Welcome one, welcome all!

It's been a long time, I hope you haven't forgotten all about this story.

Thanks for the love a lot of you have given to the last chapter. Are you ready for what's coming next?

Enjoy!

Chapter 23 - Remedy for memory

It felt too familiar.

Loud booms. Flashes of light. The smell of smoke and something burning.

But it had been years since the war. Both of them knew well enough they were somewhere else. Somewhere safer than back then. Yet, neither of them could stop their fast beating hearts, nor the out of breath feeling. Or were those symptoms because of something else instead of a past memory.

Ann looked up at Erik, who was still leaning over her protectively. One arm around her, while his other leaned against the door. His own gaze was aimed at something other than her. Perhaps he was trying to determine if this had been just an accident or if another explosion would follow suit. Something told Ann it was the latter. Therefore, she gently shook Erik's arm.

He blinked and eventually moved upwards, pulling her along with him. He kept a firm hold of her elbows, his eyes still focused on the windows. But when it was clear nothing further was going to happen, he finally looked back at her. His expression serious.

"Stay here." He told her. "I'll be right back."

Without warning he let go and went out the door. Ann stood there, her arms still hovering mid-air from where he'd held her.

"Stay here?" She mouthed even though he was already out of sight.

With a frown, Ann stepped through the door and into the hallway. She rushed into the direction Erik had gone off to. It was easy to figure out where he was going, as the explosion had come from somewhere outside. As soon as she reached the top of the stairs in the main hall, more people had begun to gather at the exact same point. Raven and Darwin were standing in the middle of the room, with them was Erik. The only people missing were Charles, Moira, Hank, Alex and Sean. Ann hurried down the steps.

"You heard it too?" Raven asked her the minute she noticed her.

"Loud and clear." Ann replied. "Where are the others?"

"Probably outside." Darwin answered. "Raven and I were just about to head there. You coming?"

While Darwin spoke, Erik was already making his way up the steps and out the door. Clearly determined to be the first to figure out what exactly had happened. The three of them hurried after him. The minute they set foot outside and reached the place where the explosion had come from, it was clear what had gone down.

Everyone that had not been in the main hall just now stood there. Sean, Charles, Moira, Hank and Alex. The latter sat crouched down on the grass. His expression dim and his gaze averted. A few feet before them stood part of what once was a huge oak tree. Nothing more but the stump and some thick roots sticking up from the ground remained. Knowing Alex's power, it was easy to put one and two together. He was the one who had caused the explosion.

"I see we managed to attract everyone's attention." Charles said the second all of them arrived at the scene.

"And scaring all of us to death." His sister added. "What happened?"

"You okay, man?" Darwin stood behind Alex and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.

Alex cleared his throat and shrugged his shoulders, causing Darwin to pull away. "Yeah. It's nothing."

"We were trying some stuff. It seems Alex's power reaches further than we antic,- than I anticipated." Charles explained, correcting himself after Moira threw him an angry look.

Erik was showing the same expression. The tree, which Alex had destroyed, was situated only a couple of feet away from where he and Ann had just been. Things could have taken a dramatic turn had he hit anything else but the tree. He could feel his blood boil.

"Perhaps it would be in all our best interests if you tried this inside of the building next time?" He said coldly, his words were obviously directed at the professor and not Alex.

Charles slipped his hands into his pockets and tilted his head back. "Noted, Erik. Now that you're here, I'd like to have a word with you actually. If you're not too busy that is?" His eyes drifted towards Ann for a quick second.

"I'm all yours. Lead the way."

He waited for Charles to start moving, before walking past Ann. Erik slowed down as he passed her and said. "We'll talk later."

::::::...::::::

Once everything had settled down, after Alex blowing up the large tree right in front of their respective bedrooms, Ann had gone back inside to wash herself and get out of her workout outfit and into something more proper. It was what she had planned on doing after her workout with Raven. But now after all the things that had gone down after that, a short bath was something she desperately needed.

As she laid in the tub, her foot playing with the faucet, her mind kept wandering back to what happened in Erik's bedroom. How his fingers had crawled up the back of her arm, over her shoulder, tracing the line of her collar bone. A shiver surged through her.

"Can I be honest with you?" He'd asked.

And then he removed his hand from her neck and placed it behind her head. The tug which followed was firm, if not slightly demanding, but if she was completely honest it hadn't taken that much of an effort for her to lean up towards him as his lips brushed against hers. It had been delicate, teasing almost and then his mouth slanted over her own. It had come as a surprise. Though there had been small hints that might have made it clear he'd been wanting kiss her for a while already. But he sure had managed to hide that well.

Ann felt her face heat up and dunk her head under water where she remained for a couple of seconds with her eyes closed, reliving the things she'd felt as Erik had kissed her with a fiery passion she knew he had, but not within his mouth.

"Hat es dir die Sprache verschlagen?" Erik had whispered.

She truly had.

But what now?

He wanted to talk to her later, he'd said about fifteen minutes ago. Ann was certain it had to do with their kiss. What sort of conversation was it going to be? That he meant it but now was not the time to act on it? No, maybe those were her own thoughts. Had it been wrong of her to give into his kiss? It hadn't felt wrong, only unexpected. Some people kissed others on a daily basis without meaning anything by it. Oh, but she wasn't that kind of person was she?

After a couple of minutes she got out of the bath and dried her hair with a towel. But as she was getting dressed, her mind kept drifting back to Erik. Then a knock sounded from the door of her bedroom and her heart seemed to stop for a minute as her breath hitched in her throat. Another knock came and she rushed to the door to quickly open it.

On the other side, standing in the hallway, was Moira MacTaggert. A broad smile adorning her face. Ann felt her heart beat again accompanied by a sense of slight disappointment. There was no way it could have been Erik, she doubted his talk with Charles would be a short one, still for a minute she'd thought it to be.

"Am I interrupting something?" Moira asked and she threw a glance over Ann's shoulder.

"Nothing at all. Just finished cleaning up and getting dressed. Is something wrong?"

"Actually, I was hoping we could talk. Maybe walk around the house at the same time?"

And so it happened that the two of them began their private tour through the mansion. Walking through various corridors, entering multiple sitting rooms, they didn't remember seeing yesterday. It really was quite insane the amount of spaces Charles's home had. Ann felt she was bound to get lost at some point.

"So, what have you been up to this morning?" Moira asked her friend as they walked through the mansion.

"Something tells me you already know what I've been doing this morning." Ann replied instead of providing Moira with a proper answer. "Raven told me you were the one who planted the idea in her head of having me train her."

Moira stopped and let out a short yet slightly nervous chuckle. "I'll have you know, that it was Charles who dropped your name. Though I admit, I might have been the one who let it slip you know a thing or two about fighting."

Charles. Of course. But why he had mentioned her in the first place was a mystery. It wasn't something she'd discussed with anybody, especially him. Perhaps he suggested her name because he figured she would be willing to spent time with Raven, but with Charles you never knew if he'd meant anything with it or not.

"You two shouldn't have gotten her hopes up like that. Compared to some of the others, she would benefit more having somebody else as her trainer or sparring partner."

"Don't be like that." Moira shook her head. "Is it really that bad that they know a little detail like this? You can trust these people, Ann. I don't see any harm with them knowing a little bit more about you."

Ann let out a sigh. She knew Moira meant well, but being with all of them here in this house was only temporary, wasn't it? At least until Shaw was finally captured. There was no need for any of them to learn certain things about her if she was going to go back to her previous life once this was all over. And if she wanted to share anything that was up to her and nobody else. No matter how good Moira's intention were.

"Oh, Moira. They know the important things already. Soon they'll begin to wonder about the why and how."

"Not to worry." Moira assured her and she raised a hand. "I already told them that information is classified."

"You do realize that'll probably tempt them to find things out even more?" Ann groaned. "Questions I'd rather not answer."

"I'm sure you can handle it. You're good at saying no."

Considering everything that had happened since Moira showed up on her doorstep in London, Ann sincerely doubted that statement. Though she was indeed particularly good in saying no to Moira.

"Very funny." She grumbled.

"I promise they won't hear a thing from me. Would that make you feel better?"

"Thank you." That was really all Ann wanted to hear from Moira. Quickly she decided now was a good time to change the subject. "Now, tell me how you spent your morning. I'm sure it was far more interesting than mine."

A shy smile appeared on the brunette's face and she sat down on the green velvet couch in the sitting room they'd just entered. "I spent the entire morning with Charles. It was incredibly fascinating. He talked with everyone, well, almost everyone. He helped them figure out ways how they could improve their powers or see other potentials in them. It's just a start, but everyone has been pretty receptive so far."

The sight of Alex flashed through Ann's mind. How he'd sat on the ground outside with his upper body all tensed up, his head hanging low and wearing a sorrowful expression. He could use some new words of encouragement. Nothing bad had happened, thankfully, but it easily could have. Oddly enough Charles hadn't come across as feeling guilty at all, or shocked even. At least that's how she saw it.

"I guess Charles is the right man for that job. Getting the most out of everyone's powers." Ann replied, sounding a bit sarcastic but Moira didn't seem to catch it.

"You should have seen him, Ann. The words of encouragement he gave them as he analysed their powers. You could see it on their faces. He kept assuring them they are special and shouldn't hate themselves for what they are, simply because non gifted people aren't able to see it."

Moira's face was practically beaming. Ann wondered if this was because the woman actually admired Charles for how he approached and treated the others, or because she was interested in him in a different way.

"Does he know you loop up to him like this?" She blurted out all of a sudden as she stroke the velvety fabric absentmindedly with her fingers.

"Sorry?" Moira blinked, but the discolouring starting at the base of her neck and slowly working its way up to her ears was pretty obvious.

"Come on, Moira. Even before Russia, whenever you mention Charles, you talk with such adoration of him. I'm sure he'll appreciate it, knowing you think so highly of him."

This time the blush had reached the CIA agent's cheeks and she pressed her lips in a tight line. "Maybe. He has great qualities. Though I feel he does tend to flirt a lot. He's not bad to look at."

Not bad to look at? Ann could vividly recall the conversation where Moira had called Charles extremely handsome, right before asking her if she thought so too. Somehow that talk had caused Ann to accidentally trigger her power and use it on him. That was when they both discovered he could sense her in his mind and even talk to her. Something she'd never experienced before. But then again, before meeting Charles, Ann had no idea there were others like her out there.

A shiver ran through her. Ann did not want to be reminded of that day, nor what happened after that. Another one of those Charles getting on her nerves moments. She honestly couldn't understand how he managed to make her feel like that over and over again. No matter what type of conversation they were having, it always made her feel on edge. Maybe even uncomfortable. She remembered how amazed he'd been with her entering his mind for the first time. He had praised her for it and was rather saddened by the fact she didn't see it in the same way.

"Ann?"

"Mmm? I'm sorry, you were saying?" Ann moved and looked at Moira.

"I asked if I was being ridiculous thinking like this?"

"Ridiculous for thinking Charles is handsome?"

Moira frowned. "No. That Charles means nothing with his teasing. When I first met him he tried to win me over with intellectual remarks disguised in a way to compliment my hair. I didn't fell for it, he was very drunk at the time. But there were moments like that after that day and Raven said he acts like that with every girl he finds attractive."

Ann felt a little guilty for clearly not listening properly when her friend expressed her insecurities. It was obvious that Moira really did like Charles, more than Ann realized. She let out a short sigh and placed her hands in her lap.

"I don't know, Moira. He's never complimented me on my hair, flirted or did anything else. If Charles has with you, more than once since the first time you met him, maybe he does mean something with it."

"You sure about that?" Moira asked.

"That's usually how those things go, don't they?"

But Moira shook her head. "No, about the part that he never acted like that with you."

This time Ann was the one who fell quiet. Why was this even a question? And why were they still talking about Charles? What else could she say to make Moira feel better.

Ann groaned with frustration. "Don't start with me. That's not something I want to think about. You know how I feel about Charles and that feeling is absolutely mutual, I assure you. The only moment you could consider any flirting happening was when I was drunk in that hotel and used his lap to get up. That had been a accident, as you hopefully can recall."

However the expression on the agent's face remained the same. Questioning and a little unconvinced. Ann didn't know what else to tell her. She was in no mood to continue a conversation about Charles. It caused her to think back on the last talk they'd had, which had been different from all the previous ones. Still as equally annoying, as it had made her feel like a fool as well as irritable. She'd been wanting to give him the benefit of the doubt for what happened in Russia, but alas that had not been the case.

"I don't want to lie to you." Charles had sighed. His hands on her arms and she felt his thumb stroking her gently through the fabric of her clothes.

She'd honestly hoped that he'd entered her mind back in Russia because he felt so guilty for leaving the states right after a huge fight with Raven. That him acting unethical was due to this intense concern and worry for his sister, that he had been willing to go to the extremes. But she'd been wrong about that. He'd said so himself. Even if he hadn't had that fight with Raven, he still would have entered Ann's mind while she was using her powers.

"I don't know why I was hoping it would have been the reason for what you did to me." She had said to him, and she'd meant it.

For whatever unexplainable reason, she truly hoped Charles wasn't as selfish and heartless as she'd sometimes thought he was.

"Maybe you don't dislike me as much as you think you do?" He'd then replied, with that coy smile of his.

Ann had scoffed loudly. Though those words kept echoing in her head. Disliking Charles had come easy, starting from the day they'd met until the moment they returned from Russia. That hadn't changed. Had it?

But he'd been standing real close.

Holding her real tight.

The warmth of his body quite noticeable in the greenhouse.

He'd asked her to look at him. Mere inches apart from each other as he asked her that. She'd trembled. Tired, sleep deprived, jet lagged. She was no dummy. She knew how close he was.

And then his hand was behind her neck, just below her head.

Just like Erik had done a little while ago.

Suddenly, Ann stood up from the couch. She definitely felt a burning tingling sensation prick her cheeks this time. She didn't dare to look at Moira as she stepped away. "I'm sorry, I remember I have to do something. I'm sorry."

She took another step back and apologized once more before running out of the room. She hurried through the hallway and turned a couple of corners until she ultimately ended up in the kitchen where she'd been with Darwin yesterday. The place was currently empty. Not that she was looking for someone. Not anybody in particular. There was nobody for her to go to with her thoughts. What was there to discuss really?

She shouldn't have left Moira like that, though she doubted her friend would get suspicious. Of which there was no reason for. Or maybe there was. The reason she had run away was because she didn't want to hurt Moira's feelings. Besides, it was not up to her to steer her in Charles's direction, if that was what she wanted. If she was interested in him, she should take care of that herself. She was a grown woman and a CIA agent. Ann wasn't good in these sort of things. Besides, she had other things going on at the moment.

Ann stopped at the backdoor of the kitchen, opened it and leaned against the doorframe, letting the early afternoon breeze gently caress her heated face.

"For crying out loud." She cursed under her breath.

What was she doing here? She had not come with them to start anything other than preparing for finding and taking care of Shaw. Yet she'd already kissed a man who was set on hunting and possibly killing the man who'd ruined his life. And now her mind wandered to a man who she really didn't care for, but also couldn't seem to dislike as much as she used to?

With no real plan of where she was going, Ann stepped over the threshold and out the door. Anywhere else was better than inside the mansion. She couldn't go too far. Erik wanted to talk to her. Something she wanted as well. She could still feel the lingering touch of his lips on hers. But there hadn't been a lot of time afterwards to comprehend what had happened between them. If Alex hadn't blown up that tree and scared the living daylights out of them, things might have gone quite differently.

On the other side of the mansion

About forty minutes had passed since Charles had asked Erik to join him for a conversation. At first it had been all business as usual. Charles apologized for the whole Alex ordeal and then explained what he had been doing all morning, before telling Erik the things he wanted him to try to get stronger with his powers. Erik had calmly listened, though his demeanour a bit more reserved than usual and his answers had been short, though no less honest than what Charles was used to. But at a certain point, he knew he couldn't avoid that which he really wanted to talk to Erik about. Ann.

His initial question was simple enough. Actually it wasn't even a question, but a confession. "Right before Alex used his power, I sensed you behind the walls. With Ann. I couldn't stop him in time, but if I knew you two had been there,-"

Immediately Erik responded with a loud scoff. "I take it you know what was happening? Behind closed walls. I didn't know you could see through bricks and stones." He said it so mockingly, that Charles pressed his lips in a thin line.

"I think you know the answer to that question." He replied.

"Obviously."

Charles stared at Erik. But when he stayed quiet, Erik opened his mouth again.

"Anything else you want to say on the matter? Otherwise I'll be heading back to her now, if you don't mind."

"Not my place to give my opinion on it."

"But you're going to, aren't you?"

The professor slipped his hands into the pockets of his jacket. "I think it's pretty childish to make a move like that. Especially considering your behaviour at the greenhouse yesterday."

"Is that so?"

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say it looks like payback for what almost happened between her and me?" Charles added.

Erik narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. "Did you ever stop to think that she was the one who kissed me?"

"I think I know Ann better than you give me credit for. She's not like that."

"You're just saying that because that's how she acted towards you." The tall mutant exclaimed.

Silence fell over the two again. Erik couldn't see it, but Charles's hands were forming fists on the inside of his pockets. Nonetheless, he kept his composure. The last thing he wanted was a fight, a physical one. But the telepath did have a thing or two to say. He contemplated whether he should. Now was not the time for teenage behaviour, and it wasn't his place to tell Erik or Ann what to do. If this was a consensual choice between the two, he had no right to interfere. But that wasn't how he saw it.

"I think you're using her, Erik."

Erik huffed. "How low you think of me. You honestly believe I would put up an act like that with her, just because of her ability to locate Shaw?"

"This has nothing to do with Shaw." Charles shook his head.

The other man blinked and stared with slight confusion at the telepath. "By all means, Charles. Enlighten me."

"If it wasn't for her past. Her history. The things she's experienced, similar to yours, you wouldn't have done this. You only would have had eyes on your path to revenge." Charles said, but still Erik didn't understand what he was talking about.

"Why would her past be of any influence on how she makes me feel? I agree it might speed up the process, but nothing else. I don't see how that explains you saying that I'm using her."

"What I'm saying, is that Ann reminds you of all that you've lost as a little boy. A family. A safe place. She's someone who knows what you've gone through better than anybody else can." Charles let out a sigh and he lowered his voice. "Look, I'm not saying you don't feel anything towards her,-"

"You're saying I'm using her to rectify that which I couldn't fix myself?!" Erik said out loud interrupting him.

That was basically what he was saying, though now that he heard Erik say it, Charles realized he shouldn't have let it gone this far. His own emotions got the better of him once again. He didn't want any hostility between him and Erik. He thought of him as his friend. But when it came to Ann, that was a whole other matter.

"All I'm saying is that you need to be absolutely sure that what you feel for her is because of her and not because you need a remedy for a broken past." He couldn't stop himself from blurting it out.

Erik breathed in deeply, his nostrils slightly flared and he stuck out his chest in a threatening manner. But then he relaxed his shoulders and his mouth formed a grin. "I should have seen it sooner. Now that I think about it, it's pretty obvious."

Now it was Charles's turn to feel confused. The urge to slip into Erik's mind and see what was going on his head, surged through him. But Erik continued quickly.

"Jealousy doesn't suit you, my friend. If this is how you want to play the game. By all means, go ahead,- but don't expect me to back down." He held Charles's gaze for a couple of seconds before uncrossing his arms and turning around on his heel.

Charles stood there and watched as Erik walked away. Soon the wind picked up and blew his hair into his eyes. As soon as it settled, he brushed a hand through his tousled brown hair. What then followed was a sudden sharp sting erupting on the right side of his head. He closed his eyes and heard a voice in his head.

'How could you?'

'Ann..."

Charles's eyes shot open as he felt Ann leave his mind. His eyes scanned the area and settled on the left side of the field near a couple of rosebushes. The figure of a woman with caramel coloured hair stood up from behind them. Her body turned in his direction and he could see her shaking her head before running away.

"Wait, Ann!" He shouted and he rushed after her.

Is it cruel to end it here? Probably is, isn't it?

Sorry if you were al hoping/expecting Charles and Ann to have a talk after her and Erik's kiss. But I wanted to save it for the next chapter. :)

Hope you can forgive me! Also hope you all enjoyed the chapter and as always I would love, LOVE!, to hear your thoughts.

Until next time!