Charlotte Xavier - A Thousand Years

Final Battle

"No matter how badly your heart is broken, the world does not stop for your grief."
~ Unknown

...

"She shouldn't be here with us. Her power is completely unstable." Callisto spat.

Erik shook his head calmly. "Only in the wrong hands."

Erik didn't want her anywhere near him. Frankly, he wanted to kill her, but knew that was a battle he would not survive and that she could serve a purpose for his cause.

Erik's damned cause, the only thing he had left in the world right now.

"And you trust her?" Pyro asked. "She's one of them."

"So were you once." Erik admonished.

Pyro wasn't deterred. "I stuck with you all the way." He replied arrogantly. "I woulda killed the Professor if you'd given me the chance." He sneered.

Erik halted in his steps and grabbed Pyro's shoulder to force Pyro face him before grabbing him by his throat, making him gasp for air.

"Charlotte Xavier did more for mutants than you'll ever know." Erik told Pyro, voice harsh and cold. "My single greatest regret is that she had to die. Be careful how you speak."

Erik released Pyro and stalked away furiously.

"I know the smell of your adamantium a mile away." Erik sneered.

"I didn't come here to fight you." The Wolverine spat, immobilized by Erik, who held him in the air.

"Smart boy." Erik replied.

Logan , surprisingly, didn't rise to the jab. "I came here for Jean."

If that was true, Logan was stupider than Erik thought. "You think I'm keeping her here against her will?" He asked smugly and pulled him nearer. "She's here because she wants to be."

"You don't know what you're dealing with!" Logan shouted.

Erik straightened. "I know very well." Phoenix's demonstration earlier had made it very clear. "I saw what she did to Charlotte." He said, forcing his face to impassivity.

"You stood there and let her die." Logan spat venomously. Erik tensed, hands clenching and grey eyes narrowing.

The Wolverine, however, did not miss it. "She called you her friend, you know." He added spitefully. "Her old friend Erik. 'Love', too, but I thought that was just a British thing. I know better now. Because she never spoke badly about you, not after you nearly killed Rogue, not after you nearly made her kill every human, not after any of it. She always forgave you and considered you a friend and I'm starting to wonder why. Why she bothered. Why she cared. Why she thought you were worth the pain you caused her continuously."

Erik bit out. "Do not speak of things you don't understand, Wolverine. You forget I could crumple you like a tin can."

Logan glanced back at Jean, who watched the entire exchange silently. "I'm not leaving here without her."

"Yes. You are." Erik replied and flung him far off.

...

Erik knew he should stop. He knew he should give up his plan after seeing what it cost him. But he had already unwittingly paid the price, so why not reap what rewards he could get?

Though, it this plan fell through...Erik didn't think he had it in him to try again.

Erik had already lost Charlotte. The twins...well, they were in a bad state, but he could not imagine them forgiving him anytime soon. What was left for him if not to protect all the other mutants' futures?