Taming the Wild

The Legend of Mystique

"Your sister? Charles, are you sure?" Erik asked, furrowing his brow in confusion.

"My sister is a shapeshifter. She's feisty, she won't stand injustice when she sees it. She'd fight. And she loves adventures." Charles chuckled "I can't believe I didn't realize this sooner! Mystique sounds just like Raven!"

"Mystique is your sister." Erik kept repeating as if the thought was really difficult to digest. "How is that even possible?"

"You mean because of how different we are?" Charles laughed now. "I know! It sounds unbelievable for a girl like her to have a brother like me." he teased

"That's not what I meant..." Erik mumbled but Charles did not listen to him now. His features had slowly turned from excitement to worry as a realization struck him.

"But if I'm right and Mystique really is Raven who was captured by Shaw and escaped saving all those other mutants including your children..." he said "... then that... means..."

They looked one another in the eyes as if Charles was transferring the thought to Erik's consciousness.

"... that means my children were tortured by Shaw..." Erik finished the thought, clinching his jaw. "It was Shaw who did this to us." he gritted through his teeth.

Charles nodded wordlessly. "If I'm right." he added.

"Well, there's one way to make sure." Lehnsherr said determinedly

Charles tilted his head in confusion, not quite following his friend's trail of thought.

"My children's bedroom is this way." Erik said, getting up on his feet "Come with me. They'll be asleep but you can still read their minds. Look at their memories, see if it was really Raven who saved them and if it was really Shaw that hurt them."

He did not wait for Charles to reply, he just pulled him by the hand. Charles froze, not taking one step further.

"Erik... I--" he stuttered

"What is it, Charles?" Erik looked at him confused "This is the perfect way for you to find out what happened to your sister. And I need to know who caused this much pain to my children and me! I need to know!" there was something dangerous in Erik's voice but Charles chose to ignore it. "Come on, Charles. What's stopping you? Knowing the whole story, you can find clues as to where to look for Mystique now."

"I know... I just... " he bit his lip nervously "I don't usually do this... I shield myself and I avoid reading people's minds... I'm afraid..."

Both Erik's hands rested on each side of Charles' arms and he looked him in the eyes. Charles realized they've never been this close before. Erik was leaning a bit so they were eye to eye level. Charles could see every detail of his friend's face, his beautiful eyes that had captivated him with power he could not quite understand yet. He felt his heartbeat speeding up again as he heard Erik's low, intense, passionate voice.

"You won't hurt them, Charles." he said "I know you won't. I trust you!"

Charles bit his lip again to hold himself from making an embarrassing sound. He nodded silently. Erik smiled softly at him, then cleared his throat, letting the smaller man go and moving away a bit.

"This way." he said and left the kitchen first, waiting for Charles to follow.

Erik had a point, Charles knew that. And yet the fear that he might hurt Erik's kids if he started exploring their minds was terrifying him. He took a few deep breaths, looking at the two sleeping children. These children that he grew to love so much over these last months in Carlton. These kids that trusted him and cared about him.