Charlotte Xavier - A Thousand Years

Arguments

"A warning to the prophet, the liar, the honest
This is war.
To the leader, the pariah, the victim, the messiah
This is war."

~ "This is War", 30 Seconds to Mars

... ...

If someone asked Erik who he hated most in the world, for many years Erik Lehnsherr would have said Sebastian Shaw. Even after the man was dead, Erik's hatred remained because, though his search for Shaw may have led him to find Charlotte, it was Shaw who initiated the division between them as well.

Until recently, however.

Erik was surprised at himself, at the boiling pit of hatred he felt whenever Stryker came to mind. Stryker, who had a brainwashing serum that overpowered Erik's control and his loyalty to mutants—to Charlotte, even—and made the secrets spill forth.

Erik was in the middle of The Once and Future King when he heard the guard approaching. He took a steadying breath, knowing what was next. "Mr. Laurio, how long can we keep this up?"

"How long is your sentence?" The guard replied, closing the book for him.

The word was bitter in Erik's mouth. "Forever."

"Not necessarily forever, Mr. Lehnsherr." Came Stryker's loathed voice as he strode into the room. "Just until I've got all that I need."

That was one thing Erik disliked about Stryker. He was insistent upon using his real name instead of calling him Magneto like everyone else. Erik hated that. It seemed to him that Erik Lehnsherr died many years ago and only Charlotte could resurrect that side of him again. Only Charlotte could he tolerate calling him Erik Lehnsherr. From anyone else's mouth...

"Mr. Stryker." Erik greeted coldly. "How kind of you to visit. Are you here to make sure the taxpayer's dollars are making me comfortable?"

Instead of replying, Stryker pulled the tell-tale serum from his pocket and the guard slammed Erik down to the desk by his neck, pulling his collar back. He struggled, but he was old and not as strong as he once was. Against the guard, he felt even weaker.

The serum burned into the skin of Erik's neck. By now, he was certain it had left a scar: another scar from another tyrant.

Erik's muscles went nearly limp.

"You can go." Stryker told the guard and pulled Erik back in his chair. "Mr. Lehnsherr, I'd like to have one final talk about the house that Xavier built and the machine called Cerebro."

Erik had never realized how many of Charlotte's secrets he knew, how many things he knew that could be used to destroy her, until Stryker had stolen them all.

Erik wished the serum would kill him; that would be better than this.

...

"I need you to watch over the children tonight, Logan." Charlotte told him. It wasn't a question. "Scott and I are going to visit an old friend."

Logan laughed. "You want me to be your babysitter?"

"Think of it more as...extra security while I'm gone." Charlotte replied with an amused twitch of her lips. "Not being a nanny and tucking them in. Just watching over the mansion to be sure the students are safe."

...

"I've got her from here." the guard offered to a reluctant Scott. He allowed him to take charge of the Charlotte's wheelchair.

Charlotte was patient as they scanned her first for metal and finally wheeled her into the prison. It was old hat now because of how often she's visited. She'd made a point to visit every Friday for a talk and the possibility of chess. But it was a Tuesday.