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

Part 30

Kate stared at the gloved hand stretched out to her. She looked up at the helmet framed face and a tear slipped down her cheek.

"I don't know you." she choked out.

The hand lowered down to his side. For an second he seemed to return but the mask came back, cold and calculating.

Before she could change her mind she teleported back out onto the beach. Falling down to all fours she gasped for air, having not yet regained much strength and energy yet.

Charles stumbled weakly towards her. He grasped the shaking shoulders. "Are you alright?" he asked worriedly.

Kate smiled at his usual worry and got up. "I'm fine, are you alr-"

"Today our fighting stops!" Erik floated out of the submarine gracefully, Shaw suspended in the air in front of him. He landed on the ground softly.

"Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters. The real enemy is out there. I feel their guns moving in the water. Their metal, targeting us. Americans, Soviets, humans. United in their fear of the unknown. The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow mutants!"

He turned to the telepath holding his love protectively by the waist. "Go ahead, Charles. Tell me I'm wrong."

Charles hesitated slightly before putting his fingers to his temple. A shocked yet disappointed look flitted across his face. He looked at Moira and nodded. She quickly hurried into the damaged plane. They could hear her attempts from outside. Charles looked at Kate. She was looking out the ships.

"Is this it?" she asked him. "Is this the end of our story? Charlie?" Her eyes, the constantly whirling colors caused him sorrow, though it was not sadness that was in them.

"I don't know." he admitted. "I truly don't know." But deep down they all knew. He held her hand tightly in his.

The missiles shot out from the water, slowly and deadly. As they made their way to the little patch of land Erik put his hand out. The weapons creaked and groaned as they slowly turned around.

"Erik!" Charles called up to his friend "you said it yourself, we're the better men. This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of men on those ships. Good, honest, innocent men! They're just following orders."

Erik looked at him and turned back to the little dots that peppered the bright sky. "I've been at the mercy of men just following orders. Never again."

He released his palm and the missiles began to make their way back to where they came from.

"No!" Charles shouted and rushed at him. A fight soon escalated between the two men. The deadly weapons would stop and drop down only to be picked up again.

Kate stretched out both her hands and portals appeared. By twos and threes she picked them and they went through and appeared even higher up than before. Erik tried to hurry them and flew them closer and closer.

Kate's eyes suddenly sparkled a bright electric blue. One by one the electricity and wires inside the missiles exploded the shells.

As she came down to the last few, they were exceedingly close the ships. Gun shots suddenly went off. As Kate destroyed the last one a piercing cry cut through the air. She watched as the man she loved fell down.

"Charles." she said as she felt the wind knocked out of lungs. "Charlie!"

She teleported to his side and collapsed down onto her knees. She took his hand as she watched him grit his teeth in pain

"I'm so sorry." Erik said to both of them, dropping down beside Charles.  Delicately with his powers, he pulled the bullet out. Anger flared in his eyes, looking up at Moira. "You! You did this!" The dog-tags around her throat begun to tighten.

"Erik, stop, please!" Kate cried as Moira's eyes started to roll to the back of her head.

Charles put a hand on his friend's forearm. "Please. She didn't do this, Erik. You did."

Erik let go of the chain abruptly. "Us turning on each other, it's what they want." he said looking at his dear friend. "I tried to warn you, Charles. I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us, together. Protecting each other. We want the same thing."

Charles smiled sadly and tears filled his eyes. "My friend, I'm sorry. But we do not."

Erik's head bent low down. He nodded and patted his friends shoulder farewell. He got up and addressed the other mutants. "The society won't accept us. We form our own. The humans have played their hand. Now we get ready to play ours. Who's with me?"  he held his hand out again to Kate. "No more hiding."

She looked at the man lying down before her and then back up at the man standing straight and proud. Indicating for Moira to take her place, she gently slipped her fingers out from Charles's. Everyone fell silent. She walked up towards the man with his hand stretched out.

"I don't know you." she said again. "This isn't the Erik I know. This isn't my Erik." With slight hesitation, he took off the helmet. The warm gleam returned to his eyes. She smiled. "Now this is the Erik I know."

"Come with me." he whispered. "Please, I love you. I know you love me too."

Kate took another step forward and putting her palm on his face, she closed the gap. It was a short, sweet, sad kiss.

"I love you." she whispered as they rested their foreheads. He smiled.

"But... I love him more." she finished with a choke and a tear. His smile slipped away and he nodded. "I'm sorry Erik."

He wiped away her tears. "It is alright. I understand." Gently he kissed her again. "Auf weidersehen meine Liebe. Think of your Erik sometimes."

Kate saw a tear run down the side of his face unashamedly as she took her place back from Moira. She looked away from everyone, especially Charles, not being able to look at him just yet.

Raven stepped towards Erik but instead turned to her brother. She knelt down and took his hand.

"You...you should go with him." Charles said looking up into her face lovingly. "It's what you want.

She smiled. "You promised me you would never read my mind."

He laughed slightly. "I know. I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid. I'm sorry." Taking Raven's hand he kissed it. She bent down and kissed his forehead. Straitening up she took one of Kate's hands which rested on Charles's.

"Take care of him." Kate nodded back and pressed her friend's hand. Letting go, Kate watched as Raven joined Erik's side. "And Beast?" Raven called out to Hank. "Never forget, mutant and proud."

Then disappeared in a cloud of red smoke. Hank was the first that for to Charles.

"Charles, don't move. Okay?" The new furry blue face could not hide Hank's worry. Charles nodded and looked up at Kate.

"I won't." Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes. His voice shook. "Actually, I can't...I...I can't feel my legs!"

Kate could feel her eyes blurring up as well. "What?" she gasped.

"I can't feel my legs!" he cried over and over, shattering her heart with each cry. "I can't feel my legs!"

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Date - Sunday, 8 November, 2020
Word count - 1,192

Next part is the epilogue! Wahhhh!😢😭

Sorry I had to end it this abruptly, but I'm really tired.

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C. Riverbend