STEEL-MINDED | erik lehnsherr

CHAPTER SEVEN

Erik was worried about Charles. He ran an entire school of young mutants with three other adults. The ratio of teacher to student was a little too stretched for what he believed good for their sanity. Grace- he'd noticed- had already begun to crack under the pressure. She, Hank and Raven did not sign up to be parents which is what a great many students needed from them.

It was nearly three o'clock and no one had seen Grace at all since dinner yesterday. Knocking on her door for the fourth time that day he got no reply; again. The last few times he'd gone to see if she was in there he hadn't bothered to go in figuring she was just asleep but given that it was three in the afternoon he assumed that if she was she'd have woken up by now.

"Grace?" He called, his hand on the doorknob. No reply. He sighed. The worst that would happen was he'd wake her upright.

Turning the doorknob he opened the door. He was met by the sunlight streaming in from her window. 

So she's not asleep.

"Grace?" He repeated.

The door to her bathroom was shut and whether or not she was in there he was going to check. Knocking on her bathroom door he called her name. Still nothing.

Entering the room he found Grace sitting, naked, in her bathtub. The water was still as she sat there. With any other circumstances, Erik would have turned away or admired her exposed body but her face made him forget any of those feelings.

"Grace?" He said kneeling down beside the bath. She rocked herself back and forth repeating the same words over and over.

"It's not real. It's in your head. It's not real."

Streams of water flowed from her eyes as she sat there. Dipping his hand in the soapy water he found it cold to the touch.

"Grace?" Erik repeated reaching out and taking hold of her shoulder before tilting her head to face him, "Can you hear me? "

"It's not real. It's not real."

Looking around he pulled a towel from the rail. He placed it on the floor beside him.

"Grace, you need to get out of the bath," he said. Something about her trance-like state terrified him. "I'm going to lift you out if you don't."

She didn't move. He sighed, he really hadn't wanted to do this but she wasn't listening to him and she'd most likely been in there for a few hours.

"I'm really sorry about this," he said. Gripping her shoulders he lifted her up, out of the water, making sure to keep his eyes on her face out of respect. When she was standing- well, more like teetering- he grabbed the towel and wrapped it around her. Helping her step out of the bath he sat her down on the floor.

"I'll be back in a minute."

"It's not real. It's in your head."

"What's wrong with her, Charles?" Erik asked as he watched Grace rock back and forth on the edge of her bed. Having helped her into a dressing gown he'd taken her from the bathroom and into her main room.

"I can't see into her mind," Charles said, confused, "It's like she's blocking me out. She shouldn't be able too."

"Maybe it's not you she's blocking out."

Raven's face was stern and unwavering. Someone she cared about was having a mental breakdown in front of her and there was nothing she could do about it.

"I don't follow," Erik said. It unnerved him how someone like Grace, kind, optimistic, could be turned into a sobbing mess by any means.

"She told me once that she knew someone who got into her head without her permission," Raven said, "Maybe she trying to block someone out."

"When I was in her head yesterday when she was out of it she was seeing her mother," Charles said, "No one is in her head. I think she's trying to block out memories. She keeps saying 'it's not real', I think she's trying to tell herself whatever she's remembering isn't real."

"No shit, Charles," Erik snapped.

Knowing that his friend was on edge Charles let it slide.

"I think the best thing to do right now is let Grace find her own way out," Charles advised, "I'll inform the students that she is not to be disturbed."

He wheeled himself out of the room leaving Raven and Erik alone with Grace.

"She's the strongest person I know," Raven said.

"And?"

"Which means whatever has her so shaken isn't something to be taken lightly."

Erik wasn't sure if Raven was mad at him or at whatever had caused Grace's current state. 

"You make it sounds as if I'm not taking this seriously," Erik said accusingly. 

"All I'm say is don't underestimate her nightmares," she said, "Grace doesn't scare easily."

Turning her attention to Grace, the hard expression on her face softening and revealing how much she hated this, she had no control of it meaning she couldn't help her.

She reached to Grace, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"You need to talk to us Grace," she said softly, "We can't help you if you don't talk to us."

"It's not real."

"I can't do this," Raven said standing up,  "It's too hard. I'm sorry."

She left, her hands clenched into fists.

Now alone with her, Erik stood and watched Grace. It made him angry that something had caused this state, he was in all honestly terrified. There was nothing he hated more than having no control.

Her rocking back and forth and the constant whispering were something he despised.

The bed dipped slightly as he sat down beside her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"It's in your head," Grace hissed.

Erik felt so helpless.

"It isn't real, Grace," he whispered to her, placing a kiss on her forehead, "It's in your head, Grace."

She leaned to the side so her head was resting on his shoulder.

"It's not real," she said.

Nothing came after that. She'd stopped. Erik hugged her tighter.

"I'm here," he whispered,

"I'm real."