Flickers (Charles Xavier)

Chapter 35

Silence reigned across Cairo.

En Sabah Nur had finally been destroyed.

Iris felt as though she were underwater, her movements slow and her vision blurry. She was aware of a hand tucked inside of hers, and she glanced to her right. Jean stood beside her, blinking at the destruction all around them. The two of them were so overwhelmed by the uncontrolled release of their powers, that they were having trouble snapping out of their exhausted daze.

Iris still felt uneasy. Only minutes before, she'd been En Sabah Nur's weapon. The thought made her skin crawl. She shook her head as she tried to process the events since En Sabah Nur had taken control of Cerebro.

She heard a flurry of movement behind her, accompanied by voices. She blinked and turned around. She caught sight of Hank and Moira, leaning over Charles' body.

Charles.

Iris glanced up and caught Jean's eye. Jean nodded gently, and they released hands. After a pause, Iris took a step forwards. Hank glanced up at her, his eyes shining. He appeared slightly hesitant, and Iris felt herself flinch when she recalled her fight with him.

"Is he alright?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly. Hank leant back as she fell down to her knees beside him. A strangled cry escaped her. Charles' body was still, his eyes closed. He wasn't breathing. She couldn't speak.

Hank reached out and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her towards him gently.

"He's gone." Hank's voice was low. Iris squeezed her eyes shut, trying to steady her breaths. Devastation crashed into her all at once. She'd lost Charles. She'd been unable to save him because she'd been someone else. She couldn't believe how weak she felt. She should have been able to fight En Sabah Nur's abilities to control her, not just given in. She felt her body trembling as she started to sob, and Hank tightened his grip on her. She'd been so foolish and wasted the last few months away from Charles. Now she was paying the price – he was gone and she hadn't been able to hug him, kiss him, hold his hand, tell him how much she –

"No he's not." Jean's voice rang out, "I can still feel him."

Iris opened her eyes as Jean rushed forwards and sat beside them. Slowly, she reached out and brushed her hand against Charles' temple. Iris held her breath.

His eyes opened.

*

Charles was in so much pain. His mind hurt so much. En Sabah Nur had challenged him within his mind in a way he'd never even thought possible. It had been such a strain.

The last thing he remembered was calling out to Jean and telling her to unleash her powers. It had worked, because En Sabah Nur was gone.

But everything hurt, and Charles didn't know where he was. Faintly, he could hear voices around him, but they hurt his head even more. He felt half awake, as if he could fall asleep any moment. If he fell asleep, would he wake up? Or would he slip away forever? The urge to sleep tugged at him, pulling him further and further into darkness. He tried to fight it, but he couldn't. He was slipping away, the voices getting fainter and fainter...

A new voice entered his mind.

Professor.

He recognised it. Jean. It was Jean.

He blindly fumbled for the voice, reaching out and holding onto it. The darkness was fading. Jean was leading him away from the darkness.

His eyes fluttered open, and he squinted as he tried to adjust to the bright light. There were figures crouched around him. Moira was on one side, her eyes wide with worry. Jean was beside her, a look of relief on her face. He could see Hank too, in his natural blue form, clutching onto someone beside him. Charles blinked again.