Disclaimer: I do not own x-men first class. If i did...well, there would be a LOT more slash. Just sayin'.

A/N: Thanks for the reviews! :) Sorry this chapter isn't so long, they'll grow progressively longer as the story goes on.

Erik stepped cautiously forward, feet squeaking against stone in protest as the German man made his way through the now open space of where the wall used to be. An illusion? Possibly. There were some mutants with that unique gift, but why they were trying to hide the lab instead of working on being found was beyond him. No one on the streets seemed to turn their attention to him; they didn't even spare a glance toward the alley. Interesting. Erik looked forward one more time, a concrete walk leading up a few hills, and Erik was almost certain that this wasn't supposed to be in Chicago. It most likely wasn't even in the city. Without any more hesitation he began walking toward the white stone building a ways down the walk.

Raven couldn't exactly help but to want to get out of the hotel room and explore where they had run away too. Charles had insisted upon his coming but she literally locked him up in the room for good measure after a short-lived argument on the dangers of going off alone. Not just because of the obvious mutant problem, but because "she was a young girl alone in a big city". She had a simple solution to that "young girl" problem. So Raven did the natural thing. She shifted into a man. One she had seen once before on the street through the window. She had found him cute, so she took on his dark short hair, chocolate eyes and skinny slim jeans. To be honest with herself she was proud. She'd never exactly transformed into a man before, so this was a whole new feeling.

The streets were crowded, more so than she would have initially thought, and she bustled with the rest of the humans across the streets and into stores. She had to have new clothes. The ones she had on were decent, better than the scratchy, indecent material and manner of hospital gowns. She breathed in deep, letting the filled air soak in as she entered into a small boutique on the other side of their hotel. She didn't want to wander to far away. She was a little scared after all.

Charles had wandered back into the bathroom, his head ache coming back, not as strong, but his mind still throbbed. He stood over the sink, hands on either side of the white porcelain. Slowly, almost hesitantly, he turned on the tap, listening to the flow and splash and fall of the water before he cupped his hands under the stream and splashed some of the cold liquid onto his flushed cheeks. That felt better. Much better. He glanced up warily, taking in his reflection in the mirror. Dark circles aligned under his blue eyes, which had seemed to get brighter as soon as he left the labs. His face was flushed though, and he was sure he had a fever. He reached forward to turn off the water and as he did he felt a searing pain. It screeched in warning through his ears and echoed tauntingly around his hollowed skull. He gasped, dropping to his knees as he focused on the low voice through the siren.

It was familiar. It was of alarm. And he felt a push, as though his conscious had been shoved, and he wasn't seeing the white walls of the bathroom anymore. He saw a cement walkway, new and well kept, and the all to knowable sight of a tall long white building squashed between small risen hills and overgrown shrouded trees. Whosever mind he was seeing through now was walking quickly and quietly, impatient yet wary.

He's in there.

Charles knew that voice.

Sebastian Shaw is in there.

Who? Charles stretched himself deeper, sweeping through this man's frantic mind until he understood. Oh—that's who this Sebastian was. And this man…his name…

There are the gates. Of course they're plastic. How to get in?

No. Charles understood almost immediately, the man had begun circling the entry of the gates. Don't break in on your own! Charles shouted in his mind, trying and hoping desperately that this man- Erik? - Would hear him.

There! There is some metal there…

STOP!

Charles felt the man freeze, he heard his own voice in this Erik's head, and the man's upcoming fear and suspicion.

You are outnumbered, my friend. Please, turn back and return another day. I would like to help you; I know what you are going through. We are the same.

You-You're in my head?

I am like you. I am a mutant.

He heard Erik laugh, but although he did find humor in a humorless situation, he understood the immediate danger and began to step back.

You're like me you say? So you're after Shaw as well?

Yes. I suppose so.

How are you in my head?

I'm a telepath, Erik. I can connect and read minds.

…Interesting. What's your name, since you already seem to know mine?

Charl-

But he was thrown back, away from Erik and back into the bathroom once more. He had lost connection and now his head felt as though it was being torn to shreds. He gasped out, heaving and coughing, and he fell roughly to the tiles, back doubling over on the floor.

Calm-stay calm! He groaned, spitting up a stream of crimson red against the white. Great. What had they done to him?

The wall returned to its place as soon as Erik walked through the opening in space once more. His head held a pleasant buzz, and while this mutant seemed to find out everything about him he hadn't even managed to get his full name. Erik's fist zoomed out, smashing against the wall next to him and he shook with an anger and frustration that was hard to control. He had gotten there, gotten to the labs and he had just walked away. He had walked away. He had never just given up like that before, had never totally crumbled like this. What the hell did that telepath do?

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