X-Men: The Gifted Ones

74. X-MEN JET, SOMEWHERE OVER THE PACIFIC OCEAN

The X-Men jet was a grim sight to behold. There was so much sorrow in the cabin that Charles wondered how the jet could even carry it. His heart felt so heavy in his chest. The flight home seemed to take forever. He looked at everyone. They were strangely quiet, no desire for small talk to pass the time.

Havoc was piloting the jet with Sway next to him. Hank, Banshee, Scarlet Witch, and Cannonball, were all bruised up, some showed bloody cuts and scratches, tears in their suits, and all of their faces were filled with grief.

Erik and Mystique were sitting next to one another, apart from the others. Erik turned and looked at Mystique. He was surprised to see a tear rolling down her face. Aside from anger and jealousy, she never was one to show sadness. Her heart ached for Charles, ached for Jane. Mystique wished she would have spent more time getting to know her, less time feeling jealous of her. She was still awed about the way Jane could transform herself from the placid, gentle woman to a ruthless killer. Charles had clearly trained her well.

Poor Charles, she sighed. This has broken him. It seemed that Jane's death would remove some of Charles' last vestiges of being human. Her brother had changed so much from the young, protective boy to the brash, cocky young student, and into the aloof, almost asexual professor whose paralysis had caused him to close himself off to affection. Then Jane came into his life, and he came alive. Mystique wished she could have done more to help save her, but what could she have done? Jane was apparently unharmed, she only died to save Charles! She was glad that Jane had saved Charles, she didn't know what she would do in a world without her brother.

Erik looked over at Mystique. He noticed the tears slowly running down her face. He took her hand and squeezed it.

"Are you alright, Erik?"

"Never leave my side," he whispered to her.

"I don't plan on it. I feel bad for Charles. She was very kind."

"She was. I hope I never lose you," he confessed to her.

Mystique was stunned. It was the closest to love that Erik had ever allowed himself to show. "You know I would do the same as she did to save you if I could."

"I hope you never have to make such a choice. Life without you would be unbearable."

She had to smile. Only Erik's baring of anything resembling emotions could have caused her to smile at such a moment. "You think so?"

He held her hand tighter. "We're in this together for life, my dear. I thought you already knew that? It is us against the world, together. Just us two." It was the closest he could bring himself to say that he loved her.

Mystique took a deep breath and smiled. She felt contentment wash over her. It was the closest Erik had ever come to mentioning what they were to one another. "Us two..." she smiled as she leaned head on Erik's shoulder.

He found himself giving in and leaning his head on hers. He was never one for showing affection, but today had proven to him, one never knew when their end would come. He looked over and noticed Charles who appeared alone, even on a jet filled with people. He watched him stroke Jane's hair.

Once again, Erik felt as if Charles' life was again ruined because of his own actions, his own failures. He continued to fail Charles, and he hoped his actions wouldn't cause him to fail mutantkind as well.

He had to push all of that human emotion away, or he would lose his mind. Love was dangerous, love made you weak. Love gave you something to lose! He looked at Charles! Charles was proof of that! He would never be the same! Charles was sure to hole himself up, wall himself up.

Erik thought that maybe, at last, Charles would stay out of his way.