want me back?" He actually hadn't thought past making sure that Charles was all right.
Scott said with a shrug, "You know Shaw better than anyone. You've been an agent longer than the rest of us."
"You're all okay with me in charge again, even after the way I left?" He wasn't going to shy away from his mistake and he didn't expect his friends to either. That brought him up short for a minute. Somehow, impossibly, these four young agents had become his friends over the course of the assignment, just as Charles had managed to worm his way into Erik's heart. He looked from Scott to Jean to Angel—all of whom nodded in agreement. He turned to Charles, who studied him for a good couple minutes. Erik bore the scrutiny patiently. Charles had the final say in the matter.
Finally Charles said quietly, "I haven't fully forgiven you, but I do feel safer with you nearby, so…yes. I'm okay with you taking charge of my protection again, Erik."
Erik locked eyes with him and nodded, understanding the trust and faith that Charles had just put in him. And the responsibility that he'd just taken on again. He took a breath, getting back in the mindset of agent. "Okay, then. First, I'd like to see Logan's body and make sure someone from the agency takes care of it. Then I want extra security. Those two stay out there but someone is inside this room with Charles at all times.
"I want to know what happened and I want to know the timetable you've been using to get ready to move to D.C.," Erik continued, aware that Scott and the girls were nodding. "Whatever safe house you've been planning to move into is no longer a viable option. Shaw knows the agency's safe houses."
Angel asked, "So where will Charles be safe until he takes the oath of office?"
Erik thought for a moment, flicking through possible options. They couldn't use any safe houses, and probably not the hotels…He turned to Charles and asked, "Would you be opposed to staying at one of our places?"
Charles looked startled. "Y-you mean, stay in your house?"
"Well, mine or Angel's, or Scott and Jean's," Erik suggested. The brothers and Jean lived together.
Charles bit his lip, glanced at his sister. "Well…if you could guarantee that I'd be safe…Then, no. I wouldn't be opposed to that plan."
"Okay." Erik nodded. He'd discuss logistics with Scott and Angel later. Figure out which of their places was the safest for Charles.
A knock at the door interrupted the conversation, followed by Dixon's head. "Agent Summers has arrived."
"Thanks, Dixon," Jean responded.
The door opened fully and a nurse pushed Alex's bed in, maneuvering it into position on the other end of the room, next to the window. She gave them all a smile and a wave before she left. Scott immediately came over to his brother's side.
"Hey, little brother, how you doin'?" Scott asked gently.
Alex smiled widely. "Hey, hey, big bro, howzit hangin'?"
Scott rolled his eyes. "Painkillers, right?"
"S'good stuff, man." Alex waved at the rest of the group. "Yo, 'rik's here! Heeyyy. Long time no see, bossman."
"Yeah." Scott shook his head, sounding amused as he stepped back. "He's high as a kite."
"At least one of us is having a good time right now," Erik muttered, glancing at Charles. He had to fix this. He checked the time on his phone, saw it was getting late and wondered if he should send them off to get some rest. He'd really rather not split them up but if they were going to move in a couple days, then they'd need to gather their things. "Scott, Jean, Angel, can I talk to you in the hall?"
Once in the hall, he asked what happened on campus then went to go see Logan's body. By the time he got back to the room, it was after nine and he still needed to talk to Director Mason. He slipped inside the room past Jean and Scott, having sent Richardson and Dixon to get some rest in the lounge with Angel and Raven. The lights were off; Alex was passed out in his bed by the window and Charles was out cold as well.
Erik stood at the foot of Charles' bed, thinking.
Planning.
Step one: get back on the job.
Step two: get Charles and Raven to D.C.
Step three: fix his relationship with Charles.
Step four: find a way to put Shaw in prison. For good.