CATACLYSM || X-Men

21| we can work it out

Westchester, New York, 1973

Seeing Charles in his wheelchair was definitely a weird feeling for Rose. The last time she had seen him in it, he told her he didn't want to be with someone who was so damaged. It was his way of pushing her away, hurting her, though he knew she didn't believe his words. His self destruction was enough for her to explain his words, however deep they cut. She knew they were just words; she'd lived through worse.

    Now, though, as he rolled out of the elevator and towards the door and the scanner, she couldn't help but feel a chill run up her spine.

    "When was the last time you were down here?" Logan asked, noticing the way she shuddered, lifting her hands to rub against her arms.

    "The last time we went looking for students," Hank replied.

    "A lifetime ago," Charles muttered, seeing Rose's discomfort. He moved his hand towards her, and she smiled softly as she dropped it to her side to let him hold her fingers.

    She wasn't expecting him to apologise, maybe change a little. But at the rate they were going, it seemed he just wanted to ignore it. He was slowly opening himself back up; he couldn't ignore how much he wanted her safe, or how much he cared about her. It was just a matter of time, and perhaps a difficult conversation. But he was trying. Wasn't that important?

    As the scanner drifted over Charles's face, the computer chimed. "Welcome, professor."

    They noticed the way Charles winced at the name slightly, but pushed on towards the desk, where he reached out for the helmet, blowing off the dust that had settled. It had been out of use for a long time, and while Rose hoped that wasn't the case, it was evident.

    "Raven's wounded, even if she's been healed so she won't be moving fast," Hank commented.

    "These are muscles I haven't stretched in a long time," Charles breathed, dreading it, but putting the helmet on anyway. Rose hand squeezed his shoulder before, she released him to let him concentrate. The room flooded with white, then red, as Charles's mind reached to mutants and humans alike.

    The voices started getting stronger, louder, more desperate, and Rose could practically see Charles losing control, before the noise became overwhelming, and the board overloaded. His hands raised to take off the helmet, grunting in anger as his fist came down on the table.

    "It's all right. I'll go check the generator," Hank told him.

    "I'll come with you," Rose volunteered as Logan gave her an encouraging nod.

    "He did that, didn't he?" Hank asked once they were out of earshot.

    "Yeah," she sighed, going through their maintenance doors that were only put in to stop students from exploring. Once they reached the generator, they flicked the right switches.

    "You don't think this is going to work?" Hank asked, Rose's hand stopping on one of the last switches, before she dropped her head. Pushing down, she turned off the switch and turned to him.

    "I think the Charles we knew, the professor who wanted to help other mutants? He's buried deep inside that shell of a man in that chair," she finally revealed, Hank having to swallow his words. That wasn't what he'd been expecting. "He started slipping when Raven left, pushed us all away, and I have the utmost respect for you for sticking around. But I can't change someone. You can't do it, unless they've decided they want to change themselves."

    She turned away, putting her hand on the main switch, but Hank's words made her stop before she could turn it back on.

    "He calls for you in his dreams."