Thanks for the love!

Just a heads up so you'll know what you're rolling into. Yes, Charles is getting a moment in this chapter and I'm not talking about the first scene you're about to read.

So stick till the end :)

Enjoy!

Chapter 24 - Haunt me

"Ann!"

Yelling was pointless. Charles had already realised this after having done so a couple of times and Ann still refused to stop. But he was set on not letting her go. Whatever she might have heard, he had to talk to her. Explain himself, or in his case defend himself, yet again. He was tempted to use his powers, knowing fully well what the consequences would be. How much would she noticed if he froze her long enough to gain up on her?

"Would you stop so we can talk about this?" He shouted once more.

Of course she didn't. Right, there was only one thing for him to do. She was upset with him anyway, might as well toss more fuel onto that fire. Charles came to a standstill and pressed two fingers against his left temple.

'Ann, stop!'

As if struck by lightning, Ann did just that. Her hands formed fists and she spun around to face him. Charles had already lowered his hand and ran towards her. Her face red from running as well as anger building even more up within her.

"You did not just go inside my head." She spat.

"I had to, alright? You weren't stopping, I had to do something." He countered feeling as equally flustered.

"No, you didn't. You could have let me go on. Obviously I'm in no mood to talk to you and you'd be wise to accept that."

"I think you know me well enough to know that's not an option." Charles replied not afraid of her empty threat. There wasn't anything Ann could do to him. Except shout and maybe get physical. He was already used to both of those, though the latter had only happened once.

"Very well. Here I am, standing still. What now, Charles?" She spread her arms.

He let out a exasperated sigh. "I only want to talk with you. Talk about what,-"

"About what I might have heard? I have a pretty good guess on how that will go. How you said one thing but meant another? That it's just you venting your thoughts and feelings because you're looking out for our best interests?"

Ann stared at him with such an intense gaze that Charles felt his stomach turn. Everything she said sounded like him. Defensive and apologetic. Anything to make sure no hate nor tension would be hanging around them. This was a familiar dance between them. One Charles wanted to change desperately into something more true and graceful.

"What have your heard exactly?" He asked. "I didn't notice you were in my head until Erik walked away."

Out of all the times Ann had been in his head, which weren't a lot, he had noticed her immediately. Probably thanks to his own telepathic ability, only this time he hadn't noticed her until she'd yelled at him. Had he been too caught up in his talk with Erik to pick up on her presence?

"Always focusing on mutations." She muttered under her breath. "I wasn't looking through you at first. I was searching for Erik when I stumbled into the midst of your conversation. As Erik left, I suddenly found myself in your head instead."

Charles couldn't help but notice Ann's voice changing as she said that. If he were to analyse her words, it sounded as if she'd managed to jump from one person to another. Something he couldn't recall her ever doing before. How fascinating. But this wasn't and shouldn't be the main focus now, though Charles made a mental not in his head to address it at some point. When they weren't caught in yet another fight.

"Tell me what you heard exactly." He said once again.

"That Erik is using me." Ann answered. "That the only reason I caught his interest his because we have a shared past."

That pretty much summed it up. Charles couldn't help but flinch after the last accusation. He had indeed said those things to Erik and he had been fully aware of how it sounded.

"Ann, I mean it when I say I'm incredibly,-"

"Oh, save it. I heard it all before." She cut in before he could finish his semi apology.

Immediately Charles closed his mouth. He couldn't wrap his head around it. How did he once again manage to end up here? Every time they were making amends and back on the right track, somehow they were always thrown right back to square one. Charles didn't want to acknowledge each of those moments had been his fault. Surely that couldn't be the case.

"Fine. You're right. I'm not sorry actually. I stand by what I said to him." He admitted. "I do think he is using you. But as I also said to him, I don't mean it in the sense of personal gain. I think he wants to make amends for his past by caring for you."

She had heard that bit. He could tell by the way she blinked and averted her gaze whilst licking her lips. Thankfully there was no need for him to explain it again.

"And what about the part where you told him that he only kissed me because he was getting back at you, mmm?" Ann added. "Why would you say such a thing?"

This time it was Charles's turn to blink and fall quiet. He had said that, hadn't he? Showed a moment of weakness, something he hardly ever did. Though it hadn't been a lie. Charles had thought that Erik kissed Ann because of what had happened to them in the greenhouse yesterday. After all, Erik himself had intervened by turning on the sprinkler system. If that hadn't happened, chances were likely that Charles might have kissed Ann first.

"Ann,- I,-" He was at a loss for words. What was he suppose to say?

"I don't understand you, Charles." Ann shook her head and ran her hand through her hair. "I truly don't. Erik and I kissed. Only mere hours ago. I don't know if he told you or if you read it in his head, but already you're right on top of it voicing your unfiltered opinion. I didn't even have had the time to figure anything out for myself. How unfair is that?"

There was no way to apologize for this. Good grief, there really was something wrong with him. There were other things, more important things to focus on. Yet all he could think about was Ann and Erik kissing. Kissing right under his bloody nose. Ever since the greenhouse, he'd tried to figure out what his thoughts and feelings were with regards to Ann. Recalling things Raven had said to him. But now he didn't need to anymore.

He was well aware what was going on here.

"You're right. It is unfair and for that I truly am sorry." And that was the truth. "It's not my place, I'm well aware. I just don't want anyone to go through things they don't deserve."

Ann huffed and bit lower lip. "I'm a grown woman, Charles. If I get hurt that's up to me. It's not your job to protect me."

That wasn't true. Or perhaps it was. But Charles felt different about that. He very much wanted to protect Ann. She was special to him. Not some random girl he met in the pub for a one night stand. Girls who fell for his charm immediately thanks to his mutation. Something that didn't work on Ann, which was what made her special. She knew who he was, what he could do and she didn't let him get away with anything. Honestly, he wouldn't have it any other way.

"I know it's not and yet I can't stop myself." He admitted.

"Why?" She asked her eyes confused and searching for his.

"It's who I am, Ann." Charles lowered gaze and slipped his hands into the front pockets of his pants. "I shouldn't have done what I did. But I stand by what I said." He shrugged and looked back up again. "I think it's best if I head back for now. There's still much to do. But before I go, I promise you, this won't happen again. You have my word."

With one last glance, half hoping she'd stop and say something. Forgive him. But Charles eventually turned around and walked back to the manor. Slowly and with a heavy weight pushing down on his shoulders.

A few hours later

The sun was already setting and the kitchen was packed. Every available seat at the table was occupied. Moira had made dinner together with Darwin and Raven, but that wasn't all that they'd done. On one corner of the kitchen counter were multiple wicker baskets, each of them filled with cherries. One of the many secrets the grounds surrounding the Xavier estate had. Orchards with various fruit trees. Jams, pies, a lot of things could be made with them. But for now they were simply sitting in their baskets, ready to be washed and eaten just as they were as soon as dinner was done.

There was laughter at the table, a welcoming sound which hadn't been heard in his home for a long time. When Charles was younger, with nobody to mind him except for the groundkeeper and his family, there had been a severe lack of the sound. Until Raven entered his life, in this very same kitchen they were currently having dinner.

The professor stole a glance in his sister's direction, who was one of the people at the table laughing loudly. She looked happy. Something he hadn't seen lately. He wished he could share it, but his stomach was still in knots with what happened earlier today. He looked over to the left side of the table where Ann was sitting in between Moira and Sean. It had been hours since their conversation outside and it was still on his mind.

Erik on the other hand showed no emotions with regards to theirs. The man had gone on with his day as it had never occurred. But Charles could tell that the metalbender hadn't spoken to Ann about it or vice versa. Knowing Erik, he wasn't bothered at all. To him Charles was simply showing every sign of a man who was jealous. And he was. He didn't want to admit it, but Charles felt incredibly envious of his friends. And the more he sat in their proximity after all that had gone down, the more frustrated he felt.

He shifted his eyes to Moira the minute Ann turned her head in his direction, pretending as if he hadn't been looking at her in the first place.

"Moira, have you heard anything from the agency today?" He asked before taking a bite of his food.

"No, sadly." Moira sighed. "From what I've heard they're still busy taking care of the damage Shaw created. Of course the search still continues, but there is more going on than just Shaw. They don't know who to fear more at the moment. Him or the Russians."

"I see. That's unfortunate. Perhaps we'll have more luck finding him. I'd hate to see them lose more men. Especially good men, like Frank."

"I agree." She threw him a smile with her dark red lips and leaned forward to place a hand upon his arm.

"Hey Charles, would you mind if I told them the story of how we met?" Raven's voice suddenly cut through the others and Charles looked at his sister with slight surprise.

"I don't see why not. It is a great story." He pulled his arm back, smiling once more at Moira, as Raven stood up from her seat and cleared her throat.

"It was in this kitchen. Right over there." Raven began as she pointed to the fridge on the other side of the room. "I'd been roaming around the streets of New York for a while when I tried to steal a wallet from one of the maids who worked here. She mentioned how the missus of the house would return tomorrow and that there was still so much left to do."

The table had gone quiet. Everybody's attention turned to Raven as she went on with her story.

"I followed the maid back to the estate, which wasn't as easy as it sounds, but I managed. Once it was dark, I snuck in through the kitchen door which wasn't locked at all." She paused and gave her brother a look.

"So why did you come here? To steal jewels? Crack a safe?" Alex asked with a chuckle.

"Stealing anything valuable was the original plan, but the first thing I actually did was search for food. It was difficult back then to find food in the street and I wasn't as in control of my shape shifting as I am now." She explained. "So there I was going through the fridge when I could hear someone approaching. I panicked and the first thing I did was shift into Charles's mother. There's a picture right over there."

Raven nodded at the wall where a frame hung showing a picture of a young boy and a woman. The woman had blond curly hair and wore a posh and tight fitted dress with a pearl necklace around her neck. She stood a couple of feet away from the boy, who could be nobody else but Charles.

"That's when this lanky boy wearing blue striped pyjamas entered the kitchen. Holding a baseball bat!"

"A baseball bat?" Darwin emitted and he leaned forward in his chair to look at Charles, who shrugged.

"I picked up on someone entering the house. I had no clue what I would encounter. It was the only thing I could think of to use as a weapon. But then I entered the kitchen and saw my mother standing there."

Raven nodded. "He really caught me off guard. I try to stay out of sight as much as possible, but this time I couldn't. I tried to get him to leave by trying to act as a mother should. Offer to make him hot chocolate and whatnot. But he didn't budge."

"What Raven means is that my mother was anything but what you'd call a typical mother. That woman had never set foot in the kitchen her entire life. Imagine my surprise when she told me she was going to make me cocoa."

A couple of laughs erupted from the table and Charles caught Ann smiling for a moment as well.

"So what happened next? Did you whack her with the bat?" This came from Sean.

"He probably would have fallen over." Alex laughed but quickly stifled it as he caught Moira glaring at him.

"Charles did what he does best. Read my mind. That's what scared me the most, to hear another voice inside my head demanding to know who I am and what I was doing there." Raven walked around the table and stopped at her brother's chair. "I shook of the disguise and showed my true self. It was the first time somebody actually smiled when seeing the real me."

Charles looked up at his sister and smiled lovingly at her. "It was a magical moment for me too. I never thought there was anybody else out there who was like me."

The room fell quiet and everyone looked at the duo standing at the head of the table. It was Sean, of course, who was the first to speak up.

"Then what happened?"

"Nothing. Charles invited me to stay, so I did." Raven told him.

"Anti-climactic." Sean muttered.

"Why did you stay, Raven?" This question came from Moira.

Charles smiled and wiggled his eyebrows. "My charm, naturally."

"The fact that he was like me." The blonde replied as she punched him on the shoulder. "I didn't have anywhere else to go anyway. His parents didn't care, they were gone most of the time. At least now he had some company." This time she leaned forward and pressed a kiss on top of his head. "Alright, that was my story, who's up next?"

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

Once dinner was over and only Sean had shared a story about how he first discovered he had powers, everyone went their separate ways. Charles and Moira stayed behind in the kitchen to do the dishes. Darwin challenged Hank to a game of chess, one that Raven desperately wanted to attend. They went into one of the living rooms followed closely by Alex and Sean who headed straight for the green velvet couch to watch some television. Ultimately this left Erik alone, walking through the house in search of Ann.

It didn't take long for him to find her. Somehow she had managed to sneak out of the kitchen while everybody else was clearing the table. He'd been wanting to talk to her after his talk with Charles, but he couldn't find her anywhere and nobody had seemed to know where she was. It wasn't until dinner came around that he saw her again, only then it was the wrong time to slip away from under everyone's noses. He got this feeling she was avoiding him. During dinner he tried to catch her attention, but it seemed she'd purposely chosen not to sit next to him nor across him.

"There you are." He knocked on the door to announce his presence.

The room where he found her slipping into was one of the studies. It was a rather dark place, only dimly lit by a lamp she'd just turned on as he stepped over the threshold. Tall cabinets from floor to ceiling covered one side of the room, each of them filled to the brim with books. In front of the large window stood a huge pedestal desk with green leather as its surface. This was where Ann stood, her hand still hovering next to the lamp she'd just turned on.

"I've been meaning to talk to you." Erik continued and he walked towards her.

"I know." She looked up at him once he reached her. "You told me. But I've been wanting to talk to you as well."

"Because we kissed?" He searched her eyes and moved his hand towards the side of her face. Gently he stroked it with the back of his fingers."Bereust du es?"

Ann shook her head while holding his gaze. "No. I don't regret it."

Erik exhaled with relief. For minute there he was worried that she did regret their kiss. He most certainly didn't. Especially after Charles's tirade of jealousy, which if anything had only strengthened Erik's desire for this woman before him. He still couldn't believe any of it had happened despite initiating it. The kiss they'd shared had been cut short, but he felt it linger on his lips throughout the day.

"Gut. Ich auch nicht."

Without giving her a head's up he leaned forward, his hand slipping away from her cheek to grab the back of her head. He pulled Ann towards him, closing the gap between their mouths. The same sensation he'd felt the first time surged through him again. His skin tingled, his stomach equally so, and the only thing he could think of was parting his lips and slip his tongue into her mouth. Ann trembled in his arms as she let him in.

She grabbed hold of the front of his shirt, returning his kiss with the same passion he was pouring into it. When was the last time she'd been kissed like this?

Erik's heart pounded in his chest as he pulled back for a quick second to catch his breath. He opened his eyes and looked down at Ann whose fair cheeks were now tinted with a dark pink hue. Her parted lips were the same pinkish shade and slightly puffy. He moved again to capture them, which rewarded him with a gasp followed by a deep moan. His mouth formed a smile as he kissed her again and again, until eventually they both pulled back at the same time.

"I thought we were going to talk?" Ann breathed heavily.

"Is that what you still want?" Erik countered.

He had followed her into the room with the same intention, which was to talk. But he'd be lying if he said kissing her again hadn't also been on his agenda. Now that the latter had happened more than once, he wasn't so sure anymore that he wanted or needed to talk. Something told him that Ann thought otherwise. He slipped one of his hands down until he reached her lower back.

"Erik,-"

"Ann?"

She groaned as he started drawing circles with his fingers. "You're not making this easy."

"Would it be so bad to give into this moment?" He asked her.

"It would make it more complicated." She said and somehow that caused him to finally stop what he was doing.

Reluctantly he placed both hands on her waist and he looked at her. "Alright, I'm listening. What's on your mind?"

Ann inhaled deeply and let out a slow breath, calming herself down. It had been so long since this had happened to her, it was difficult to not give in to all those feelings and with the way Erik was still holding her it messed with her focus even more.

"A lot is going on at the moment. We mustn't forget why we're here, what we're preparing ourselves for. I don't know about you, Erik, but this was the last thing I expected to happen."

Erik couldn't help but frown. He wasn't exactly sure what she was trying to tell him, but he was going to give it a guess. "Are you afraid that this will somehow interfere with our mission?"

He was sort of on the right track, he could tell by the way she pursed her lips and looked away for a second. Erik tightened his grip on her waist. "Because getting Shaw is my priority. It sounds to me like you understand that?"

"I do." She nodded. "Bringing him down is our main objective. With that in mind, I suggest we take things slow."

"Is that what you meant with 'complicated'?" Erik asked arching one of his eyebrows.

"Yes. It's dangerous to become attached, too attached, with what we're planning to do."

Under normal circumstances, this was the last thing Erik expected to hear. Whenever he got close to a woman, usually with not a lot of intent other than to have a good time, they always wanted more of him. Spend the night. Have another date. A relationship. He'd only kissed Ann once, well more than once now, and here she was telling him to take it slow. He repeated the word she'd used. Attached. It was something he never did either. But then again, they were awfully similar. They knew what loss meant.

"Ann, hör mir bitte zu." He began. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but getting attached is not in my vocabulary. It's no secret that I care for you. I've been for a while,-"

She blinked. "You have?"

"I realised it in Russia. More specifically the last day we were there."

"Oh,-"

A day she'd rather forget, not because of Erik but due to other things. It was the day that Shaw attacked the CIA base and took Angel away from them. The day Charles went inside her head and discovered he was able to talk to the person she was looking through at the time. She still didn't quite understand how that worked, and though she rather not admit that it was an interesting development when it came to her powers, it had hurt her like hell. Enough to keep her trapped in her mind for a long time.

Erik had been there when she woke up, watching over her. Holding her. He'd been incredibly angry, not with her but with Charles. He'd made that quite clear. She started to recall how he'd touched her face back then, held her chin while stroking it with his thumb. She felt pretty stupid now for not reading more into it at the time.

"I'm not good at this, I'll admit." Erik continued. "But I know that I also don't want to stop doing,- well, this." He tugged on her waist and pulled her close.

Ann let out a soft sigh and snaked her hands up around his neck. It felt good to be this close with someone again and at the same time it also was frightening. But it was clear Erik was in the same place as her. Not stopping this but not setting anything in stone either.

"One day at a time then?" She suggested.

"One day at a time." He repeated.

Somewhere around midnight

It had been a long day, filled with all sort of happenings. Training with Raven, kissing Erik, having a fight with Charles, listening to stories, kissing Erik. Ann turned in her bed, trying to sleep but her thoughts were all over the place. Still, she felt much better than when she'd woken up this morning. There was so much to do and she honestly didn't know where to begin. Everyone would be working on their mutation. Strengthening them, discovering new possibilities. Even Raven who was already an expert with her gift, was training herself in some way. Ann wondered what she could do.

Her power had always been the same. Though admittingly it was getting easier to find others and without the help of an object. Was this because she'd been doing it so much these days or had those tricks always been there? She wasn't entirely sure and after today there was also something else she'd discovered she could do, however she wasn't sure how she did it in the first place.

She was searching for Erik today and caught him in midst conversation, she'd jumped from him to Charles. As if she'd snapped her fingers. One minute she was looking through his eyes and the next she was inside Charles's head. Another one of those odd discoveries she'd done since meeting him. When she was in Charles's mind he could sense her. Hear her thoughts and even speak to her without actually reading her mind. But the jumping from one person to another, that was what she was most interested in right now.

Would she be able to do it again?

Ann realised now was not the time to try it, everybody was probably asleep anyway. She knew Erik had gone to bed and she was certain she had heard Raven enter her room a few minutes ago. But there was no harm in trying just once? Maybe Moira was still up, talking to somebody downstairs in one of the living rooms. That would ease her mind. She'd just try it with Moira and if she was asleep then Ann wouldn't try again until tomorrow.

She closed her eyes and thought of the CIA agent. Her face, her brown eyes and auburn hair. What she'd been wearing today and how she'd laughed at the dinner table. Ann felt the familiar pull in her stomach and blinked as her vision adjusted to that of her friend.

The first thing she noticed was that Moira was in one of the smaller studies, sitting on a crème coloured couch. The image moved to a low coffee table on which were two silver aluminium looking bowls filled with the cherries from the kitchen. In the centre stood a bucket with ice and an upside down bottle. Champagne most likely. Moira turned her head to the person next to her. Charles Xavier.

The professor reached for the two coupe glasses filled with a bubbly liquid. He handed one to Moira and clinked his glass against hers.

"Cheers." He mouthed before taking a drink quietly.

Moira followed his example and took two short sips herself. Ann could feel the slightly bitter yet sweet taste in her mouth.

"It is very beautiful, you know." Charles said.

"What?" Moira replied, a happy emotion going through her as Charles spoke.

"The mutated mcr1 gene. Auburn hair? It's a very beautiful, beautiful mutation."

Hadn't she heard this before? Ann remembered Moira telling her that when she first met Charles, he tried to flirt with her by complementing her hair. This was how he flirted? Ann wasn't one to judge, but was it her imagination or did Charles seem a little,- unsure of himself? Yet he did stare at Moira intensely and Ann could feel a shiver running through her friend. Oh, she was definitely enjoying this.

Ann sighed inwardly, not believing her luck that for the second time today she'd managed to barge into a conversation which was, once again, with Charles.

"Mutation,-" Charles started.

"Mutation took us from single celled organisms to the most dominate form of life on the planet." Moira said in his stead.

She felt warm. The champagne no doubt. But Moira did like Charles a lot, didn't she? It was clear what Ann was getting from looking through her friend's eyes. She could feel the interest in the man sitting before her. That low chuckle he just did as Moira finished his sentence. She was smiling broadly.

Oh for heaven's sake, Moira. Just kiss him already. Get it out of your system.

Moira closed her eyes, causing everything to go completely dark for Ann. But she heard and felt what was happening next. A pair of warm lips brushing against another. A tongue pressing softly, begging for entrance which it got. Jolts of what felt like electricity shot through her. Moira let out a groan which echoed in Ann's mind causing a stir inside her stomach. Moira was kissing Charles, and she was right there feeling it, tasting it even. Cherries and bubbles.

This is wrong on so many levels. But good grief did it feel nice...

Suddenly the sweet flavour of the cherries was gone as were the firm lips belonging to Charles. He'd broken the kiss abruptly.

"Charles?" Moira asked with slight concern. "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

The telepath blinked and tilted his head sideways, his stare never wavering. "I'm not sure, love. I know this will sound weird, but would it be alright if I checked your mind for a moment?"

He what? Oh no.

Panic struck her. Charles was already raising two fingers towards his head.

No, no, no, no...

With a loud gasp Ann's eyes shot wide open and she jolted upwards from her bed. She hadn't been in his head, had she? No, she definitely hadn't. He didn't know she'd been there. He couldn't. Her heart pounded rapidly in her chest, she could actually feel it trying to burst out. She clutched a hand to her chest and tried to steady her breathing.

"It's fine. You're alright." She told herself before groaning loudly and burying her head in her hands.

That had not just happened. She had not just looked through Moira's eyes and experienced what it was like to kiss Charles Xavier.

And we're stopping right here.

Charles had his moment, hooray! Okay, so maybe not exactly as you guys would have wanted it to happen, but I figured why not like this?

With that said I do hope you thoroughly enjoyed this chapter.

Would love to hear your thoughts! Have a great day.

German translations (German is not my 1st nor second language, if you see any mistakes please correct them for me!)

Bereust du es? - Do you regret it?

Gut, Ich auch nicht. - Good, me neither.

Hör mir bitte zu. - Please, listen to me.