Ocean Eyes : X-Men First Class VOLUME 1 of Prism Series

Part 14

The car pulled up with a squeal. You watched as they all got out of the car, Charles immediately headed to us.

"Raven." he called. She got up and hugged him. You gazed at the pebble in between his feet.

"We've made arrangements for you to be taken home immediately." he said looking at all of you after pulling away from Raven.

"We're not going home." Sean said.

"What?" Charles looked at him as if he'd lost his marbles.

"He's not going back to prison." you looked at Sean who motioned to Alex sitting next to him, "and Kate doesn't even have a home to go to."

"Thanks for reminding me." you grumbled, though no one heard you.

"He killed Darwin." Alex exclaimed. The words hit you like a ton of bricks.

Charles made a sour face. "All the more reason for you to leave, this is over."

'Leave for where?' you thought.

"Darwin's dead Charles and we can't even bury him." Raven said agreeing with Alex, her words feeling a like another thousand tons on top of Alex's ton of bricks.

No, I killed him. I could have stopped him but I didn't. I could have teleported and saved him. That death was meant for me.

"Kate?" you looked up at Charles. "Are you alright?" you followed his line of eyesight to your hands which were trembling like crazy. You clasped them together.

"Yeah," you gave a weak laugh. "stupid tremors."

"Katie, it wasn't your fault." you heard his voice in your head. "Stop blaming yourself."

"Get out of my head Charles. Please, Darwin's just died and your reading my thoughts?" you snapped at him, putting up the barrier you had accidentally forgotten. "Raven's right. He's gone. There's nothing we can even do."

"We can avenge him." we all turned to Erik.

"Erik, a word please." Charles said sounding displeased. After discussing together in hushed voices they turn around.

"We'll have to train. All of us yes?" Charles said . You smiled at him, this time genuinely.

"We can't stay here," Hank pointed out. "even if they reopen the department it's not safe. We've got nowhere to go."

There was a moment of sad silence that was cut by Charles.

"Yes we do." he said looking at Raven.

========

"Wow." you gasp at the sight of the mansion.

"I'm glad you find it to your liking." Raven said gleefully.

"This is yours?" Sean asked, awed at the sight as much as you.

"No, it's ours." Charles replied with a proud smile plastered on his face.

"Honestly Charles, I don't know how you survived living in such hardship."
Erik joked making you laugh at his words. His face colored from its usual pale to a slight pink.

Raven countered him. "Well, it was a hardship softened by me." she said walking up to Charles. You smiled at the sight as he wrapped an arm over her and kissed her temple.

"Come on, time for the tour." she said leading us to the mansion.

Raven showed us all the rooms and the bathrooms, telling who would be staying where. You excused yourself to the bathroom and on the way back saw Charles in  the kitchen.

Making sure there was no one in earshot you went in.

"Hey Charlie." you called. He jumped at your voice.

"Yes love?" he immediately blushed realizing what he'd called you. You laughed, slightly flushed.

"It's okay, I like it." you said shyly reassuring him.

You jumped onto the counter and watched him make a peanut butter honey sandwich.

"You know, I've got to confess, I'm not used to being surprised. I can normally hear what's about to happen. But you just keep surprising me, even just the smallest matters." he said pouting.

"Well, seems like I'm full of surprises." you said sarcastically. "While on the topic of confessions, whenever I would go to different places I always loved the huge mansions and castles. Sometimes I'd teleport inside and just sleep in the farthest guest room and breath in the smell of old wood. Really, I always wanted a house like this."

Charles hopped onto the counter next to you. He tore the sandwich in half and gave it to you. You both munched on it in comfortable silence.

"About Darwin-" he started.

"Charlie, I don't want to talk about it now. Maybe later." you suggested.  He nodded in understanding and went back to eating.

When the honey started to drip onto your fingers he got off the top and pulled out a plate.

When he handed it to you it was too late. The sandwich had disappeared into the depths of your stomach. He shook his head but you could see a smile playing on his lips.

"Wash your hands and follow me, I've got something to show you." he said with a full mouth and walked out.

When you caught up with him he showed you into a room stock full of books.

"I've got a book for you to read. Just give me a moment." he said. He walked around, drumming his fingers and muttering to himself while you spun around in circles, taking in all the books.

"Shaw rarely gave me books to read." you said sitting in a chair. "It just made me love them more."

Charles arched an eyebrow before going back to looking for his book. "What kind did he make you read?" he asked, picking out a book and putting it back in.

You shrugged. "Bits of this and that, but I don't think he gave me fiction."

"A-ha!" he exclaimed. He held the book in his hands and walked towards you.

"Kate, you can come down here anytime you want. I meant what I said, this is your home now." he said with a twinkle in his eyes.

"You really mean it? That this place, is ours?" you said tearing up slightly.

He nodded, his face beaming. "One fellow mutant to another. Welcome home love."

Squealing with delight you hopped in place clapping your hands like a little child, before launching yourself into his arms.

" I've never had a place to call home. Thank you." you whispered.

Pulling away he handed you the book. Pride and Prejudice. You raised an eyebrow.

"It's a classic, and it's well written. Raven likes it though she won't admit it." he explained.

"Okay, I'll read it later. Thanks again Charlie."

Then on an impulse you leaned forward and gave him a small peck on the cheek before teleporting to the main stairs, scaring the crap out of Hank who had been an innocent passerby.

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Date - Saturday, 5 July, 2020
Time - 2:37 a.m.
Word count - 1128

My dad watches me really closely now. I have to wait until it's 2 or 3 to write.

Drawing by me. This is the cropped one, the next part has the full picture.

C. Riverbend