X-Men First Class: The Fox's War

Chapter 19: Restart.

Seeing her like this bothered Charles. He didn't like watching her tire just from being in bed. He wanted to watch her play out in the garden, hunting birds and squirrels.

"Are you alright?" He asked, leaning forward to touch Symphony's arm.

Symphony sighed and give him a small smile, keeping her eyes shut. "Mattresses don't have much in the way of back support when it comes to sitting upright on them." She chuckled wryly.

Charles frowned. "Perhaps we should wait to play Chess, so you can get some rest."

Symphony shook her head. "I want to play. I'm tired of just laying here."

Charles was about to protest when Hank knocked on the doorframe, poking his head in.

"Symphony should rest now. It's almost time for supper, and I could use your help in the lab Charles." He suggested, knowing full well that Symphony would protest.

Charles nodded, but Symphony propped herself up on her elbows and glared gently at Hank.

"Can't I come up to the lab and sit and watch?" She asked with a sigh.

Hank shook his head. "We can't risk it. You need to stay put." He reprimanded.

Charles watched Symphony with mild regret, as Symphony sighed and laid back down frustratedly.

"Well then both of you get to work. I want out of bed." She groaned, turning onto her side away from them.

Hank nodded, and Charles reluctantly wheeled out of the room, putting the board aside. "I'll be back, I promise." He whispered before he left, receiving a tired wave from Symphony.

Once they were a ways down the hall, Charles turned to Hank. "What is it Hank?" He asked, knowing something was wrong.

Hank sighed. "I don't know how long it'll take to find what's wrong, if I manage to find it at all before it's too late. It's like with the serum. I need to study her DNA, her blood, everything, all over again. I'm basically restarting all the work I already did." He told Charles tiredly.

Charles frowned and wheeled into the elevator to head down to the lab. "This time I'm going to help you though. Maybe we'll go faster." He decided, making Hank smile a little.

"We'll restart together." Hank agreed as the elevator doors closed.

*****

Symphony laid sleeping quietly, dreaming of what was going to be in the future.

A man with a skin of blue with great power, a teleporter, another telepath, one of Havoc's brothers, and a woman with white hair... And four children Symphony felt a connection to.

Charles was there too, but without hair.

It was happening again, and Symphony couldn't wake herself.

Charles! She cried out with her mind.

Charles quickly came wheeling into the now dark and chilly room, reaching for his alarmed wife as she lay clammy on top of the sheets.

"Hank close the window and turn on a light." Charles commanded as Hank followed shortly behind him. "Oh Symphony..." He sighed, feeling Symphony's skin burning beneath his hand.

Symphony, I'm here, I'm right here. He communicated to her.

Symphony reached out with her mind, focusing on Charles' voice, trusting him to help pull her out of the horrible vision she was having.

Charles embraced Symphony's focus, carefully guiding her to a quiet corner of their minds, so that she could calm down.

Hank on the other hand, was busying himself taking Symphony's temperature, and dealing with the medical side of the situation.

"She's burning up Charles." Hank stated, looking up at Charles.

Charles frowned. "Not unlike when Erik and I found her." He remembered. "It seems so long ago now."

Hank nodded. "I think we should move her to the lab so we can monitor her more closely." He suggested carefully, looking down at Symphony as she stirred. "This may just turn out to be a flu, but we should make sure that she's perfectly fine just in case." He told Charles.

Charles nodded in agreement. "Let's get her down there and hooked up then." He answered quietly.

Hank carefully picked up Symphony, making sure he didn't hurt her as he carried her out of the room, Charles following close behind.

"This will work." Hank reassured him. "We will find a way to help her Charles, I promise."

Charles just sat there quietly, focusing on helping Symphony mentally.

Find something that calms you. Charles whispered mentally.

Symphony reached out again in her mind. Something is wrong Charles... I can sense it in your mind as you speak to me. She conferred.

We're just worried about you Symph... Please focus... Charles answered hopefully.

Symphony did as she was told, and kept her mind focused on all her favourite memories, of spending time with Charles, using them to calm her mind.

Charles kept mental watch, and smiled as he saw her memories flash by, following a similar pattern as what he himself used to calm his own mind.