One-shots/Short Stories

Charles Xavier

The Friend That Stayed By His Side
Bella Davies was a strong, confident, independent, selfless person that everyone loved. She never lets you down, helps you as much as she could, and never backs down from her promise. People would think that she's too good for them.

That's what Charles Xavier thought as well.

They first met when they were twelve; Bella was one of the maid's daughter that got to stay in the mansion with them.
   "This is Isabella Davies," the maid said, "my daughter. She's going to be staying with me now."
   Charles nodded, giving the sad-looking girl a smile. "Nice to meet you." he said politely, giving a short nod. The girl nodded slightly, giving a weak smile. Charles wondered why she looked sad, when suddenly he saw something else through his eyes.
   He saw a man waving goodbye to him, hopping into a car. Watching it drive away, he felt shock and horror enter his veins when the car crashed with another car.
   Charles gasped, blinking his eyes rapidly. He realised he was still in the presence of the maid and her daughter. Looking at them, the maid was staring at him concerned, while the daughter stared at him with furrowed brows. "U-um. . ." he stuttered. "Excuse me."

***

Charles was in his bed with his hands over his ears, trying to block out the different voices in his head.

"Ugh, I hate this job."
"I wonder where Ms Xavier is. Probably drinking."
"I wonder how young Xavier is doing. He's been a bit isolated."
"Did I leave the stove on?"

"Stop it. . ." he murmured in his tiny voice. "Go away!"
   "Relax." a voice suddenly said, the other voices getting blocked out by some miracle. "You need to take calming breaths and try to ignore them."
   Charles sat up in his bed with wide eyes, looking around as if the person would appear from thin air. "Who's that?" Charles called out. "Show yourself!"
   In his mind a memory appeared; the memory of him meeting one of his maid's daughter.
   "Isabella Davies?" Charles murmured. "H-how are you doing this -"
   "I am like you, Charles Xavier." she said softly into his mind. "I have the ability to read and control minds like you. Earlier you saw the reason why I looked sad. My father died from a car accident."
   "What?" he breathed out. "H-how -"
   "Welcome to the Mutant Club."

***

Days later. . .
They crept late at night in the mansion, stifling their giggles. Ever since he found out he and Bella were alike, they have been close ever since. People around were relieved that Charles was no longer isolating himself like his mother, and was playing around with his new friend.
   They were creeping into the kitchen to grab some snacks when they suddenly saw his mother. "Mum?" Charles called out in confusion. Why was she out of her room?
   "Wait. . ." Bella cautioned. "This isn't your mother."
   "What do you mean?"
   "Look into her mind." she whispered. Charles looked into his 'mum's' mind, and was startled at what he saw.
   "A mutant?" he breathed out in wonder. "We're not the only ones."
   "It's okay." Bella said gently to the mutant. "We won't hurt you. You can show yourself."
   Charles' mother stared at them for a moment, before nodding. Slowly, she transformed into a little girl that looked alien with her all blue with scales and patterns and red hair.

And that was how they met Raven.

***

Years passed, and everything around them changed. Charles and Bella graduated, they were approached by Moira MacTaggert, they met other mutants and the CIA, they met Erik, defeated Shaw, and many people left Charles -including Raven- all but two people. Hank McCoy and Bella Davies. Alex had went to Vietnam, and Moira's memories were erased. And with the mutant school closed down. . .

It was just them three.

While Hank made the serum for him and Charles and hid away in the labs. Bella stayed by Charles' side at all times - even when he was drunk.
   Out of everyone, Bella understood the pain he was going through - even more than Raven. Bella and Charles were closer than anyone, and basically understood each other. She knew how he was feeling; he lost everything and everyone, and the school. His kind heart wasn't taking it well. What broke her heart truly was that she felt guilty that she didn't try hard enough to get everyone together, and the fact that he'd rather lose his mutant power just to feel normal and not have horrid thoughts enter his mind from other people.
   But despite that, she tried her best to help him. She kept him company when he's drinking, and made sure he was okay. She cleaned up as much as she could after him, and made sure he went to his bed safely. Not once did he ever tell her to leave. Her and Hank was all he had left. He especially didn't want to lose Bella.
   "Bella. . ." he slurred one day. "Bella. . ."
   "Yes Charles?" came the sweet voice he loved.
   "Don't leave me." he said like a little child. "Please?"
   "Of course I won't leave you." Bella said gently, blinking away her tears of sadness.
   "Stay with me?" he lazily opened the bed sheets for her to go underneath. Hesitantly, Bella went under the sheets with him. Charles wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his face in her neck. "I'm sorry." he whispered to her. "I'm sorry."
   "Whatever for?"
   "For bringing you down. Look at me," he chuckled bitterly against her neck, "I'm a mess."
   "That's expected," she gently ran her hand through his hair, "you lost too much. Too much for a kind soul like yourself."
   "No," he shook his head, "if anyone has a kind soul, it's you."
   He placed a chaste kiss on her neck that sent shivers down her spine and ignited all feelings for him to surface again. "Thank you." he whispered tiredly. "You deserve better."
   "Never." was the last thing he heard from her before falling into a deep slumber.

***

More years passed, and it was better. They met a man called Logan who was supposedly from the future, and helped save Raven.
   Charles realised the good from Future Charles, and no longer drank away his memories but in fact, moved on. And because of that, he continued on with the school, and he confessed his love for the one and only Bella Davies.

"These memories you showed me." Charles murmured. "They don't show any signs of Bella. And that's strange, because we are inseparable."
   "We were." Future Charles corrected sadly. "She got captured during Raven's killing from Trask. One day while we were drinking away our problems, Bella went down to Cerebro to find Raven in an attempt to cheer us up. During that, she saw what Raven was going to do and quickly went after Raven. Doing so, she came a minute too late. She entered the room to see Raven kill Trask. Raven got captured, and when Raven noticed Bella, they did as well and captured her as well. They experimented on Bella as well."
   "No. . ." Charles shook his head, tears falling from his eyes.
   "I'm afraid so." Older Charles said gravely. "That's why I made sure Logan came to you before Bella went to Cerebro." Older Charles gave him a look. "You have this chance with her, so take it. Make each other happy."

***

They sat together in the study, enjoying the silence they barely ever get since they opened the school. Their hands were connected together, their wedding rings glistening against the fire. Never have they ever felt this much content.
   "Bella. . ." Charles murmured against her head.
   "Hmm?" Bella hummed, lifting her head to look at him.
   "Nothing." Charles grinned cheekily, giving her a quick kiss. "Just wanted to say that I love you."
   Despite the many years they spent together, Bella still blushed at his declaration of love. Looking away from him, she snuggled into his arms, looping her legs through his limp ones. "I love you too."

The End