Flying Free: My Hero Evolution Wings of Change (X-Men/My hero crossover)

Chapter 21: Friend or Foe?

Though it was almost noon, the mansion was silent. Logan and the others had returned with Deku in tow around 8:30, and everyone had waited until their safe return to go to bed. Well, almost everyone.

Professor X sat in his study massaging his temples as he stared at his computer screen, deflated by another empty hit on his database search of Dabi and the Hero Public Safety Commission.

Rogue, we are better with you whole. You are safe now. Rest assured you will always be safe here.

Frustrated, he pounds his head against his hand. "How can I keep them safe if I don't know anything about these people?!" He screamed, completely disregarding the sleeping mansion.

"Charles?" Hank said softly pushing the door open. "Is everything okay? If now's not a good time I can come back later."

"No, no. All is okay in here, come in. What's going on?"

Hank sighed, closing the door behind himself as he approached Professor X. "I just wanted to update you on Rouge and Hawks' current conditions. Look, I can come back later. You aren't looking great. Have you gotten any sleep?"

"Have you?" Professor X asked smirking.

"Well no, but the good news is that Rouge's injuries are minor. She's in her room fast asleep."

"And Keigo?"

"Well, that's news is not so great. He slipped into a coma."

The room was silent as Professor X processed Hank's words. "Thank you Hank. I'll go stay with him. Please go get some rest."

Professor X followed Hank out the door. They made their way silently through the halls until Hank split off to go to his room.

"You need sleep, too, Xavier. Get me if you need me."

"Thank you, Hank, for everything."

Unprepared for what he was about to see, Professor X entered the infirmary. Hawks, lying unconsciously in bed, his life reliant on the machine he was hooked up to. For fourth time in his adult life, Professor X wept.

Professor X was awaken hours later by Hawks' bedside to the sound of Hank reentering the infirmary. "Glad to see you got some sleep." Hank said. "Come with me, the others are waiting in the living room for us."

*********

Voices of the others could be heard as Professor X and Hank drew closer to the living room. The voices became silent as Hank and the Professor approached them.

The atmosphere was tense, with a somber cloud that hung overhead like a rain cloud ready to burst by the slightest of touch.

"How is he?" Jean asked cutting though the silence glancing towards Professor X and Hank.

"What about Rouge? Why don't we worry about our own first?" Scott asked.

"Look here, Shades. Feathers is one of us. He's no stranger. Technically, we raised in way, and he's blood to the Professor, unlike any of us." Logan said.

The room erupted again.

"STOP!" Rogue screamed from the corner as she jumped to her feet.

The whole room stopped to look at the distressed teen.

"We have a problem, people. A big problem. We can't afford to waste time fightin'. Whoever Hawks is dealin' with and whatever he is doin', it's not good."

"What level of 'not good' are we talking, Rogue?" Storm asked.

"We were lucky to get out of there. That guy Hawks is dealin' with is a complete psychopath. I guarantee we will see him again, and we need to be prepared."