ENCHANTRESS ( peter maximoff ) o.h.

chapter twelve.

CHAPTER TWELVE —
( I want you on my side. We're brothers, you and I. )

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Charles' mind was automatically disconnected from Shaw's mind due to the fact that he was now dead. Lydia immediately pulled Charles in for a hug to comfort him as he recovered from the pain he felt through Shaw's mind of the coin going through his head. Slowly, but surely, they made their way outside the jet where Erik controlled Shaw's dead body to float out of the submarine.

"Today, our fighting stops!" Erik dropped Shaw's dead body onto the floor and Erik floated onto the ground. "Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters. The real enemy is out there." Erik pointed towards the navy ships as they aimed their guns towards the group. "I feel their guns moving in the water, their metal targeting us. Americans, Soviets, humans. United in their fear of the unknown. The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow mutants! Go ahead, Charles and Lydia. Tell me I'm wrong."

Lydia looked towards the ships and placed her fingers onto her temple, focussing all of her attention onto the men on the ships. Her mind wandered towards the captain, instructing his crew to get ready to fire. Lydia sighed in defeat as Charles looked towards Moira, who ran back into the jet. Their ships all began to fire at once with their missiles quickly advancing towards the group of mutants on the beach. Everyone instantly grabbed onto each other as if it was their last moment together. Lydia stepped forward in front of Charles and he immediately tried to pull her back.

"Lydia, are you mad?" Charles called out to her.

"Possibly." She held her hands up and her green magic shot out from them. Lydia directed the magic to begin to make a dome around them all with the dome stretching out past everyone, until Lydia felt that everyone was inside the dome and then just concentrated on keeping it upright.

All of the front missiles hit the shield, exploding upon impact and hitting it at an incredible force. It brought Lydia to her knees but she kept her hands upright and made sure it didn't leave any holes. Suddenly, all of the missiles stopped in midair just above the force field. Lydia slowly let the barrier go and looked at Erik who had stopped the missiles. He directed them to turn around and face towards the ships.

"Erik, you said so yourself, we're the better men," Charles tried to convince him. "This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of men on their ships. Good, honest, innocent men! They're just following orders."

"I've been at the mercy of men just following orders." Erik glanced down at Charles. "Never again." Erik directed the missiles to fire towards the ships. Lydia held her hands up to stop them, but found that Erik was stronger than her.

"Release them!" Lydia yelled to Erik. "Erik, please!"

Suddenly, Charles tackled Erik into the sand, knocking his concentration. Some of the missiles exploded in the air and fell into the sea. Hank, Alex and Sean tried to get in the middle of the fight but Erik threw them away using the metal in their suits. Erik punched Charles in the face and then stood up, redirecting the fallen missiles.

Just when they were about to hit, Moira shot at Erik's helmet. "Moira, don't!" Lydia yelled out as Erik easily deflected all of them, accidentally deflecting one into Charles' spine.

Charles let out a cry of pain as he fell onto the ground. Everyone around them froze in shock, including Erik as he stared at Charles with wide eyes. Lydia quickly rushed towards Charles and caught him as he collapsed onto the sand and then laid his head onto her thighs. Erik rushed beside them and pulled the bullet out.

"I'm so sorry," Erik kept mumbling. "Back off!" He yelled as the group approached them.

"You're alright, Charlie," Lydia smiled down at him as a tear rolled down her cheek.

Erik's head snapped towards Moira. "You. You did this." He raised his hand and Moira's dog tags began to chock her.

"Erik, please," Lydia lightly begged.

"She didn't do this, Erik," Charles quietly spoke. "You did." Erik looked down at Charles in shock. He lowered his hand and Moira was able to breathe again.

"Us turning on each other, it's what they want," Erik said. "I tried to warn you, Charles. I want you on my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us together, protecting each other. We want the same thing."

"My friend," Charles shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we do not." Erik looked down at Charles, the man who had helped him out so much in such a short time. A tear rolled down his face before he stood up.

Moira rushed over to them and bent down. "I'm so sorry, Charles. So sorry," she kept mumbling.

"It's alright. It's alright," he reassured her.

"This society won't accept us. We form our own. The humans have played their hand. Now we get ready to play ours. Who's with me?" Erik asked the group of mutants behind them. Lydia smoothed back Charles' hair and kissed his forehead. "No more hiding," Erik held his hand out to Raven.

Raven walked over towards the trio and crouched down beside them, placing a hand on Charles' cheek. "It's what you want, Ray," Lydia smiled at her.

"You should go with him," Charles groaned.

"You both promised me you would never read my mind," Raven looked accusingly at them.

"I didn't read your mind," Lydia shrugged. "It's just written all over your face."

"And I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid," Charles told her. "I'm sorry." He kissed her hand. Raven bent down and kissed Charles' head, then kissed Lydia's.

"I hope you grow up to become a beautiful, badass mutant, Lyds," Raven smiled at her. Lydia reached over and pulled her into a hug.

"We will see each other again, right?" She asked.

Raven smiled sadly at Lydia. "We might." Raven stood up and grabbed Erik's hand. Shaw's old henchmen sided with Erik, also. "And, Beast, never forget," Raven smiled at him. "Mutant and proud." Then the five of them disappeared.

"I thought she hated that quote," Lydia let out a small chuckle as the group rushed over to them.

"We're gonna get you to a hospital," Moira told him as they began to get him up.

Charles screamed in agony and laid back down. "Wait, Charles. Charles, don't move, okay?" Hank told him.

"I won't," he told them. Lydia's face dropped in realisation. "Actually...I-I can't feel my legs. I can't... I can't feel my legs. I can't feel my legs." Lydia's lip jutted as she let out a sob before kissing his head, watching as Charles clung onto her body and sobbed.

AUTHORS NOTE

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