CATACLYSM || X-Men

24| dreams

Westchester, New York, 1975

"Do you think in the other timeline we would have seen the school alive so soon?" Rose asked as she and Charles lay in his bed, having left her room empty for another night.

    "I most likely would have spent a few more years in self pity," he replied, her smile widening as she turned on her side to him. "I'm sorry," he whispered, turning his head to her.

    "I know why," she shrugged her left shoulder that she wasn't using to keep herself faced towards him. "I didn't appreciate it," she admitted, "But I get it."

    "What did I ever do to deserve you," his hand touched her face softly, thumb moving across her cheekbone as she remember all the reasons why, his mind accepting the images without needing to try. "Right," he smiled, making her chuckle again.

    "Is there anyone on the corridor?" she asked, turning to get out of bed, but Charles's hand reached out.

    "Just stay," he whispered, voice soft and so vulnerable that it made her look back at him. "I'm so tired of hiding it."

    "We're not hiding it. It's just not—"

    "Not out in the open, I know," he replied, letting go of her to make her own decision. "Most of them are talking about it."

    "I do spend most nights in your room," she shrugged, pulling her t-shirt back on.

    "Whose fault is that?" he laughed.

    "Yours!" she laughed, getting back onto the bed as Charles pushed himself up to sit and lean against the headboard of his head. "You like taking the piss, don't you," she grinned, sitting on his legs as his hands found her bare thighs, covered only at the top by her underwear and now shorts.

    "Don't be daft, I just like seeing you laugh."

    "That's so cheesy, I don't even know where it came from."

    "One of the kids was talking to Hank," he shrugged, "His thoughts were loud."

    "Ain't that handy," she smiled leaning down to kiss him.

    "You know, your thoughts are particularly loud right now," he mumbled as she pulled away from him, reaching down to her shirt once more.

    "Yeah? You thinking what I'm thinking?"

    "Definitely."

    Only a second later, Charles froze, reaching to pull her shirt back down, and reaching to pull the blanket to cover them both as she understood his movements, sitting back down on the mattress, just in time for the knock on the door.

    "Charles?"

    "It's just Hank," he sighed, giving her a nod to get up. "There was a kid with him."

    Pulling her trousers over her shorts, Rose reached up to tie her hair up, just a moment before she opened the door to their friend. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting, but— You guys have to hear this."

Poughkeepsie, New York, 1975

Rose had winced the moment they reached her threshold for sensing other mutants. Her hands tightened on the steering wheel, with even Charles understanding why her response was so strong.

    "I've never felt anything like that before," she told him, making the turn.

    "I can't say I have either."

    When they arrived at the hospital, the feeling only got more intense. Helping him out of the car, Rose lead the way for Charles, keeping all the doors open for him to pass through, until they reached the room of the man who had called the school.