STEEL-MINDED | erik lehnsherr

CHAPTER NINE

Grace rested her head on Erik's shoulder as he played the keys of the piano. The tune of 'Somebody to Love' filled the room. He sang softly as he played.

"Each morning I get up and die a little," he sang softly, much slower than the original, "Can barely stand on my feet."

Tapping her foot in time Grace found herself hanging on to every word he said. It lulled her. This new side of Erik keeping her sane. She relaxed, the world falling away to leave this moment.

"Can anybody find me somebody to love?" 

"I work hard, everyday of my life," she joined in. He smiled.

"I work 'til I ache in my bones," they sang together.

Grace watched as his hands moved effortlessly between the keys. It was hypnotizing. 

"Find me somebody to love," he finished.

She looked up at him. He reached out, brushing a tear from her cheek that she hadn't even known was there.

"You're saving me, Erik," she whispered, "Saving me from myself."

"How so?"

"I... I can't tell you," she said, "It's not that I don't want to... I just... I can't."

"It's OK," he whispered, "I understand."

He cupped her cheek, snaking an arm around her waist pulling her closer. His hand was warm on hers, making a change from how cold and alone she felt inside.

"I'm scared," she said, eyes watering.

"Me too."

She kissed him, closing the distance between them. He didn't seem surprised or uncomfortable as he kissed back. It wasn't sweet and romantic or anything that the first kiss between two people should have been, instead it was needy, solemn. Two broken people trying to put each other back together.

She needed him like she needed air. She was suffocating, everything was too much and he was there, in need of someone, anyone.

Wrapping her arms around his neck she deepened the feeling, letting emotion run high as tension broke between them. He comforted her, his lips kind. 

She pulled away tears streaming down her cheeks. 

"You alright?" he whispered.

"No," she laughed. He smiled sadly.

"Neither."

"You're real though, right?"

"I'm real."

The door opened and Hank stumbled in.

"Grace, there's someone here to-"

He stopped seeing the two so close, Grace crying and Erik holding her like she was going to break.

"Uh, sorry," he said red rising on his cheeks, "But um, Grace someone's here to see you, in the foyer..."

"Thank you, Hank," Grace said wiping her tears away hurriedly, "I'll be there in a moment."

He nodded hurrying out of there as fast as he could.

"Always walking in on us as the worst times, isn't he?" Erik joked. Grace smiled.

"Maybe that's part of his mutation."

"Who am I seeing?" Grace asked Hank as she walked down the hallway between him and Erik.

"She just said she needed to see you," Hank said, "Oh, and she has a child with her. Not sure what that's about."

"Odd," Erik commented.

Hank opened the door and the three of them walked through.

She was halfway towards the woman when she looked up. Grace stopped mid-step teetering for a second. The woman looked up from the girl whose hand she held.

"Grace!" she said nervously.

"What is she... what are you doing here?' Grace asked, fists clenched.

"Aren't you meant to start with hello?" The woman joked awkwardly.

"I can't do this..." Grace said, turning away, "Not today."

"It's my daughter," the woman called back, "She's... she's like you."

"I wouldn't care if it were the Queen of England," Grace snarled, "Go somewhere else because I'm not helping you. We're not helping you."

"Please," the woman begged, "I don't know where else to go... I'm sorry."

Had it not been for the renewed tears running down her face, Grace would have laughed.

"Eleven years," she began, "Did you know that it's been that long?"

"Grace, please," she said, "I know things were bad-"

"You told me I should kill myself because I was a freak," Grace said, "before going on to tell every single person I knew that I was deranged. I don't think 'bad' begins it start it."

"I was scared!"

"Boo-hoo! Coz you know what, so was I!"

"I'm not here to do this with you.  I'm here to help my daughter. So, please."

"No! No, no, no. We are doing this. Today," Grace shouted, "Right here. Right now."

"Don't blame me for everything that's happened to you!"

Grace fell silent.

"You can't blame everything on everyone else!"

"I need to go lie down, please," Grace whispered to Erik, grabbing onto his arm to steady herself. The sudden change in her behaviour almost startled him.

"You alright?" He asked.

"No, I... um... I think..."

"This is what you did every time you didn't want to talk to me! You got all 'I need help'! You want to be an adult act like an adult!"

"Ma'am I think it would be best if you spoke to Charles Xavier," Hank said, "He is the head of the school."

"Whatever," the woman snapped, "Grace just doesn't know how to act like a normal human being."

No sooner than the words had left her mouth when her necklace tightened on her air pipe. She reached up to free it but found it growing tighter and tighter.  Nothing she could do would release it.

"Erik..."

He looked at Grace as she clung to him for support.

"Let her go..." she said, "she's not worth it."

He didn't let go. His anger coming out in floods as he watched the woman choke. It would be sadistic for him to enjoy this but he did feel a sense of 'she brought this upon herself'.

"Erik, please. That's my sister," Grace begged, "Danielle. She's my sister."

"She proves that humans can't be trusted, " Erik said, teeth gritted.

"It's like she said. She was scared," Grace tried. Danielle's face had begun to go red, her eyelids dropping. "I've done things when I'm scared that I shouldn't have and I'm sure you have too. So please. Let her go."

Danielle let in a gasp of air as she dropped to the floor, her necklace released.

"What kind of people are you?" She gasped.

"The kind that your daughter is," Erik said with a smile.

"I do hope you realise that any anti-mutant comments or remarks will not be accepted here at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters," Erik said smiling down at her,

"Have a nice day."