Anote: In this chapter I am choosing to act on the notion that Charles, belonging to 'old money,' would have a reasonable amount of influence in society but this is fan fiction so I hope my gentle readers won't mind that I stretched reality a bit fine. Also as we shift out of the prison setting, I will introduce some new characters but I will trickle them in one by one so they don't overwhelm the storyline. I was watching Tommy Lee Jones in the Fugitive over the weekend and the character of Mr. Gerard is based on that performance.

Chapter 8- Taking risks part1

Erik wished whoever was calling his name would stop.

He just wanted to stay in this bed and keep his eyes closed. Any other activity besides those two would be torture. If anyone could comprehend how awful he actually felt, Erik was sure they would insist that he lay down and not move at all!

However, the voice was adamant and slowly as it whispered with ever increasing volume though his conscious, it became entangled with other thoughts and memories; flashes of Charles on his knees facing him, injured and scared and then blackness.

Suddenly it seemed imperative that he awoke.

He blinked rapidly as he forced his eyes open, wincing from the bright light coming through a large window in the room. Through half squinted eyes, the prisoner quickly surveyed the room dismayed to see so many unfamiliar faces and distressed not to find the ONE face he longed to ensure was safe.

A conservatively dressed man in his late fifties who sat by his bedside, was the most likely owner of the voice that had been calling to him. The old man leaned closer with the apparent intentions of introducing himself. Quite frankly, Erik didn't want to meet anyone, especially while he was the nursing the most violent headache he had ever experienced in his life! But there was something about this man. He had a presence that could not be ignored.

'Mr. Lehnsherr, my name is Mr. Gerard. You can call me Mr. Gerard. I am the manager of the 27th district Parole house. You have been in the prison hospital for the last two days. Raise one finger if you can understand me. Do NOT nod your head.'

Erik's jaw dropped open at this unexpected declaration.

'I understand,' he croaked out in an unsteady voice.

The parole officer quickly whipped around to address another strange man dressed in a lab coat who stood at the foot of his bed, reading a medical chart.

'He talked, that's a good sign isn't?' Gerard inquired with a stern but hopeful look.

As the tall, thin man grunted non-committaly still studying the charts, a large cup with a straw suddenly zoomed within Erik's line of vision.

'Take a sip,' Matt offered.

Thank God, at last a familiar face! Gratefully, the patient took a sip of the cool water.

'Matt? What happened?'

'Man, you look like shit!' was Matt's somewhat unhelpful reply.

His fellow prisoner hastened out the way when the young man with the clipboard approached.

'Hi, I'm Hank. I am not really a medical doctor but my friend Charles sent me…'

Dr. McCoy got no further as Erik's hand whipped out to snag the man's slender wrist in a hard, crushing grip causing Hank to stifle a howl of pain. He was certain that he would have bruises tomorrow.

'Where is HE? Tell me NOW!' Erik yelled out trying to rise from the bed, an act he quickly abandoned as spots of yellow danced before his eyes.

Naturally, this outburst led to a scene of pure pandemonium.

'Quiet, quiet,' Gerard rumbled softly.

The parole officer pointed to one of the prison officials who was quickly approaching their area.

'We're fine here,' Gerard sang out, smiling insincerely. 'We're fine.'

Everyone waited as the guard halfhearted shambled away, back to his corner.

'Charles is outside. He's alright, but he has been banned from the prison,' Hank answered in a hurried whisper still trying to pry his wrist loose from Erik's fierce grip.

'Control yourself Lehnsherr,' Gerard grumbled menacingly, clamping down on Erik's taunt forearm. 'We are all here trying to help you.'

Erik swallowed hard trying to control his nausea. Finally he nodded reluctantly, releasing Hank's arm with a muttered apology, 'Banned?'

'Your teacher Xavier has been making all SORTS of trouble for the prison board but fortunately for YOU, it's the good kind,' the parole officer explained. 'As of 22 hundred standard time yesterday my good man, your parole application was fast tracked and approved.'

Erik eyes widened in shocked disbelief. He couldn't be more surprised if Gerard had hit him in the face with a pie.

Was this really happening?

Charles.

Charles had freed him?

Erik suddenly felt the need to swear in every European language he knew including the obscure ones! He would be in Charles' debt for the rest of his life and then some!

The officer flipped opened the folder so that the ex-prisoner could see for himself the large green APPROVED stamp across the application form.

'The Professor even woke up the governor at 3 o'clock in the morning,' Hank added in a shocked can-you-believe-it whisper.

'You certainly picked a good person to rescue,' Gerard commented off-handedly.

The revelations of the evening rolled over Erik like a tidal wave and for a moment he closed his eyes, trying to slow down the way his life was stampeding past him.

'Erik it's all over the news. Your teacher is some sort of multi-millionaire do-gooder!' Matt squeaked excitedly. 'The media are calling you a hero!'

Erik blinked rapidly at this fresh piece of unbelievable information. He had been out of it for only two days and the whole world had gone mad it would seem.

'He's a what?' Erik asked in confusion.

'That is not important right now,' Gerald interrupted the direction of the conversation. 'What is important is that I think Xavier is right. You are not safe here.'

Everyone turned to look at the small knot of guards who gathered together near the entrance of the prison's small hospital. Their very presence seemed to dim the light and warmth in the room.

'Law enforcement have their own code, even prison guards,' Gerard clarified to his small audience, 'and you put one of their own in the hospital. I think it would be a very bad idea for you to stay here. I WAS thinking of moving you to another prison until you recovered but its just as likely that you may get "accidentally" knocked on your head again, wherever you go.'

Hank crept closer to the bed and Gerard relinquished his seat to the younger man, obviously by some pre-arranged agreement.

'Your skull is slightly cracked Erik,' McCoy explained, 'and the prison doctor's have stressed that you need rest and constant monitoring for the next several days at least. Injuries to the head are always hard to predict. You could be fine one minute and the next you could slip into a coma while you are sleeping. They are not willing to let us take you out of the facility.'

The patient felt a small tendril of fear encircle him. Suddenly the room felt cold as once again the gift of his freedom was being threatened. Erik could see the image of his body lying in the bed, reflected off the boy's huge glasses and it was truly a disconcerting sight to behold.

'What are you are saying?' he asked softly.

Hank shifted in his seat and leaned in closer, as if preparing to make a final convincing argument to a desperate cause. 'This is your life Erik and you must choose what risks you are willing to take. If you stay here it is a risk, if you try to move too soon it is a risk but we are here to help you and if you chose to disobey medical advice and leave now, Gerard and I will make sure you make it out. Charles has arranged a place for you with round the clock medical care, but it has to be your decision.'

All eyes focused on the man in the bed who naturally hesitated at this plethora of information being thrown at him. His world had once again been turned upside down both literally and figuratively within the space of a few days. The idea that freedom was only one word away had temporarily robbed him of the power of speech.

'We can't kidnap you,' Hank added with a weak, lopsided grin. 'Charles has asked me to tell you that he KNOWS two weeks is a very short time to trust someone, but if you can master your fear and take this chance, he promises that you will not regret it. '

With a grimace Erik weakly covered his eyes with one hand, 'I won't, but he most likely will.'

TBC

(Anote: tah! That was the most boring chapter ever! More charles/erik tomorrow, I promise)