Captivity Was Never An Option

[x]

"We are going to need supplies. I will go get them once we land, and meet you wherever we hole up shortly,” Magda said, breaking the silence.

“I will go,” Erik immediately countered. “It is too dangerous to return to the headquarters, or to the school.”

Charles winced slightly at the reminder of the school. Dear God, were his students okay? Was the estate still secure? If an evacuation was needed, did everyone get out in time? Oh, and Hank would be looking for him. Provided Hank was unharmed himself. And he was going to be chasing himself in circles at this rate. He needed to get in contact with his staff as soon as he could.

“We will be landing in a wooded area and not far is a motel where we will spend the night,” Erik continued. “I will then gather what supplies we need for this time. Magda, Charles, you both should rest.”

“As far as I know,” Charles piped up, “Magda’s face has yet to be outed to the public as a threat. Unless you can be certain that no one where we’ll land has access to a decent television set, you may prove far too recognizable to be our safest bet.”

Erik could be wonderful at strategy—he’d beaten Charles plenty of times in chess to prove it—but there were times when Charles sincerely worried for Erik’s lack of foresight. Unless he planned to rob the store in question—and God help him if he did—Erik ran the risk of being recognized. And then where would they be?

“So, either Magda goes on her own or I go with either of you,” Charles insisted.

He couldn’t fool security cameras, but he could fool minds. And a bit of creative placement and some standard avoidance would take care of the cameras. He’d be happiest if none of them left the motel room alone; it was dangerous to be entirely on one’s own. Their captors had been intelligent enough to prepare for his and Erik’s mutation. When Charles’s suggestions wore off, they’d likely work to prepare for Magda’s mutation as well. And really, splitting up was rarely a good idea.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“I will go,” Erik said, and Magda turned her head to look at him. “Magda, Charles, you both should rest.” That wasn't a good plan, her face wasn't known to anyone and she had not been the one who had just been drugged and almost killed. Before she could speak up, and counter him . . . someone else did. Using the same argument she had first used, but with more unlogic at the end. “So, either Magda goes on her own or I go with either of you,” No wonder they were friends. They were both stubborn fools who had to do everything their selves. If one of them went and someone thought they knew the face then it might take them a bit before they connect it--with both of them together it was a dead give away. After all, they both had been there fighting on the telly.

Letting her head fall back to look at the roof (as that was at close to rolling her eyes as she dared to get) Magda spoke, "We will do as Erik has requested." Because she knew that once Erik made his mind there was no changing it. Besides, after being locked away it would have reminded him of the ten years in the last cell. He would be feeling restless. She'd give him half an hour, and if he was not back in that time she would go looking for him. Losing him now would have made everything she'd just done pointless.

As they got to the where they were to land, Magda used her powers to stop the blades from spinning, knowing without speaking that Erik would take over. The trees where tight but they could just squeeze through enough to land. Once they were on the ground, Magda jumped out and looked around. Once these settings had been her home. The rural area, where no one was around. Since embracing her powers, these areas made her feel cut off. Useless.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

Charles spoke of how his face was too recognizable and Erik was already planning on challenging his words, when Magda spoke of how they should do as requested. Well, that certainly made things easier. He looked at her and gave a slight nod, before turning his attention forward as they neared their destination. He held out his hand, taking control of the copter as Magda's powers slowly started to fade away. Magneto started to ease their landing, moving to a spot that would conceal their mode of transportation and that was remote enough to not be found . . . hopefully. Once they landed, Magda got out and Erik did the same. He opened the back doors where Charles was still seated and raised his hand again to carefully move his wheelchair onto the wooded ground. He then moved toward Charles, putting his arm around his neck for support as he helped him into his chair. Whether his friend wanted his help or not, Erik had not asked. He merely went ahead and assisted him, unsure of how strong the after effect of the drugs still were. It was after all part of the reason he did not want Charles to accompany him to gather supplies.

Once they were all out of the helicopter, Magneto closed the doors and tightly wedged them shut so that no one would be able to open it. Even if the aircraft was discovered, it would not be able to be used. He then turned to Magda and Charles, looking at them for a brief moment, before leading the way to the direction of the motel. It was a little bit of a walk, and a heavily wooded area, so Magneto went ahead and continued to use his powers to pull Charles along with them. It was dark out, which made it easier for Magneto to go to a nearby place to gather what they needed. Perhaps he would be less stubborn if it was during the day . . . then again, probably not. "In the event that we were somehow tracked, it would be best that the two of you are together rather than only one of us here." He knew Charles could be just as stubborn as him, so he wanted to further explain his reasoning. Magda had excellent control of her powers, and Charles was obviously one of the most powerful mutants in existence. If they were indeed somehow tracked, then the two of them together would be able to get out before they were apprehended. And Magneto of course was confident that he could avoid the authorities. If he was in an area with metal -- which would be more than likely considering he would be going to a store of sorts -- then he would be able avoid capture. Or well, recapture.

[x]

“We will do as Erik has requested,” Magda said, and Charles raised his hands up in the universal sign of defeat. It was clear to see he’d been outvoted in matters.

Magda and Erik landed the helicopter, careful to conceal it as much as they could. When the helicopter was securely on the ground, both Erik and Magda got out and Charles inhaled deeply as he waited for one of them to open the door. He’d gotten depressingly used to those around him insisting on helping him at every possible turn—it had taken weeks to impress upon Hank and Alex that he hadn’t required or desired assistance with getting in and out of bed each day. And, of course, it was Erik who opened the door, floating the wheelchair to the ground and then hefting him into it. Charles swallowed a noise of indignation—he wasn’t completely invalid, damnit. He only had to put up with it until he could return to his school, and then he could go back to his wonderful world of semi-isolation where he wasn’t being manhandled at every turn. (He’d become rather uncomfortable with prolonged physical contact ever since 1962, and it was something he still didn’t quite know what to make of, over ten years later.)

And so, he sat and stewed in silence as Erik dragged the chair along through the woods. Oh, that traitorous little part of him that longed for the days when he could keep pace with Erik and wasn’t confined to the—no, no, he was not going to follow that line of thought. He’d either get depressed or angry and neither were solid options at the moment. Not to mention the fact that both emotions would only strengthen the desire to drown himself in the nearest source of alcohol. Which wasn’t an option, either, as Hank was finally threatening him with AA if he caught Charles properly drunk ever again.

“In the event that we were somehow tracked, it would be best that the two of you are together rather than only one of us here,” Erik explained as they journeyed on.

Charles stole a glance at Magda. While he had no doubt that she had excellent control over her mutation by now—Erik wasn’t one to suffer fools for very long—they were also located a decent distance from what her mutation affected. If they were tracked, Magda would be the one at the most disadvantage. He took a deep breath.

“Fine,” he relented. “Though, I do have one condition: if you would be so kind as to procure a bottle of ibuprofen, or something similar? Whatever they dosed me with has left me with a wretched headache.”

[Magda Eisenhardt]

As they walked in the woods, Magda paused by a tree and reached out to touch it, before looking up at where it lead to the sky. It had been so very many years since she'd been in the woods, yet it was all coming back to her. How to find her way around, how to find food, and which roots could be found where. The privet moment made her smile to herself before Erik's speaking distracted her, and she pulled her head back in the game. “In the event that we were somehow tracked, it would be best that the two of you are together rather than only one of us here,” That was strong logic, as Charles was still recovering from the drugs. Magda didn't want to be left alone with him, but she could fight, and not just with her powers. If someone came, she'd known they were coming before they even know they were close--as humans relied too much on technology. Cameras. Radios.

Charles spoke of a condition, and Magda refused to look back at him. She had been ignoring since she found them, and had yet to fully break that plan. However, it seemed that she would not be able to ignore them forever, as Erik intended to leave her alone with him. As they kept walking she noticed a small clearing up ahead, and Magda walked toward it slightly quicker, as she knew what she might find there. Sure enough, she did. Picking a handful of the thin weed like plant, with blue flowers all over it, she waited for the boys to catch up before speaking. "Skullcap." She explained to Erik before tossing it to Charles' lap. "Boil it in a tea, and it cures headaches." This had been her life for so many years. Magda turned to keep walking, fighting to hide her smile. Not so useless.

The next bit of walk was quick, and they came out behind a motel. It was small and shady, and Magda wondered how clear they'd find the inside. Still, it was off the main road slightly, and from here she could even pick up the cameras that taped the office, and a store down the street. "One man inside the office, late forties." Turning to Charles and speaking to him this time. "I vote you go in and get us two rooms," Unless he wanted her to do it, as she had the feeling he'd not like her way. "Make sure he forgets our faces."

Then to Erik, "There is a Piggly Wiggly down the road, has two cameras, one facing the cash drawer, and one in the back left of the store, should be easy for you to move them to not see you." Her eyes took in his clothing--the tank top that exposed his arms--and she knew he'd find clothing there too, not just food. Pity, while she hated the humans, she quite liked this look on him. "I can even see a bourbon and scotch on row four." She teased, knowing Erik liked his drink.

[Erik Lehnsherr]

She picked something during their walk and he turned to see what it was. She explained that it was something that had a medicinal purpose, telling Charles to boil it. It caused a slight smile on Erik's lips, though he still intended to pick up what Charles had requested. The sedatives that they had given to Erik were not as strong for they had successfully preyed on his weakness of being in a completely metal void area. As they grew near the hotel, Magda began to explain who was inside, instruct Charles to get them two rooms, and then informed Erik of where to go for the rest of the things. Even making a small tease about getting something to drink. A hint of a smile formed on his lips upon her taking lead on this escape mission. He would need to get food, medicine, clothes, and whatever else they may require to get them through the night. At least he would not have to go too far to get it. That was always a perk. He looked at Charles for a moment, before turning back to Magda. "I will return shortly," he told them confidently.

"If you feel that this location has been compromised and you are in danger, leave." He knew that it may sound like an obvious thing to do, but he felt the need to say it. If not for Charles, then certainly for Magda. These were two people that he cared about, and he knew that Charles would not stay to fight the humans, where as Magda may. Yet, as he had previously thought of, they would be better able to escape if they both worked together rather than allow their difference of views heavily influence their actions. Which always seemed to be the case with Charles and Magda. Erik gave a small nod to Charles, and raised Magda's hand to his lips, kissing the back of it. "Thank you," he said in a low voice. His words of gratitude were for having broken them out and going through the risks she did to do so. With those final words, he turned to leave toward the store to gather what was needed.

[x]

Magda hurried on ahead of them, ripping something out of the ground and waiting for them to catch up. When they did, she tossed the plants onto his lap.

“Skullcap,” she explained as Charles examined the thin weedy plants, noting the blue flowers. “Boil it in tea and it cures headaches.”

He smiled at the hint of who she once was peeking through whatever Erik and life had managed to turn her into. Maybe there was still hope for whatever fledgling friendship they had once had. They continued on until they exited the forest, coming up behind a motel. It looked rather shady, and Charles reached out to feel the minds of those around. No one with overly malicious intentions, but not the most pleasant assortment of minds. He was really going to need the skullcap if he had any hope of sleeping.

“One man inside the office,” Magda told Erik. “Late forties.”

Then she addressed him, “I vote you go in and get us two rooms. Make sure he forgets our faces.”

Charles bit back a sigh. The alternative would likely involved Erik and Magda enacting violence upon the poor father of three who was only taking the shift because the regular for the night shift had a sick relative to care for. A bit of mental manipulation was a small price to pay to keep the poor man whole and healthy. If anything, he could give the man’s family an anonymous gift to make up for it.

“Fine,” he agreed, tucking the skullcap safely away before gripping the rims of the wheels. Magda told Erik about a nearby store, and Charles wanted to give Erik a final plea to not leave a bloody mess in his wake, but it was all too likely that his pleas would fall on deaf ears. As they usually did.

“I will return shortly,” Erik said, that infectiously wonderful confidence of his infusing his words. “If you feel that this location has been compromised and you are in danger, leave.”

He then took Magda’s hand and kissed it, and Charles couldn’t keep himself from sharply inhaling at it. Of course. Of course. He sincerely hoped Erik still decided to get the ibuprofen. And the alcohol Magda had teased him about. Charles was going to need both to make it back to Westchester without doing something he’d regret. And with a decisive shove on his wheels, Charles began making his way to the motel’s front desk, steadfastly ignoring any emotions he was currently having and silently damning the sorry sod who’d dosed him with that wretched drug. Hank was going to need to be extra careful with the alcohol cabinet when Charles returned, because all he wanted at the moment was to get spectacularly drunk and forget that he’d ever been so wonderfully unfortunate as to cross paths with Erik Lehnsherr.

In a fit of bitter irritation, Charles had the father-of-three open the door for him before acquiring the two room keys. Rooms 112 and 113, right next to each other.

"I'm assuming that you'd like the room to yourself?"

Oh God he hoped so.  Anything else would only be far too painful to consider. 

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“I will return shortly,” Erik told her, and Magda gave a short nod to agree. He would be back later, or she'd burn the town down to find him. “If you feel that this location has been compromised and you are in danger, leave.” She didn't like that, and nor did she plan to do it. She'd not leave until she knew he was safe. "You have half and hour, or I come looking for you." Her words sounded almost like a tease, but they were honest. Erik had shown her how to use her powers to make almost anything catch fire, explode, or do her bidding. She'd do what she had to in order to make sure Erik was safe.

Erik took her hand, pulling it to his lips. "Thank you," Magda squeezed his fingers before he walked away, a smile on her lips. Magda had done it for a thank you, she'd done it because Erik was--and had always been--the man she loved. Losing him was not going to happen. She'd die first. Magda didn't look away until he was out of sight, and by that time, Charles was rolling back toward her.

Good, he did it. "I'm assuming that you'd like the room to yourself?" Magda raised her eye brows in a 'you're joking right?' manner, before reaching for one of the keys. Room 112. "This room better have a kind size bed." She quipped out, before walking past him, not looking forward to whatever conversation he tried to invoke. Turning before she could get to the door she looked down at Charles, "I don't need your judging me, so stay out of my head, and keep your judgments to yourself." She was assuming that the reason he reacted to Erik kissing her hand, and then the rooms was because he didn't approve of her being with him--why else would he do it?

Turning she unlocked her door, and pushed it open. The first thing she noticed was a door opened on the side. Walking toward it, she looked in and could see right inside the room beside her's--Charles' rooms. Great. Reaching for the door, she tried to shut it but it was broke. GREAT! There was no way to block him out! Sighing, Magda stood at the door. Not only could she not block him out, she had to wait for Erik to get back--which made her feel restless.

Walking into Charles' room she moved toward the little coffee pot and filled it with water, before using her powers to turn it on. Making his tea would at least give her something to do while she counted down the minutes. Looking at the clock she tried not to sigh again.

[x]

Magda had given Erik half an hour before they’d go looking for him—like hell Charles was going to let her go off on her own—and it was going to be the longest half an hour of Charles’s life. And he’d been through soul-crushingly boring society functions as a child.

“This room better have a king size bed,” she quipped as plucked one of the keys from his hand and strode off to the room in question. She paused before she opened her room down and affixed him with a look. “I don’t need your judging me, so stay out of my head, and keep your judgments to yourself.”

He narrowed his eyes and bit back a cruel retort. Did Erik manage to corrupt every person he crossed paths with? (That wretched little traitor voice in the back of his mind pointed out that Charles would be included in that list.) The shards of whatever had remained of his heart cut him deeper with each breath he took and if he wasn’t careful, he was going to suffer a breakdown the likes of which he hadn’t endured since the closing of his school.

Charles unlocked the door to Room 113 and shoved it opened. The world needed to become handicap accessible; he couldn’t take constantly having the absence of his legs thrown in his face. Hank had down wonders with the mansion once Charles had made the decision to return to the chair and his telepathy, but even he couldn’t make the whole world more wheelchair friendly. Instead, Charles was doomed to spend the rest of his days either being dragged about by a well-meaning metal-bender or struggling just to get through a thrice damned door.

Magda tried to shut the door connecting their rooms—and what sort of half-baked design was that, anyway—but the door remained stubbornly in place. Broken. Fan-fucking-tastic. Really, the cherry on top of a perfect evening. She came into his room—what, no respite for the heartbroken?—and got the coffee pot going.

Charles wasn’t sure if he should bother trying to talk to her or not. Silence itself was near unbearable—years of it had nearly driven him mad—but this, this tense silence, was even worse. And so, Charles swallowed his bitterness and irritation and heartbreak.

“I’m not judging you,” he said, making a point not to look at her. “And I was raised with enough manners to keep from poking around in other’s heads uninvited.”

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“I’m not judging you,” Wait, what? Magda turned to look at him, and tilted her head in an angry gesture. "Not judging me?" Really? "I assume you want this room to yourself," She mocked, making her voice sound almost like his but not quite. "If I wanted a room to myself I would have said get three." She knew she was being defensive, but why else would she have asked for two rooms? If he and Erik shared a room then everyone would assume they were 'different' and they were TRYING to lay low. Besides, Charles was a smart man, by now he would have put together her past and Erik's past.

"I don't want to fight with you, but nor am I going to hide who I am. I did that before. Hid what and who I was. Where did it get me? As a lab rat. I'm done hiding." Where did his peace get him? As the same. They'd have killed him before letting hm go. How did he not see that? That they hated and feared them so much that humans would just rather mutants die so they could live in comfort without freaks around. She wasn't going to die for their comfort.

[x]

“Not judging me?” Magda sounded indignant and Charles bit back a sigh. “I assume you want this room to yourself,” she mocked. “If I wanted a room to myself I would have said get three.”

So she was going to share with Erik then. Of course she was. How stupid of Charles to assume otherwise. He was the outsider in this situation, the third wheel, as unwanted as ever. His chest felt tight and raw, as though the few remaining shard of his heart had torn the interior of his chest cavity to ribbons.

He could feel her mind practically clawing against his and he was getting too weary to keep her out. Charles was so tired of fighting. He was tired of putting himself back together just for something else to come and dash him to pieces once again. It was becoming an exercise in futility; he should just accept that he’d spend the rest of his life broken in basically every way and be done with it.

“I don’t want to fight with you,” she said, and Charles swallowed a bitter laugh at that, “but nor am I going to hide who I am. I did that before: hid what and who I was. Where did it get me? As a lab rat. I’m done hiding.”

She’d ended up on the table, then? Of course she had. When had that happened? How soon had she been taken away after they parted ways?

“And I am terribly sorry for what happened to you,” he responded, leaning forward and cradling his head in his hands. “I’m sorry I didn’t live up to my promise to help you as I could. And I’m extremely sorry that whatever was done to you apparently killed just about every scrap of kindness you once possessed.”

And where had he been when she’d been suffering? Had he been falling head over heels for Erik? Teaching children? Or had he been trying to kill his emotions with alcohol and drugs because he couldn’t take what they were doing to him anymore?

Part of him wanted to be cruel, to recall his own sister’s decision to quit hiding. If Magda was truly done hiding, why did she still bother with clothes? Wasn’t that just another form of hiding? Or did that only apply to female mutants like Raven, whose skin was so obvious different from all others? Had Erik convinced that Azazel chap to run around skyclad as well? Or had that special privilege only been reserved for Raven?

Charles bit his tongue and swallowed his own bitterness. He obviously wasn’t in a proper state of mind yet.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“And I am terribly sorry for what happened to you,” She didn't want his pity. She didn't want his understanding. She didn't want to be here! Hiding like they were cowards. “I’m sorry I didn’t live up to my promise to help you as I could. And I’m extremely sorry that whatever was done to you apparently killed just about every scrap of kindness you once possessed.” That made her take a threatening step forward, though she doubted she would for fill any threat, unspoken or not.

"Do not mistake one shared supper over ten years ago, as knowing me." She had been weak then. Too afraid to leave her home or work. Afraid to reach out to anyone, or trust anyone. Had been alone, and living as if she was shamed of who she was, and what she could do! And now he called her unkind? As if she had not just given him medicines, and pulled him from that death pit in the ground! "I was a shell of who I once was, and I have learned to be whole since then." She'd learned to embrace who she was, and what she could do. The only thing needed for the triumph of evil was the silence of good men--and she would remain silent no longer.

"When I last saw you, you were going to ease us into knowlage. Protect us. Only you underestimated their fear and hate of us. I will not live in fear of them. I should not have too. You should not have too . . . they were going to kill you Charles. Rather then letting you go, they would have slowly killed you. For science. Not even for fear. They had trophy rooms with parts of us in them. I've seen them. I should be kind to them?"

[x]

Magda bristled at his words, taking a threatening step forward. In some ways, perhaps Charles did feel just a bit threatened; he had no idea what this Magda would be capable of. She’d nearly burned him with tea when he’d accidentally spoken her actual name and outed the both of them, but that had been out of fear of what could happen. This Magda, though... She was a far more violent echo of what she once was. (Though, who didn’t become such after meeting Erik Lehnsherr?)

“Do not mistake one shared supper over ten years ago as knowing me,” she snapped. A myriad of derision for who she’d once been slammed against his already weak mental shields, and he winced a bit. “I was a shell of who I once was, and I have learned to be whole since then.”

Whole? She called this whole? This anger, this violence, this willingness to kill first and ask questions later, to justify the means so long as the end was something even semi-tolerable—this was being whole? It all grated against his senses, against the shields he’d been forced to develop just to stay sane, and he hadn’t been whole since October 1962.

“When I last saw you, you were going to ease us into knowledge,” she continued. “Protect us. Only you underestimated their fear and hate of us. I will not live in fear of them. I should not have to. You should not have to.”

The only thing he'd underestimated was Erik's need to have a war to fight.  Yes, there was fear, and a great deal of it the result of everyone lashing out like animals rather than taking a moment to think. Humans, mutants, what did it matter? Both were just as terrified of the unknown, both far too willing to resort to violence to quell so much as a possible threat.

“They were going to kill you, Charles. Rather than letting you go, they would have slowly killed you. For science. Not even for fear. They had trophy rooms with parts of us in them. I’ve seen them. I should be kind to them?”

“There’s quite a bit of difference between being kind and displaying a modicum of forethought,” he snapped, inwardly wincing at how harsh his tone was. “You’re right; we shouldn’t have to live in fear. But you contradict that when you recklessly engage in violent act after violent act! By storming in and raining utter chaos down upon them, you only increase their credibility and their own drives to hunt us down and kill us!”

Charles didn’t know what Magda had done to reach him and Erik, but he was painfully aware of what followed. Senseless slaughter, even if those who stood opposed to them would only carry on in their work. Killing them or even causing them serious injury would only give them more reason to justify their fear and hatred. There was a difference between self-defense and flat-out preemption.

With Magda’s mutation and her apparent mastery of it, she would have been perfectly capable of executing a rescue mission with minimal casualties—if any at all.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“There’s quite a bit of difference between being kind and displaying a modicum of forethought,” Magda knew all too well that was something she lacked, but she dared not even think the words right now. After she had first saw the trophy rooms she had taken her fight to the streets, until Erik had to come pull her out as she had gotten in over her head. Magda had no knowlage of planning, and fighting a war. She only knew what she had been taught as a child. Hate and fear and how to kill many at a time.

“You’re right; we shouldn’t have to live in fear. But you contradict that when you recklessly engage in violent act after violent act! By storming in and raining utter chaos down upon them, you only increase their credibility and their own drives to hunt us down and kill us!” "If you feel that strongly, Charles, then next time I will let them kill you." Was she really hindering it? Was she hunting the cause by giving them a reason to hate mutants? No. No she wasn't! This was the plan. Kill them before they could kill more of us. "The men back there, were not innocents. They were testing on mutants. They picked you because you were stronger, and might survive were the others has failed to do so."

"What would have happened should you have died? Who would they turn to next? The school? What was the name of that girl who held so much potential? Would they have tried her next? I can' tell you. I looked inside their computers. I could see." She hadn't seen names of who to try next, but she'd seen the records of the failed tests.

[x]

“If you feel that strongly, Charles, then next time I will let them kill you,” she shot back. “The men back there were not innocents. They were testing on mutants. They picked you because you were stronger and might survive where the others failed to do so.”

There were parts of his mind where Charles refused to go; locked doors and walled-off sections of his mind he kept well away from more out of self-preservation than anything else. The fear of experimentation was not one with which he was unfamiliar, but it wasn’t enough to frighten him into violence. His early years had been a series of experiments, one right after the other. He’d managed as a child, he could most certainly manage as an adult. His control was far greater than when he was a boy; it would take far more to break him than self-proclaimed scientists were likely capable.

“What would have happened should you have died,” Magda continued. “Who would they turn to next? The school? What was the name of that girl who held so much potential? Would they have tried her next? I can’t tell you.”

He inhaled sharply at the thought of his students ending up experiments. There had been reasons for Brian Xavier and Kurt Marko to keep Charles relatively whole; his students would be afforded no such luxury. He could certainly understand Magda’s point, her fear—but then again, he’d always understood Erik’s need to strike first. In many ways, he sympathized with it. But striking back like a wounded animal would do nothing to ease the situation. Of that, Charles was certain.

“I looked inside their computers,” she added. “I could see.”

“Those are all valid fears and concerns,” Charles replied. “I have many of the same ones, myself. For God’s sake, I run a school full of children younger than I was when my stepfather first took a scalpel to me! My first priority has always been their protection.”

He wanted to get back to the school as quickly as possible. He trusted Hank and his staff to react quickly and effectively to any threat that approached the school, but there was a grain of worry that rubbed him in all the wrong ways. Charles needed to know that his students and staff were safe.

“But we cannot open ourselves up to play the monster our opponents aim to paint us as. We have to be better than they claim we are. For every step of progress I make with congressmen and bureaucrats, Erik’s actions put me three steps back.”

It was like fighting a war he couldn’t win, one Erik wouldn’t give him the opportunity to win. The man needed a war to keep himself focused; he’d been right that night so long ago, in Charles’s study. Peace wasn’t an option for Erik; the man had no idea how to even go about making it an option.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“Those are all valid fears and concerns,” He was going to trivialize it, she was waiting for. There was an unspoken 'but' she was waiting to hear. An axe that would drop. “I have many of the same ones, myself. For God’s sake, I run a school full of children younger than I was when my stepfather first took a scalpel to me!" Magda inhaled sharply, having known of his dark past but not having fully known the details until he gave her this look into it. "My first priority has always been their protection.”

She still blamed his mother. Even though she knew Charles did not. Magda still felt a mother should have protected her son. Brought hell down upon the man who would hurt him, as she would have done for Ania! But Ania was killed before Magda even knew she should be fighting. She would protect them. His students. She would protect them in ways Charles would not. No more children needed to die! No more parents crying over lost babies due to hate. No more living in fear of the humans!

“But we cannot open ourselves up to play the monster our opponents aim to paint us as. We have to be better than they claim we are. For every step of progress I make with congressmen and bureaucrats, Erik’s actions put me three steps back.”

"You would have us crawl, and beg for the chance to live. I waited on you to save us Charles, and you did nothing. You hole up in your school and build your high walls and you do nothing but talk . . . . . . I'm tired." She told him, shaking her head slightly, "I'm so tired of living with fear. Of the nightmares. If everything around me scaring the hell out of me. This is not how we should live. We should be free."

"Erik will take us there. Erik will free us before they turn your high walls into barbed wire, and your class rooms into death chambers. Erik will protect us." And she would do what she could to help him. For the children. To end the fear, and the hate. If someone had to die--and the humans made it clear that someone had to die--then it would not be her and mutants.

Not this time.

[x]

“You would have us crawl,” she shot back, “and beg for the chance to live. I waited on you to save us, Charles, and you did nothing. You hole up in your school and build your high walls and you do nothing but talk.”

That was her mistake, of course; Charles was not some noble savior. No matter how much he wished to be, never mind the fact that he could, if he could find it in him to abuse his powers in all the ways he had sworn he never would. Charles swallowed and rubbed his temples. This was not what he had wanted all those years ago, when he was still young and optimistic and mutants weren’t in danger of premature exposure.

“I’m tired,” she confessed. “I’m so tired of living with fear. Of the nightmares. Of everything around me scaring the hell out of me. This is not how we should live. We should be free.”

Charles agreed, he really did. How many times had he longed for Raven to be able to go out in public blue and proud? How much had he stifled her out of fear that someone would react horribly and she’d suffer the consequences? How many nightmares did he jolt awake from, the terrifying images not his own and belonging instead to one of the students? He wanted to give those children the chance to become confident, to be able to meet the world on their terms and not fear a loss of control.

“Erik will take us there,” Magda continued. “Erik will free us before they turn your high walls into barbed wire and your classrooms into death chambers. Erik will protect us.”

He shook his head. “You talk of how you blindly trusted me, and yet you trust Erik just as blindly.”

Did Erik tell her about the days leading up to his stunt in D.C.? Did he tell her how willing he was to murder a fellow mutant in some half-baked plan to secure their future? Did he tell her about the Sentinels he hijacked, how he commanded them to do what they were made for? Erik was just as capable of the horrible things Magda feared the humans for. Even more so, considering his mutation.

And what of the humans who loved and cherished their mutant relatives? Or the human children who had yet to be taught hatred and fear of mutants? Children who witnessed Erik and his Brotherhood kill and maim and destroy anything that was not mutant—what option would there be for them but fear?

[Erik Lehnsherr]

Magneto had a rather productive outing. He had collected all they needed: medicine, food, and even extra clothing for the three of them -- his of which he already put on, and all else that they had needed. He ensured that he had also done all this in the designated time, knowing full well that Magda would make good on her words. Luckily enough, the small nearby town was fairly abandoned, which allowed him to break into the stores, controlling the metal security systems without any problem. It was actually quite a smooth trip, relieved that something was finally going right, after everything else that had not. He was not sure whether the tensions were still high between Magda and Charles, nor had Erik's own curiosity been satisfied as to how they knew each other from before. But he was not dwelling on that right now. He was focusing on the gathering of necessary supplies and when he was done, went immediately back to the motel room.

Upon arriving, he held a large back in each hand, using his powers to push open the door. There he saw Magda and Charles and without a word, he could feel the tension. Using his powers once again, he closed and locked the door behind him, setting the bags on the dresser. He would have asked what happened, but also knew it could be a rather useless question. He assumed there was a disagreement . . . or perhaps nothing was said at all and they just sat like that for the past half an hour. He reached into the bag and pulled out a bottle of medicine for Charles' head -- as he requested. He then passed him the bottle and a glass of water to help swallow the pills. He reached into the bag once again, and without speaking, pulled out the bundle of clothes, placing it near Charles, and grabbing another bundle for Magda . . . as well as a small plastic container of her favorite fruits: cherries. He put it on the side table near her. The bag had more food in it but he started with that.

Turning to face them, he looked at Charles and Magda, still not bothering to ask what had happened. It posed the risk of restarting whatever debate or disagreement had ensued in his absence. "I have gathered all the necessary supplies. We will leave shortly before first light." Before it was bright out and they would be searched for by the authorities. First stop would be Charles' mansion, the second would be the Brotherhood. "I suggest you both get some rest," he added, since it clearly looked like neither of them had gotten any. If anything, they looked more alert than before.

[Magda Eisenhardt]

“You talk of how you blindly trusted me, and yet you trust Erik just as blindly.” Magda took a step forward towards Charles, but then the door opened and she stopped to turn and look at who entered the room. Not that she had to wonder, only one man she knew could open the door without a key. Erik. Turning back to glare at Charles, she let the silence continue, not wanting to fight about Erik before Erik.

Erik knew where her loyalties were, and that was all that mattered. Charles would pretend other wise but knew the truth of the world now. Had seen it with her own eyes. It was cold, and dark, and a hateful place. Erik came over and set down cherries, leaving Magda feeling lighter, and more at ease. Erik had never told her that he love her, but he made her feel loved and she was alright with that. For now.

"I have gathered all the necessary supplies. We will leave shortly before first light." Not too long away, but still long enough they would have time to rest. "I suggest you both get some rest," Magda looked at Charles, wile she picked up her cherries, "As I have not been the one drugged recently, and as my eyes are wide open, I will take the first watch." It was her subtle rebuttal to his comment. She was not blindly trusting Erik, and just to make her point, she then over at Erik, "Then I shall you." In his bed.

[x]

Magda took a step towards him, an obvious challenge, but stopped short as the door opened. Erik opened the door with his powers, entering with a bag in each hand. If Charles didn’t know better, he’d think the older man had just come back from an ordinary shopping trip. As it were, he was very much aware of the fact that essentially everything Erik had with him was stolen.

One look at the tension between Charles and Magda was enough to tell Erik what had essentially conspired in his absence, but the man was fortunately smart enough to let sleeping dragons lie. With hardly a wave of his hand, he shut and locked the door and just like that, an undeserved sense of security crept through Charles’s tired mind. Erik—in a fit of compassion for which Charles thanked gods he didn’t quite believe in—handed him the requested bottle of painkillers and a glass of water. The telepath murmured a word of thanks before downing the largest dosage his body could handle. Erik also pulled out bundles of clothing and a small jar of cherries. Most obviously for Magda; cherries were the only fruit Charles couldn’t stand.

“I have gathered all the necessary supplies,” Erik said, breaking the otherwise terse silence. "We will leave shortly before first light. I suggest you both get some rest.”

They’d all need a bit of rest if they had any hopes of getting far enough way to resume their ordinary lives. Charles still itched for a telephone, still uncertain about the fate of his students and his school and his telepathy still recovering from whatever he’d been dosed with. A bit of rest and his powers would be back to full strength. Magda shot him a pointed look as she picked up the cherries.

“As I have not been drugged recently, and my eyes are wide open, I will take the first watch,” she said in a matter-of-fact voice, leaving no room for argument. “Then I shall join you,” she added, looking over at Erik.

Charles stiffened a bit and swallowed. It didn’t have the same shock value as it would have had earlier, but that didn’t mean the hurt lessened. Blind trust born out of love and devotion; Charles remembered that all too well. Erik certainly did inspire that in those around him, didn’t he? It certainly was nice to know that it was just Xaviers who fell for his charms.

“Well then,” Charles chimed, trying to keep his voice from revealing the tense bitterness still flooding through him, “I bid you both good night. Wake me when it’s my turn to keep watch.”

And with that, he made his way over to the bed he’d spend the night on and hefted himself out of the chair. It was a great deal more awkward than he could manage at home—the height of the mattress was different—but he still managed quickly enough.