X-Men: The Gifted Ones

42. CHARLES' SITTING ROOM, XAVIER MANSION, WEST CHESTER, NY

Erik wanted to visit. Charles was initially against it, but the more he thought about it, the more he realized it could help him. Maybe his old friend could help with Jason.

Jane suggested he allow Erik to visit. She was not entirely fond of the man, he had caused her a great deal of consternation at his previous visit, but she knew his friendship with Charles ran deep.

So Charles told him to arrive in the evening, once the children were in bed. Erik had asked that the visit be kept between the two of them. Erik was uncomfortable around Jane. She had revealed his secret. He knew she would never say a word, but being in the company of a woman who knew his unnatural longings, he couldn't be around her. Charles would catch on, he was sure of it.

She was, however, kind enough to let him in the home, show him to Charles' sitting room, and politely make her exit before Charles' arrival.

"So, old friend, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company?" Charles asked, trying to be amiable. It didn't dispel the tension.

Erik walked around the office, looked over the paintings, looked out the windows. "Quite an idyllic life you have made for yourself here," he observed.

"It is quite nice," Charles agreed. "Care to join in with us?"

Erik shook his head. "You know me, old friend. The house, the wife, those were never things I desired."

"You should meet the rest of the children sometime," Charles offered. "There is one, in fact, maybe you can help me. I need an unbiased opinion. The rest of us are too involved to be objective."

Erik's interest was piqued, "Really? My friend the telepath lacks the answers?"

"The boy is a telepath, too," Charles revealed. "Powerful, yes, but not like the girl you met. He's... he casts illusions. Some are utterly ridiculous and cause distractions, but others have seriously disturbed students, caused panics. He's very angry. He reminds me a lot of...you."

"Me?"

"He had to survive abuse, unspeakable horrors."

"What do you want me to do about him?"

"I want your opinion."

"Mine?"

"Erik, you know better than anyone the horrors humans can inflict upon those who are different. You survived them. The child is getting quite out of hand and I'm terrified he will hurt someone, or someone will hurt him. I was considering... placing psychic barriers in his mind, holding back his hate, his anger."

Erik stared at Charles aghast. "Charles Xavier! What are earth are you wanting to do to this child?!"

Charles shook his head, "I don't know, I don't know what to do. I don't want to do anything to the child against his will, but the boy is leaving me no choice! How do I keep the other children safe? How do I help him manage... Erik, he had to cast an illusion of strangling on someone who tried to molest him! He had to take someone's life to save himself from something unspeakable! He gets flashbacks whenever he's around us. He wants to love us, but he pushes us away."

"Because rejection, hate, you know what you are getting. Love? It can be a weakness used against you."

"Is that why you never married?"

"We are discussing the boy, Charles," Erik pointed out.

"You appear to understand him a great deal."

"Don't place the barriers, Charles. Mind control is a dangerous thing."

"I know," Charles replied. "I'm not proud of doing it."