One-shots/Short Stories

Charles Xavier - Part III

His Inspiration - Part III
"I'm afraid you are going to have to stay here now, Miss Oswin." the doctor said gravely. "The cancer is already spreading in your body. By the end of the week, you will be feeling very weak and lightheaded. It's best for you to stay here so we can check up on you."
   "Okay." she nodded. "Thank you."
   The doctor gave the three a sympathetic smile before leaving the hospital room. Raven and Charles sat on each side of Clara's bed, staring at each other sadly. "What are you going to do about university?" Raven asked her quietly.
   "I'll tell them my situation and we'll see what happens." Clara said just as quietly. "All my work at university. For nothing."
   "Now, don't think like that." Charles murmured, grabbing her hand. "If it wasn't for you coming to university late, and for me running late for university, we wouldn't have met, eh?"
   "You're right." Clara giggled. She then sighed sadly. "I just wished we met sooner." Knowing they needed some privacy, Raven made an excuse on going back home to get their clothes since they were going to stay the night.
   "I'll tap into the teachers' minds," Charles told Clara quietly, "get them to have you graduate early."
   "You'd do that for me?" Clara tilted her head at him with a smile.
   "Of course!" Charles scoffed. "Anything for the woman I love."
   "You. . .love me?"
   "That's right, we haven't said the 'l' word to each other yet." Charles realised with a wince. "Which is actually quite strange, since we've basically been in a relationship for a year now. . ."
   "I love you too." Clara told him with a bright smile. "I love you, you huge goofball."

***

"With her condition, not only did I talk to the teachers about her learning, but I also placed my learning on hold." Charles told them. "No way was I going to continue university while she was cooped up in a hospital room with no one to keep her company - apart from Raven, of course. But we recently confessed our love for each other, I didn't want to leave Clara that soon."
   "Her education?" Hank asked him. "Did she graduate?"
   "She did." Charles nodded with a smile. "She was a bright student; when they heard her condition they agreed to it."
   "What was she learning?" Hank then asked him.
   "She was aiming to be an author." Charles answered. "Her mind, was a mind I loved to read. Her mind was full of wonders and curiosities and just happiness - but I rarely ever read her mind though, since I made a vow to never read her mind when I first met her. I'd like to keep her as a mystery. Even when she had her condition, it still held some curiosity and content. Because of her beautiful ideas, I had created the school."

***

"Are you doing to do anything about the mutants?" Clara asked him one night. Raven was asleep on the sofa in the room, Charles lying next to Clara. The two were still wide awake in bed, just talking quietly to each other when Clara asked him that question.
   "Hmm?" Charles hummed against her head. "What do you mean?"
   "Your thesis on mutation." Clara lifted her head up to look at him. "Do you think there's people out there like you?"
   "Of course there is." Charles smiled. "I have faith and hope in that idea."
   "So you're going to look for them?"
   "When I finish university." Charles admitted. "But I won't do that for a long while. I got you to look out for and to love."
   "What are you going to do when you find the mutants?" she asked him. "Are you going to create a school?"
   "What?" Charles frowned. He sat up in bed, helping her up as well, and turned to her. "What do you mean by that?"
   "Well, by what you've been telling me. . ." Clara started, "what if you create a school for the mutants? You're finding them because they seek help and acceptance. Maybe you can do that by creating a school."
   "A school?" he echoed. "Where am I even going to have the school if I even do it?"
   "There's always that mansion you have." Clara shrugged. "Come on, think about it! It would be totally awesome." Charles stared at her face for a while. Her eyes were bright with excitement, something he hadn't seen much in a couple of days. "Just. . .promise me you'll do that for them in the future, okay? Do this for me."
   "Okay." Charles agreed.
***
A month passed, and Charles suddenly held a crazy idea. Without waking Clara up, he slipped out of bed and went to the cafeteria to see Raven sitting at a table already eating food.
   Charles sat down across from her and looked around anxiously. "What is it, Charles?" Raven asked him, noticing instantly his jittery mood.
   "I have an idea." Charles blurted out, his leg bouncing up and down. "I am going to ask Clara to marry me."
   "W-what!" Raven choked on her food. "Are you crazy?"
   "No, just smart - come on, think about it! Clara and I love each other, we've been dating for a year and five months, and she's almost close to her. . .you know. I want to prove that our love is eternal, and that I will never forget her. Come on, she's been feeling bad lately; this will cheer her up! And think about it, you will have a sister-in-law!"
   "But. . ." Raven hesitated. "She only has a month left."
   "Which is why we need to act fast."