Until We Get It Right

Journey To The Past

"Charles, please, just hold on! We're almost there." Hera begged, her bare hand clasped tightly around his wrist. She was trying to siphon the pain he was feeling,  but she could only take the physical pain he felt. The mental pain was his to bear alone.

The headache Charles had was mild when they were on the plane. It started about halfway through the plane ride, and Hera couldn't sleep thanks to a dull throb in her temples. When they first landed, it was bad but not unbearable. But as they got closer to the mansion, they could tell it was about to take a turn for the worse. Now, both she and Charles were trying not to be sick as the pain of Charles's powers coming back overwhelmed them. They were almost inside when Charles collapsed, taking Hera down with him.

"Logan, grab Charles. I'll help Hera." Hank said in a panic.

"NO!" She snapped. "I'm not taking my hand off him. The moment I do, he's gonna be in agony."

"Hera, you're in agony!" Hank fought.

"I don't care. I'm not letting go."

He skidded to a stop in front of the door and flung it open, then helped her stand after Logan pulled Charles up. He carried Charles inside as Hank let Hera put her weight on him.

The only way to describe the pain the pair felt was like someone ripping your brain in half. For Charles, the voices in his mind were coming back the longer he went without his treatment. For Hera, it felt like someone had taken a white hot iron and began rooting around in her brain.

"What happened?" Logan asked, stressed out as he sat Charles in an office chair.

Charles lifted his hands to his ears, shutting his eyes as he fruitlessly tried to block out the voices.

"He needs his treatment." Hank scattered out the door and towards the stairs.

"Hera, I can hear them." Charles grit out.

"I know. It's okay. It's alright." She said, her voice coming out in quiet sobs.

"Hey, hey. Pull yourself together. It's not over yet." Logan said to Charles, placing a hand on both of their shoulders.

"You don't believe that." Charles laughed scornfully.

"How do you know?" Logan questioned him.

"As these go..." Charles tapped his leg, then his temple, "this comes back. They all come back."

Charles cringed in pain, his mind aching as the voices around him became clearer. He focused on one in particular. One he had become familiar with in depth.

"Come on, Charles. You can push through this. We can do this together."

He looked down at Hera, who had tears streaming steadily down her cheeks. Her eyes were closed as she tried to even her breathing.

"Look. I'm still here... and she's still out there. We need your help, Charles. Not like this. I need you. We can't find Raven. Not without your powers. And Hera is carrying enough burden without having to do this any time you miss a treatment. There's still a chance. But you have to fight for it as hard as everyone else is."

"I added a little extra because you missed a dose." Hank said as he rushed in with a shot ready. When he got no response, he looked at the man in question. Charles was staring down at the woman by his side.

"Charles." Logan said quietly.

The telepath inhaled sharply. "Hank, do me a favor. Would you help me to my study, please?" He carefully took Hera's hand off of his wrist and met her teary eyes as she looked up at him.