Bring Me Back

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Erik blinked his eyes open and he glanced at the clock. He'd fallen asleep for a bit. It was four in the morning. At first he had panicked because he didn't remember where he was. First he'd been in the concentration camps with his parents. He'd dreamt about their deaths....he took a deep breath and tried to calm himself. Charles said it would help him calm down to breathe easy and not think about it. However, at five in the morning, he wasn't having any luck so he got up and decided to go to the kitchen.

    Charles awoke. He was used to getting up this early for work. He sighed, remembering that he didn't have work today, and rolled over to go back to sleep.

    Erik yawned as he wandered around in the kitchen. He was kind of hungry. And he was also sweaty. He tugged his shirt off and glanced around before hanging it on the back of the chair. He wondered if Charles had waffles....

    Charles had little luck going back to sleep, so he decided to go check on Erik. He was startled to see his door open, and his heart skipped a beat when he noticed that he was missing. He took off running through his house, desperate to find him before he got into any trouble.

    Erik had found and successfully made waffles. He also found a flight of stairs that went down. He had considered going downstairs but then decided he'd rather go outside. So he headed out and wandered around, eating his breakfast and deciding that the tree by the pond, which he would have to remember to scold Charles for not telling him about the pond, was his favorite place in the entire world.

    Charles woke Hank up and they searched the entire house. Panic began to set in and then Charles remembered that Erik had asked about the backyard. He dashed outside, scantily clad in his briefs and a t-shirt.

    Erik laid under the tree, watching the water move calmly. He could totally fall asleep watching it. Why didn't Charles sleep out here? He leaned on his hands and blinked sleepily down at the water. He should go in. He should go in! Erik grinned and quickly tugged his pajama pants off before sliding into the water. He didn't think Charles would appreciate him going naked, so he'd have to get his boxers wet.

Charles ran around for a while before he spotted him, "Erik!"

Erik floated quietly on his back, the water covering his ears and letting himself drift in complete silence. He wondered if Charles had ever done this before. He closed his eyes, content with just lying here.

Erik didn't move. He hadn't heard him. Oh, God, Erik had drowned. Charles would never forgive himself if Erik died. He dove in, not caring about removing the little clothing he had on, and grabbed Erik around the waist to pull him to shore. Erik gasped as someone grabbed him and he kicked away in panic, sending himself underwater. He pushed himself up to the surface, coughing and soaked, water blurring his sight. He held his arms out to prevent another attack as he coughed and water drizzled from his mouth and nose. Charles grabbed Erik's arm and pulled him to the grass. He hoisted him out of the water and was relieved Erik was coughing.

"What are you doing!?"

Erik got to his knees and looked up at Charles, "I was....I was just...no one else was up and I was bored...."

"I thought you drowned!" Charles was shaking, and took a deep breath to try and calm down. Erik shivered. He couldn't do anything right, here. He lowered his head and didn't look at Charles.

"I'm sorry...."

Charles sighed and pulled him into a tight hug, "I'm just glad you're okay....what are you doing up so early?"

Erik shivered, "Woke up, couldn't fall back asleep. I ate and I was going to go down to the basement I think but I saw the pond outside and I really wanted to go swimming again."