The Scarlet Witch [X-Men]

xvii.

Chapter Seventeen: "The Fate of Wanda Maximoff"

"How did it go?" Asked Erik Lehnsherr, approaching Charles from behind on the balcony. Meanwhile, the Professor looked out towards the greenery of the island. It was the closest uninhabited area to the institute, and the building Wanda was kept in was hardly stable.

"I heard the screaming."

Charles shuddered before turning to face his old friend. It was the fifth time that week he had tried to reach out to Wanda in her dreams while she was unconscious. Today, she had a dream she was back in Sokovia watching American TV with her family. Since Charles had called Erik, Wanda had not been completely awake for more than five minutes at a time. Though since he had arrived, her dreams became tame and familial. He suspected she sensed Erik's presence.

"I'm sorry Charles." Erik spoke, noticing Charles' nose bleed and already knowing the answer to his own question.

"Erik, every time your daughter uses her powers to alter reality, she loses more of her grasp on reality." Charles told him, having been given the time to think to himself. "And it's not getting better."

Erik sighed, looking at the ground before looking back up to respond.

"Is she asleep?" He asked, noticing the stillness of his environment. Something that may not be occurring if she was awake.

"Yes I "suggested" she sleep." Charles stated begrudgingly. "We can't keep drugging her and physically putting her to sleep. It's inhumane. And it's hardly foolproof." Charles hesitated. "And it's barely working." He added somewhat resentfully. He hated that this is what he had come to. Years of teaching ethics, and yet, when came this decision, he hesitated. The choice between helping a troubled woman or potentially saving his reality. Now he was drugging said woman, alongside endangering his planet.

Charles noticed how this must've been to Erik. He was hesitant to trust Charles' word that Wanda was in trouble. He believed it might've been a ploy to turn him in. It took seeing the pain of his daughter— his blood— suffering for him to stand down. For Magneto to finally put down the helmet and put a halt to his political squabbles.

"Stop blaming yourself, Erik. She's a grown woman." Charles spoke, breaking the silence between them. Erik gave a humourless chuckle.

"Stop reading my mind without permission." He responded, leaning up against the balcony's railing.

"I wasn't." Charles smiled slightly. Erik sighed, not so surprised that Charles still knew him so well. Well enough to know that he would put aside their petty rivalry for a brief moment just so that he could see his daughter— potentially for the last time— although he hated that thought.

"I can't help it, Charles." Erik began. "I was never there for my children. I destroyed whatever chance they had at a decent life. Because of what I believe. My war against the humans was more important than being there for their mother." He shook his head at himself. "When I found out I had children, I tried to find them. I really did. I just... Never should've been so careless." He finished, eyes watering ever so slightly.