CATACLYSM || X-Men

20| hooked on a feeling

Paris, France, 1973

Stitched up, and much better, thanks to Rose's healing, Raven spotted Erik. She ignored the girl's wishes, needing answers the other hadn't volunteered. Her hands reached out, dragging Erik into the phone box with her.

    "If I see so much as a screw move, I will jam this into your throat," she threatened, holding a small knife.

    "How did you find me?" Erik asked.

    "You taught me well."

    "It's been a long time since we were this close," he almost breathed, "I missed you."

    Attempting not to roll her eyes, Raven tightened her hold on the knife, "You tried to kill Rose and I."

    "So the rest of us could live."

    "What do you mean?" Raven asked, a little shocked that Rose hadn't mentioned it.

    "We received a message from the future."

    "Don't lie to me," Raven pressed the knife into his skin a little further.

    "I never have and I never will. Humans use your blood, your and Rose's genes to create a weapon that wipes us all out. I was only doing what I thought necessary to secure our future," he replied, keeping their eyes contact.

    "So what's to stop me from killing you right now and securing my future?" she glared.

    "Nothing. It doesn't matter anymore, they have your DNA. Your blood was on the street," Erik told her, making Raven sigh as she took the knife off.

    "Well whose fault was that?"

    "Mine. I've seen their plans. They're creating a weapon and now they have what they need to take it further. We have to strike now, while we still hold the upper hand."

    "I've seen too many friends die, Erik. I don't want a war. I only want the man who murdered them," she pulled back, upset by his words, as well as what she's seen.

    "This is war. What happened to you? Did you lose your way while I was gone? Are you still Charles's Raven, or are you Mystique?" he asked, voice lowering in something he thought was anger, masking his fear about their uncertain future.

    "Trask is the enemy," Mystique confirmed, but it wasn't enough for him.

    "Killing one man isn't enough!"

    "It never was for you," she shook her head, remembering Rose's words to her, all those years ago. She'd been right. "Goodbye, Erik."

Paris, France, 1973

"Hank!"

    He looked up from helping Rose walk, her hood drawn up and in her face, a stolen pair of glasses and handkerchief on her face, to hide as much as possible. Lifting his hand, Hank signalled to Logan, who dragged Charles over.

    "What happened?" he asked, taking Rose from him.

    "Some dickhead shot me, I don't know," Rose replied, reaching down, and once again pushing her finger into her wound. "Fuck, why does this not get easier?" she whined, pulling out the bullet that had only just hit her.

    "Why aren't you healing?" Charles asked, confused to see her wounded.

    "I stopped using my powers for years, until the Pentagon," she told him, hand on her leg before it healed up, and she stopped relying on Logan to walk. "When I don't absorb, things slow down a little," she added, thanking Logan before they kept walking.

    "Are you all right?" he asked.

    "For someone who has been shot twice in one day, one by someone who is practically my brother, yeah! I'm dandy."

Westchester, New York, 1973

By the time they arrived back 'home', Charles was the one struggling, falling down once they made it onto the stairs. Having seen it happen before, Hank and Rose immediately reached out to hold him up, while Logan watched in confusion. They lowered him to the side, Hank rushing off to get the serum.

    "Why can't he walk?" Logan asked as Rose took Charles's hand to take his pain.

    "He needs the treatment," she replied, Charles groaning in pain. "Hey, shh, I know, I know," she whispered, stroking his hand.

    "Hey, hey, pull yourself together, it's not over yet," Logan told him.

    "You don't believed that," Charles replied, looking up at him and hearing his thoughts.

    "How do you know?"

    "As these go," he pointed to his legs while Rose fell back, feeling drained from taking his pain, "This comes back," he pointed to his head. "They all come back," he stressed, Rose's hand squeezing his. She could practically feel his pain, the one that wasn't physical, and so she couldn't take it away.

    "You're doing great," she tried, but his stare made her sigh.

    "You don't know—"

    "And I never will and I suppose that's my own damn fault!" she snapped at him, her sudden explosion taking all three of them by surprise. She let out a sigh, shaking her head before she looked back to him. "Look, Logan is still here, meaning we haven't put this right yet. She's still out there, and she hasn't changed her mind. She's going to find him and kill him."

    "We need your help, Charles," Logan joined, making the telepath look up at him. "Even Rose can't find him unless they within a certain distance. You're the only one, but not like this," he gestured to Charles's legs, "Not without your powers."

    Hank arrived in that moment, Charles's immediately reaching for the injection once he tied on the rubber band. "I added a little extra because you missed a dose," Hank told him, but Rose's hand on his arm made Charles hesitate, staring at the tip of the needle and his vein, so close.

    "Charles," she whispered, making him look to her. He didn't know if it was the pain on her face, or the dread on logan's behind her that made him do it, but the syringe clattered to the ground. Rose's hand tightened on his arm, her other coming up to untie the band, their skin brushing. He closed his eyes, leaning it back, wanting the moment to last for just an extra few seconds before he spoke up again.

    "Hank, do me a favour," he opened his eyes to look at his friend. "Would you help me to my study please?"

    Hank's eyes drifted to Rose, as if the two were communicating, and Charles could hear as they agreed. He could practically hear the hope in both of their minds.

    "All right."

    Leaning on the study's table, Charles watched as Hank opened the door to the closet where he'd stashed the reminder of Cuba, Rose holding him up on his other side.

    "Are you sure about this?" she asked quietly, making him look up at her.

    "Absolutely not."