Charlotte Xavier - A Thousand Years

Endings

"And I'd give up forever to touch you
Cuz I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
Cuz sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight."

~ "Iris", Goo Goo Dolls

... ...

Shaw's thoughts came flooding in and Charlotte shoved her mind to his, freezing his muscles entirely with effort.

"Are you okay?" Moira asked, concerned, from beside her.

"Moira, be quiet." Charlotte replied desperately. "I can only control this man for so long!" She watched as Erik came to stand before Shaw and took the helmet—

"Sorry Charlotte." Erik said softly.

'Erik, please! Be the better man, you don't—' Charlotte pleaded.

"But I don't trust you." Erik said.

And then Erik vanished as entirely as Shaw had. "No!" Charlotte gasped, feeling her friend slipping away from her, the divide beginning...

"Don't do this, Erik!" Charlotte screamed, hitting the wall furiously, ignoring Moira beside her.

Still, she watched from Shaw's eyes.

'If you're in there.' Erik addressed Shaw. 'I want you to know I agree with every word you said. We are the future. But... unfortunately, you killed my mother."

He held up a coin.

'This is what we're going to do...' Erik said.

"No." Charlotte whispered fiercely, pacing. "Please, Erik, no..."

'I'm going to count to three and I'm going to move the coin. One..." Erik says.

"Please, Erik." Charlotte whispered, fighting tears of betrayal.

'...Two...' Charlotte could see the coin coming closer, as easily as if it had been coming toward her head.

'Three.' Erik finished.

And the coin entered Charlotte's forehead, pushing though her skull, into her brain... She knew she was screaming, but refused to release Shaw, this last connection to Erik now...she wouldn't allow for the slightest chance and so remained latched to his mind...

Then the coin was gone, exited through the back of Shaw's head...and Charlotte felt his mind vanish as he died. Charlotte slumped against the wall of the jet, gasping for air.

"Erik." Charlotte whispered. Moira helped her up and they ran out of the jet in time to see Erik exit the sub, bringing Shaw's body with him.

"Today our fighting stops!" Erik yelled, levitating himself to the sand expertly. "Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters. The real enemy is out there! I feel their guns moving in the water, their metal targeting us. Americans, Soviets: humans, united in their fear of the unknown."

Charlotte walked toward him as he spoke and silently told Moira to hang back, just in case.

"The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow mutants!" Erik looked to Charlotte finally. "Go ahead, Charlotte. Tell me I'm wrong."

Charlotte pursed her lips at what she heard and gave a nod to Moira, who ran back to the jet. But they ignored her plea over the radio. Charlotte closed her eyes sadly as they fired their missiles.