"Magnetic"

Chapter Two

"Coincidence?"

Xavier opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. What the hell was that? He had expected to have some kind of dream about Eric but not that kind of dream. The dreams he expected to have was of Eric stopping what he was doing and listening to reason. Charles had also expected them to be fully clothed in the dream. Charles used both of his arms to raise himself up and wished he had feeling back in his legs.

He glanced at the wheelchair next to his bed and used his arms to gets his legs over the opposite side of the bed. He then used his arms to try to back himself toward the side that had his wheelchair. Luckily for him the chair was facing his bed. Xavier grabbed the arms of his wheelchair and used what strength he had to lift himself up and onto the wheelchair.

He used his mind to move the chair and he exited his room. He entered the hall of the second floor and made his way to an elevator that Hank had installed. He rode down to the first floor and kept moving until he reached the kitchen. He went over to the sink and grabbed a glass. The professor filled it with water and began to drink.

He was prepared to return to his room when Beast walked in.

"You're up late Professor."

"I might say the same for you."

"I'm working on some new plans. We could really do a lot with the lower levels of the mansion."

"Like what?"

"Well...For one we could build our own Cerebro..I designed it after all."

"That would be a great asset. What else?"

"We could turn one of the rooms into a sophisticated training system..It could be designed to specific mutants strengths and..well..challenge them."

Charles thought for a few moments and welcomed the opportunity to think of anything else but his dream.

"What would you call such a room?"

"Well given the dangerous element I was thinking Danger Room."

"Very aptly named. Do you have much of the plans drawn up?"

"Just some preliminary sketches."

"When you are finished with them come and see me and we will take steps to get these room built."

"Of course Professor."

Charles left the kitchen and made his way back to his room. When he was finally back in bed he closed his eyes and hoped he wouldn't have another sex dream about Eric.

The next morning he awoke to the sound of a knock at the door. He used his telepathy and asked who it was.

"It's Hank. The plans our finished."

Hank would never cease to amaze Charles..While McCoy would sometimes have his setbacks he was a genius.

"Come in."

Beast opened the door and handed Charles some schematics.

"You finished all of these last night?"

"Yes. After our conversation I was inspired to finish the plans right away."

"I appreciate your work ethic but there has to be something bothering you."

Over the past couple of weeks Hank had thought he had found a cure for his mutation when he took a sample of Raven's, or as she now called herself Mystique, blood. The cure had been intended for both of them but Hank was the only one who injected himself with it. Instead of curing his mutation Mystique's blood progressed McCoy's mutation causing him to grow blue fur and increased his muscle size. It was from that moment on that he had assumed the name of Beast but Charles called him Hank as often as he could.

Hank had been inconsolable since that night and the only mutant who could possibly know how he felt was miles away with Magneto. Charles sighed.

"I know that she was probably the only one who would..."

"Understand? She's 'Mutant and Proud' now...She doesn't hide anymore."

"Still...It took her years and some persuasion to get there. She wasn't always proud of the way she looked. She could have helped you get there."

"Well she's not here is she Professor? She's off with Magneto doing only god knows what..."

It was true. Charles felt something between Eric and Raven but dared not tell Hank.

"Don't worry my friend. It will get easier."

"I hope so."

"I'll need to make a few calls but I can get the ball rolling on construction right away."

"Thank You."

Charles smiled knowing that he had just provided Beast with months of work to try to occupy his mind. Xavier could use the distraction as well. A small part of him wondered if Eric had the same dream. He shook his head and stared at the plans once again.

Later that night when Xavier went to bed he dreaded dreaming but forced himself to...

Xavier was once again in the garden but Eric was nowhere to be seen. He was relieved but his relief turned to dread when he saw a figure walking towards him.

Why question these dreams?

The voice entered his mind and Charles recognized it as his own.

Because they are not normal.

How can you be sure of that? How can you know that you haven't had these thoughts all along? How can you be certain that Eric isn't having the same dream right now?

The professor looked down at the ground. These were all good questions but he knew the answer to all of them. He couldn't know for a fact but he could guess.

It's not normal because I've always been attracted to women.

Some men are attracted to both men and women.

Not me.

Are you sure that you haven't been? You could have been hiding. To be a mutant is one thing but to be gay and a mutant in this time...

It's not that.

Well I suppose that rids yourself of two questions but there's still one left to answer. How can you be certain Eric didn't have the same dream?

Charles thought for a few moments and knew that he couldn't be sure but the odds of two people having the same exact dream had to be astronomical. The only way Eric could probably have the same dream is if Charles had somehow projected his dream into Eric's mind. It wouldn't be out of the question. Charles could use his power to read thoughts, manipulate objects and even force people to do what he told them. Eric didn't have the power of telepathy so the only way the theory of projection worked is if it was Charles and his power had progressed.

Xavier continued thinking.

Why are you trying to rationalize your dreams? Dreams are rarely rational. They often take the form of our deepest desires. If you had a dream about your friend then you've always had feelings for him. Really Charles...This is stuff a regular human could figure out..Why are you fighting it?

Charles awoke and frowned. He tried to go back to sleep but that last question was haunting him. Why are you fighting it? Charles tried to pretend that he didn't know why but he did. He was fighting it because too much had happened. Eric would never come around and would always blame himself for paralyzing Charles. Xavier would never go to Magneto because in a way they had said all they needed to say on the beach. Two friends on opposite sides of a war where there could only be one clear winner unless one of them saw the others point of view.

The thought of the two being able to work together again brought a smile to his face but it quickly turned into a frown.

I miss you Eric.

With that he closed his eyes and attempted to go back to sleep...

Author's Note: Before I get into what I was thinking when writing this chapter I just want to thank those who added this story to their favorites list, added this to their story alert list, and to those that reviewed as well. I also want to thank those that read the first chapter even if they did none of the things I listed. Originally I was going to stick with Magneto's POV for the whole story but I also wanted to write some of Charles' POV. I thought it would be interesting if the audience knew that both men were having the same thoughts but unable to express them. I also thought the idea of Xavier initially having these thoughts and somehow projecting them into Eric's mind would provide an interesting twist. Is Eric having these feelings mainly because of the dream or did he already have them and the dream just brought them to the surface? The idea of Charles having a mental conversation with himself seemed like a logical thing to include. Regular humans sometimes talk to themselves whether out loud or mainly in their head so I had the idea of what happens when someone who is telepathic talks to himself. That's all I can think of right now so until next time.. ;-)