X-men: World of Gray

Chapter 39

Back from the holiday weekend--hope everyone ate lots of good food and gained some extra pounds...so I won't be the only one.  :)

Chapter 39…

Charles watched her. On the other bed, Moira rested with a hand under her pillow, her damp hair spilled across her face and neck. She snored a little—a tiny hum that escaped every few minutes. He let her stay that way for a couple hours, granting her a chance to regain some of the sleep she'd lost during the last few days. But a part of it was for him. After that morning, he'd probably never see Moira again.

It was close to six by the time Charles decided he needed to finish this. He'd considered just erasing the woman's mind like he had before, making certain this time those memories stayed lost. But she didn't want that. She'd rather confront all the calamity before her and learn to deal with it than live in blissful ignorance.

Fixing his fingers to his temple, Charles gave the silent command and with it, Moira roused. Stretching her arms, she squinted her face before those deep brown eyes finally opened. As they found him, all the grogginess cleared away.

"Charles?" she said as she saw him sitting in bed, the nightstand's lamp giving off a mild amber glow.

A million thoughts stormed his mind, all scattered about and making it near impossible to see straight. His heart was racing. Nonetheless, he faced her, making sure to keep his visage as impassive as a brick wall.

"I've made some calls," he said, "and secured flights this afternoon for the both of us. One to New York…and one back to Washington."

Moira sat up. "What are you talking about?"

"This is what we're going to do," he continued. "We'll get up, get something to eat and then spend the morning driving around as we've been doing. We will continue searching for Hank, Alex and Sean, but if we don't find them by noon, then that's the end of it. We head to the airport."

"What about Erik?"

"This isn't working," Charles went on. "We can't continue aimlessly wandering across California in hopes I might happen upon Hank and the others. At some point, they will either call or come home, and I can be there, waiting for them."

"And…me?"

Charles tried to hold that deadpan face, but as Moira waited nervously for his response, he caved. "I'm sorry," he told her. "For all of this. You never should have gotten involved."

She grimaced like he'd just insulted her.

"Go back home, Moira," he continued anyway. "Go back to Washington—back to the CIA—and just…forget about us. It'll be best for all involved."

"Yeah, well—that might be a little difficult, Charles."

"I'm sure you'll manage."

"I quit the CIA."

All the words in Charles' throat dissolved away. He furrowed his brow.

Clearly spotting the confusion on his face, Moira shrugged. "It happened a few weeks ago. I read Stryker's report from Cuba…and quit the next day."

Blinking like he had something in his eyes, Charles replied, "But—but why?"

"Oh, I don't know—because they tried to kill us?"

A pang of frustration burrowed its way into Charles' gut. Suddenly, all the certainty he'd been clinging to for the last two hours just got shoved into the dirt.

"I—I didn't want you to do that," he said. "It's one of the main reasons I erased your memories in the first place."

"Well, maybe you shouldn't just fling those powers of yours around like a magic wand. Not everything can be erased away, Charles."