Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

Part Seven

***

Charles never felt so exhausted in his life.

Erik was resting, finally.  He had made sure the pillows were fluffed and there were enough to keep the older man sitting up, yet comfortable enough to sleep.  The oxygen mask was resting against his chest at the moment, in case it was needed.

Erik’s breathing was labored, but at the moment calm.

Charles sighed as he moved off the bed, and made his way to the en-suite bathroom.  He looked at the mirror, and cringed.  He looked like he had aged ten years in the past week, with the rate things were going he would be bald by the time he was forty.

He splashed some water on his face, took a few more calming breathes of his own, before making his way back into the bedroom.

Hank was standing just inside the bedroom door.

Charles gave him a warm smile, as he made his way to the dropped bags.

Seeing Erik in so much pain seconds after leaving the hospital had terrified him.  Realizing why he was pissed and hurting, had angered him.  He knew that coming back to New York, and dealing with everyone wasn’t going to be easy.  But he hadn’t figured it would explode seconds they returned, he had hoped for a few hours at least.

“How’s he doing?”  Hank asked voice soft and low.

“Asleep.”  Charles glanced back at Erik, he couldn’t help the small smile.  “They gave him a sedative before he was discharged, lucky it’s kicking in now.  He’ll need food, meds, and probably another shot in a few hours.”

He dug through the duffle bag and pulled out the bag of medications and wad of instructions and handed them over to Hank.  “We’ll need to get some of these prescriptions refilled.”  Charles paused.  “Any means necessary.”

One of Hank’s eyebrows shot up, but he didn’t say anything.  He continued reading the chart and paperwork.  “He’s got metal in his chest?”  He looked up shocked, eyes wide.  “That’s not going to end well.”

“Nope.”  He agreed humorlessly.  “When he uses his powers it pulls on the staples and wire.”

“Yeah so seeing the person who shot you five seconds into recovery didn’t go well.”  Hank kept looking through paperwork.  “We’ve got some nice areas in the garden that would help with the exercises.  Doubt he’ll be up to his five mile morning runs, but a walk to the balcony could be good.”

“Give me the rundown of what’s going on.” Charles sat down on one of the chairs, waving a hand at Hank.  “Don’t sugar coat it.”

Hank dropped his hands and looked at his friend.  “What bad news would you like first?”

“The one that won’t make me screech.”  He sighed falling further into the chair exhausted.

“Well everyone knows you two are lovers.”  Hank shrugged, figured that was the less troublesome.  “Alex’s taking to calling you two mom and dad.”

Charles’ snorted. “I’m going to take a while guess here, and say I’m mom.”

Hank didn’t have to answer that question.  “Raven is livid I’m not quite sure exactly what’s pissing her off, but I’m guessing all of the above.”

Charles didn’t want to know what A through D were exactly, but he was sure he was going to find out in about an hour.

Unless he could hide in Erik’s room for the next ten years.

“Everyone’s leery of Angel, which is understandable.  Azazael has seemed to settle, but isn’t here often.  Janus stays close to Angel, but I have to admit he’s helped out around here, including going for food and doing odd things.  He seems to try to fit in, yet not.”

He waved his hand for Hank to continue when he paused, he knew what was coming next.

“Moira isn’t happy.  She’s feeling part prisoner other part warden.  Alex and Sean have been cool towards her, but nothing outright.  I’m not sure what to do about any of it truthfully.”

“And you?”  He asked gazing intently at his friend.  The fact Hank was still with fur, meant he was working something out for himself or at least hadn’t had time to figure out how to get the ‘beast’ back under control.

“I’m not sure.”  Hank shrugged.  “We did what we set out to do.  Shaw’s dead.  I’m not sure how, nor do I really want to know.  We’ve stopped World War Three, but the US and Russia are eyeing each other like two rabid dogs.  Cuba is caught in the middle, and well it’s like nothing happened yet everything has changed.  As for Erik, it wasn’t until I just saw him that made me realize how bad that moment was.  He took a bullet for you, so I’m grateful, but he wouldn’t have been shot if he hadn’t taken control of the missiles, but if he hadn’t we and Cuba would be ash.”

“That is a good recap of this fuck up.”

“Did he intend to kill those soldiers?”  He asked quietly, glancing at the bed.

“No.”  Charles sat up, resting his head on his hands.  “I saw it in his mind, oh he wanted to, but also knew not to … saying a soldier was just doing his duty doesn’t work on him considering his past, but he also knew most those soldiers didn’t have a choice in what was going on.  In the end I think he wanted to make a point.”

If the damn helmet hadn’t been on, he would’ve have been able to sense what Erik was up to.

<<You should’ve trusted me.>>

Charles looked over at the bed to see that Erik was awake, and probably had been through most of the conversation.

<<You should’ve trusted me!  You didn’t the moment you put on that helmet!>>

Erik sighed, shifting slightly on the bed.

<<Don’t you dare move and pull on your incision you asshole.>>

He snorted.

<<I didn’t want you stopping me from killing Shaw, and you know you would have if you could, no matter the high ground you take when using your power.>>

Charles’ eyes narrowed.  <<It was always your decision.>>

<<Cute you think that.>> He was fully awake, staring directly at Charles.  <<That decision was taken from me the moment he shot my mother.>>

<<You could’ve been the better man.>>  He argued getting annoyed with himself for having this argument when Erik should be resting.

<<But I’m not.  That’s what you don’t get Charles.  I’m not.>>

“You are!”  He stood up, stalking over to the bed and then onto it.  “You are and will always be better than Shaw.  You are not the monster you think you are.”

“I think Hank there would disagree with you.”  He motioned towards the other mutant.

Charles glanced behind him, to see Hank looking between them.  His blue paw moved up to scratch at the back of his neck.  “I think we are all monsters in our own minds.”

Both blinked at the younger mutant.  “You’re not a monster, Hank.”  Charles shifted to move to his friend.

“I’m not?”  He looked down at his body to see a ‘Beast’.

“No.”  Erik added his voice in with Charles.  “I know a monster when I see one, and you Hank are far from it.  Annoying, yes.  But to geeky to be one.”

Charles glared at him, only to focus back on Hank who was snickering.  “You don’t even like me.”

“No Hank, I don’t like that you don’t like your mutation.”  Erik shrugged only to cringe in pain.  “I thought the feet were odd, but useful. Still better than the humans.  Now you’re amazing, and you hate yourself.”

Hank growled. “Don’t make me like you.”

Erik laughed, which led to coughing.  Charles moved next to him, supporting him as he worked to breathe, in the end Hank moved and shoved the oxygen mask over his mouth.

Hank ignored both of them, as he checked Erik’s pulse, not happy that it was high.  “You need to rest, and no arguing internally or externally.”  He gave a small glare at Charles.  “You want to stay in here with him?  I can get your stuff from your room.”

Charles nodded, it would pointless to act like he was going to stay in his own room.  “There’s a list of dietary needs, make sure someone gets groceries.”  He paused glancing at Erik, he could feel him falling back to sleep.  “The food needs to be Kosher.”

“I’ll send Janus, he’s been really good about shopping.”  Hank nodded again, and then moved for the door.  “He’s not really a monster.”

“I know.”

“I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’m okay with him killing Shaw.”  Hank looked down, not wanting to see Charles disapproval.  “I couldn’t think of any way to keep him alive without him hurting others.  That and he stole Angel and killed Darwin.”

“She made her own decision.”  Charles pointed out, and that was yet another thing he had to deal with.

“Yeah, but we all make mistakes.”  He glanced at Erik, gave Charles a shrug then left the room.

“When did our kids grow up?”  Charles wondered out loud.

“They’re your kids, Charles.”  Erik pulled the mask down, giving him a look.

“Oh no, darling.  You helped me find them, they’re ours.”  He put the mask back on him, then shifted until he was sitting against the headboard, and pulled Erik close.  Only after a moment of hesitation, Erik relaxed and rested his head on Charles’ shoulder, drifting back to sleep.

Note: So who’s shocked there is already a sequel bunny running around for this??

***

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

Part Six

***

Hank wasn’t sure exactly when Azazael would show up with Erik.  He had his room prepped, with an oxygen tank, blood pressure kit, an IV Drip line if needed, and stacks of bandages.  He wasn’t a medical doctor, but over the past week he had read everything he could get his hands on about chest surgery, what type of medications, pain killers, and after treatment.

He wasn’t sure what his feelings were on the whole thing.  They all had seen what had gone down on the beach, but no one knew what Erik was truly thinking, not even Charles.

Raven had been … still was … pissed at Charles.  Hank wasn’t sure if it was because he saved Erik or didn’t back him.

Alex and Sean were keeping their own counsel on the event.

Hank wasn’t sure why they were all in Erik’s room, he had asked Alex for help in case he needed some, which led to all of them being there.

He was pretty sure this wasn’t going to end well.

“A teammate who was willing to kill hundreds of innocent humans!”  Raven argued with Alex who was adamant that they all calm the fuck down, and be there for their teammate as he recovered.

“A teammate who stopped those innocent humans from killing us.”  He shrugged, not backing down.  “Hey I’m not saying he was right, I’m just pointing out he took a bullet to the chest to save Charles.  So give the man some slack.”

“He was ready to keep going with Shaw’s destruction.”  Moira entered the argument, which hadn’t really helped the situation.

Hank wasn’t even sure why she was in the room, seeing her was not going to help Erik … hell it was likely going to set him off, and if Charles wasn’t with them in the first pass that was going to be bad.

He wasn’t paid enough for this.
Wait he wasn’t even getting paid.

“Yet Shaw’s dead.”  Sean stood by Alex, backing his friend.  “Wasn’t that your goal?  Besides that bullet was yours.”

“Someone had to stop him!”  She glared at them, hands on her hips.

“Shooting metal bullets at a man who pulled a submarine out of the water.”  Janus spoke up from his seat on the couch, giving them all a look.  “Yeah that works.”

“Why are you even here?” She snapped at him.  “You were one of the enemy.”

“The enemy is the humans.”  He stood glaring at her.  “I might add they were willing to kill you, collateral damage and all.”

“Enough!”  Hank rubbed his forehead, growling slightly.  “At this moment we’ve gone over this a hundred times, and the answer is still the same.  Erik is recovering from a gunshot wound, and Charles is going to skin all of us with his mind if we don’t at least act civilized.”

“Well you know how mom gets about dad.”  Sean snorted shoving into Alex, who chucked.

“What?”  Raven glanced at the two snickering boys.

Alex laughed, only to frown.  “Oh come on.  They are so a married couple.”  He glanced over to see Moira’s horrified expression.  “So what you don’t like queers.  Yet you want to preach at us about how humans will accept mutants.  Who gives a flying shit their fucking.  Charles keeps Erik calm.”

“Charles isn’t fucking Erik!”  Raven yelled, blinking at the two of them.

“She’s kidding right?”  Sean glanced at Alex, who shrugged and they both looked at Hank, who held his hands up begging them not to get him involved.  “Charles has been by his side for days, like a concerned spouse.”

“Charles would do that for any of us!” She argued.

“Not hold our hands.”  Alex pointed out, with a smirk.  “Erik is the disciplinary, hard edge dad.  Charles is the sensitive we can sneak extra sweets from mom.  They work together.  They make us work together.  If we didn’t have them, we wouldn’t be here.  So if Erik found peace in Charles’ arms I’m not going to let anyone fuck that up.”  He stepped closer to Raven.  “I don’t really care if you’re his sister.”

“Charles flirts with women.” She stepped forward accepting the challenge.

“Oh please I know Charles darkest desire.”  Angel rolled her eyes, staring at the group.

She would admit it has been awkward as hell since Cuba, but she had nowhere else to go.  At this moment they all were just a ragtag bunch of misfits waiting for mom and dad to get home.

“Believe me it’s not cute miss CIA agent over here.  He likes them tall, ginger and in fishnet stockings.  And have you seen Erik’s package – woman I would pay to ride that big boy.  Charles’ is a lucky man.”

Sean snorted, giggling desperately against Alex, before he turned serious.  “Besides, he turned you down!”  He gave Raven an all knowing look.  He had seen her storm out of Erik’s room the night before Cuba, that wasn’t a woman who got laid, but one who got tossed out.  “Where do you think he spent the rest of that night?”

Hank glanced at Raven.

Alex shook his head, cringing at Sean’s bluntness.  “Awkward.”

“It’s like living a soap opera.”  Janos shook his head, watching the children argue.  “I’m so going to have to tell Azazael…”

“… to suck!”  Erik’s voice rang through the room, when the two landed.  He cringed in pain, falling against the taller mutant.

Azazel gripped him closer, looking over at Hank.  “Bed now.”

“Let’s move him…” Hank moved past Azazeal, taking Erik’s arm grateful that the mutant wasn’t fighting him.

He wasn’t sure what he expected, but what he saw wasn’t it.

Erik had lost weight, a lot of weight and he hadn’t had much to spare.  The pajama bottoms hung on his narrow hips, and the button down shirt, showed parts of the red ugly line down his chest.  His face was pale with dark circles under the eyes, and his body was shaking uncontrollably.   He was a man who was barely standing after being at death’s door only a week ago.

“I got him.”  Hank’s voice was soft as he used his new strength to help Erik to the bed.

The room began to shake.

Everyone looked around, hands reaching out, only to realize it wasn’t the room, but every piece of metal in it.

They looked at Erik’s who dark pained filled gaze was staring at Moira.  A lamp shifted, along with pens, a tray and a small knife was yanked out of Janus’ boot.

Alex stepped in front of him, hands up. “You need to calm down, dad.”

In less than a blink, Charles stood between Erik and everyone else.

All the bags he was carried fell to the ground, he stepped forward, cupping Erik’s cheek.  <<I need you to calm down.>>

<<She’s here!  The woman shot at you and has the audacity to be here!>>

Charles choked back his own emotions, as he laid a hand on Erik’s chest.  <<Darling you’re hurting yourself…please.>>

Erik cried out from the pain in his chest as the metal staples and wires pulled.  He gasped, and everything fell to the floor, as he sagged against Hank.

“Everyone out!”  Charles’ snarled, not even looking at the occupants.  “Hank help me get him into bed.”

Hank nodded, ignoring the tears he saw running down Erik’s cheeks, as he gasped for air.  Charles without thinking kicked off his shoes and moved into the bed with Erik, holding him close, soothing him as they worked to get his breathing under control.

He backed out of the room, followed closely by Azazael.   He would give them a few moments, and then talk to Charles about Erik’s care, but right now he figured they all needed to calm down.

He closed the door and looked at the group.  They were all staring at him, waiting for something he wasn’t sure what.  With a smirk, he looked at them and said the only thing he could think of. “Mom’s getting dad to calm down, once we’re sure he won’t kill anyone with a pen we’ll set up a time for the kids to visit.”

Alex snorted, choking on his laughter that sounded a bit like a sob.  Sean crossed himself, sending up prayers for both of them, wondering if there was a Patron Saint of Mutants.  Raven rolled her eyes, but sagged in a relief.  Angel nodded, walking away with Janus who gave a head tilt to Azazael who nodded in return.

Hank noticed instantly that Moira wasn’t there.

He sighed as his own thoughts churned.  He had no idea what the next step was, but he knew he was going to stick around to find out.  Though a part of him felt as if they missed the proverbial bullet … with his own humorless snort he couldn’t help think – because it hit Erik instead.

 

Note: There maybe at times, inconsistencies with previous parts – this would be because I’m writing this as I go … and then edit and adjust things down the road.  Once it’s done, edited and reposted all of it will come together.

***

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

Part Five

***

“Erik No!”

Charles had only stepped outside the room, for thirty minutes.

The Head Nurse had assured him, that she would make sure Erik was ready to leave.  She adored Erik, and had practically adopted him these last few days.  She was always gentle with him, helped him sit up, showed him how to hold his chest while he coughed.  Had talked him through his breathing fits.

And after the one time she talked him out of a nightmare, ignoring the shaking metal railings. He had been tempted to kidnap her.

Charles had gone to the Administration Offices, to make sure he had everything they needed for Erik to be discharged, and pay his bill.  He had discovered that despite everything that was being said about Cuba, their health system was slowly developing into one much like the one he had seen while at Oxford.

Instead of a bill, he had been handed over a packet of material for Erik’s rehabilitation:  restrictions, breathing exercises, physical therapy, medications, treatment for the surgical incision, and a half dozen other important documents.

After picking up a bag full of medications, extra bandages and supplies he made his way back to the room.  Azazael was due to arrive in the next few moments.  The plan was for the teleporter to take Erik first, into the waiting arms of Hank.  Charles would make sure the staff thought they had helped Erik out to the front to a cab, before he was ‘zapped’ home.

He was looking forward to going home.

He wasn’t looking forward to what was waiting for him.

Despite the stress and panic he felt every time Erik gasped for a breath, the past five days had been pleasantly calm.  The two were content in their silence.

Charles was sure they would be back to bickering soon enough, and it would seem Erik wasn’t going to wait until they got back to New York.

“Where is Ester?”   He stalked into the room glaring at the sitting up patient, who wasn’t supposed to be sitting up without help.  “You were supposed to wait for me!”

“She went to get me a wheelchair.”  Erik glared, breathing hard hand clutching at his chest.  Just sitting up, and moving his legs over the edge of the bed had worn him out.  “I refused to be carried by Azazael like a bride on her wedding night back to the manor.”

“You make a lovely bride.”  The teleporter gave his burgeoning friend a smirk.   He had popped in and out over the past few days, enjoying startling Charles and snarking off at Erik.

Erik glanced over at Charles a slight smirk on his face.  “Charles prefers me in blue.”

He stared at the two of them, with a confused expression.  Until he felt Erik push an image of himself, in a blue dress with fishnet stalkings ….  “She told you!?”  Charles blushed, and then laughed lightly as he ducked his head.

“I always thought maroon was more my color.”  Erik chuckled only to cough.  “Okay let’s do this.”

He stood on shaky legs, hand gripping the hospital bed.  He bit back the groan, from the pain that shot through his whole body.  ‘Suck it up Erik, you’ve had worse.’

<<You don’t have to be strong all the time.>>

<<I can’t be weak.>>

Charles touched his cheek.  <<You’re the strongest person I know.>>

Erik reached out, taking Charles’ hand gripping it tightly.  <<Don’t let go.>>

“Never.”  He helped him move away from the bed, and closer to the teleporter.

Azazael wrapped his left arm around Erik, stepping closer to him.  He then took his right hand, into his own, the tail wrapped around his shoulder tapping Erik on the shoulder.

“Well I always knew I would end up dancing with the devil.”  He leaned into the taller mutant.

“You would take over hell, my friend.”  Azazael glanced over to Charles.  “I’ll be back in a few moments, so be prepared.

Charles nodded, stepping back almost everything he had was packed and ready to go. He just needed to shove all the paperwork and bag of meds into the duffle.

“Oh this is going … ”

And they were gone.

Note: I have an idea of where I’m going with this but no idea how I’m getting there 🙂

***

Part One

Part Two

Part Three

Part Four

***

Erik was resting once again.

The doctor had removed the respirator  from his throat, Charles was thankful it was made of plastic, or the situation would have gone a lot worse, than the side rail of the bed being bent.  They made sure he had plenty of oxygen, checked the incision to make sure it was healing and no infections were settling in.

The doctor informed him, that Erik would need weeks to months of recovery.

His lungs were weak and would need to build back up to normal capacity.  He would need to be careful in the future of infections.  A simple chest cold could set him back in recovery.  At the moment simple movement would cause loss of breath, and he would need to take things slowly.

The chest muscles would take time to heal, and Erik would need help with sitting up until the muscles strengthened.

Charles had kept a straight face, taking in all the information and pulling more from the doctor’s mind.  What worried him was the fact, Erik had eight staples in his chest muscles, and about two feet of wire wrapped around his sternum.

This wasn’t going to end well, he could feel it.

He had asked when it was possible for him to take Erik home.  The doctor gave him a look, as if Charles was insane, though he was pretty sure he was.  He was told under no circumstances was Erik to leave the hospital for another five days, and would need care afterwards.  Again re-iterating everything he had already told Charles.  Adding in the history of conducting open heart surgery and the fact that Erik was alive was a miracle and not push his recovery.

Charles calmed him down by explaining he had a place quiet away from everything where Erik could recover, plus a doctor on staff.  It was only then the doctor agreed he could leave the hospital in five days.

What Charles didn’t mention was that his place was in New York, and they would be using a teleporter mutant to get home.  He figured it would be painful and uncomfortable for Erik but only a few short minutes compared to a plane ride.

And the way the news was going on about sanctions against Cuba he wasn’t even sure he would be able to get out of the country.  Considering he had no passport, documents or proof of who they were.

Last thing he wanted to do was alert the CIA to where they were.  He had a feeling the only reason he hadn’t had the ‘Men in Black’ in Erik’s hospital room was Azazael hadn’t told anyone where they were at, and was watching Moira.

A selfish part of him wanted to find a place in Cuba and hide Erik away from everything.  Including the rants Charles was going to hear from Raven, and Hank’s ‘I don’t approve stare’.

Erik was meant to be by his side, as he was meant to by his.

When he would even take a moment to think of the two of them separated dread filled him, not just for himself but for the world.

“When can I leave?”

It was still disconcerting to hear such a soft quiet tone from Erik.  The man was blunt, forceful, cold, serious, not quiet or weak.  Charles glanced at the bed, watching Erik watch him.  He hadn’t mentioned the fact Charles hadn’t let go of his hand, and the few times he had tried to pull it away, Erik had held tighter.

“A few more days.”  He shifted until he was leaning against the bed.  “They want to make sure you are more stable, and no infecitons.”

He took a few short breathes, struggling to cough.  Charles grabbed a small cup from the table … the second one they’ve had, he won’t mention what happened to the first after Erik woke up from a particular nasty nightmare … he helped him sit up and put some of the ice chips into his mouth.

“What is in my chest?”

Charles tried to bluff his way around it, but the mutant’s eyes narrowed, and the fifth pen ended up embedded into the wall.  Erik closed his eyes as pain shot through him, he gasped for air forcing Charles to shove the oxygen mask back onto his face.  <<Calm your mind.>>

<<I was shot you asshole.>>

Charles bit back the smirk, last thing he wanted to do was encourage Erik’s bad behavior.  He already knew it was going to be hell on earth, during his recovery.

<<Steady breathes.  Relax your chest.  Don’t tense.>>

<<I hate you so much.>>

But he followed Charles’ instructions, slowly calming down as he breathing regulated.  “I feel the metal Charles.”

“You have staples holding the muscles together, and a wire sealing up the bone.”

“I want them out.”

“They are holding your chest together!”  He would not back down on this.  He wasn’t the one who sat outside, watching as doctors worked to save his life.  “The staples can be removed in six weeks.  Hank can do the surgery.”  Charles ignored Erik’s snort.  “The wires … it would be best if you limited using your powers until you’re fully healed.”

“So if Hank is doing this surgery when do we go home? If I’m still welcome.”

Charles knew his expression softened at the word ‘home’.  He probably had a sappy look on his face, if Erik’s roll of the eyes was any indication.

“In five days Erik, we will go home.  Where you will do everything the doctor says.  You will not push your limits.  You will rest.  You will ask for help.  You will listen to me!”