New Divide

New Divide: 66

The journey back to the mansion by both plane and car was silent. Not a lot was said, not that there was a whole lot to speak about. Everyone knew that things had escalated to a different level. Things just couldn't go simply. This whole thing just couldn't be resolved simply. That would be asking for too much clearly.

“Water, coffee, beer and whiskey?” Margo suggested with a smirk only to get a look shot at her by Logan. She thought her drink suggestions were quite apt and suited to her friends.

“You have beer?”

“Yes,” Margo looked at him oddly. “Do you not in the future?” Margo said in an equally strange tone that suited her expression. She didn't quite know what future he came from if there was no beer, or subsequently other types of alcohol.

“This is a school,” Logan said while the two walked into the foyer. “So no, there's no alcohol.”

“It's not a school at the moment, so yes, there's alcohol.” Margo countered while walking backwards with her arms crossed. “Not that I’m allowed any.”

“Lightweight?” Logan asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Possibly highly destructive when drunk, actually.” Charles answered for her while shutting the door behind him. She could be destructive without thinking much about it, perish the thought of her being drunk and destructive.

“Ever put that to the test?”

“No!” Margo exclaimed and rubbed her chin in thought, her and Logan exchanged a smug look before turning serious and looking to Charles as he exclaimed and fell to the floor. “Charles!” Margo exclaimed and rushed past Logan to fall to the ground on her knees by his side.

“What happened?” Logan asked while turning and watching as Hank tried to get Charles to stand, only to fail.

“Come on, up.” Hank pressed while trying again only to fail.

“Why can't he walk?” Logan asked generally confused by this situation.

“He needs his treatment.” Hank said while looking from Charles to Logan.

With a pained noise Charles placed his hands over his ears and shut his eyes tightly. “Hank, I can hear them!” He exclaimed sounding truly in pain.

“It's ok, I’ll make it stop. I’ll get it,” Hank turned and ran off in search of some serum.

“Hey, hey, pull yourself together. It's not over yet.” Logan said seriously while stepping closer to the pair.

Charles looked up at him with some clarity. “You don't believe that.”

“How do you know?”

“As these go,” Charles said while pointing to his legs. “This comes back. They all come back!” Charles said while tapping himself on the head and fidgeting in pain. He tried pushing himself up against the wall behind him in a search of some sort of comfort, only to fail.

“Can't you do something?” Logan asked looking to Margo, she was already knelt by his side with one of his hands tightly holding onto one of hers. She looked up at him with a frown and looked from Charles to him.

“Would you care for me to knock him out?” It would certainly be one way to rid him of pain for the moment. Though he'd still wake up in pain.

“I'd rather you didn't,” Charles said in a strained voice while looking at her with slightly teary eyes. “Even if you meant the best intentions,” he said heavily while looking to the stairs, where was Hank and why was he taking so long?

Margo smiled sadly, placing a hand against his cheek she carefully pulled him towards herself. Shutting her eyes she leant her forehead against his. Charles slowly slid his eyes shut too and shakily reached up to place a hand against her shoulder. She gave the slightest of winces as he held onto her tightly, but for the most part she remained calm faced.

This was not the first time that she had obviously seen him have such a reaction. Before he fully retreated into himself, he had woken in the night near enough screaming in agony. It hadn't been that long after he started using the serum, it was also then that Hank realized he'd have to make it stronger for him.

But of course, hearing someone screaming bloody murder caused both Hank and Margo to rush to him. Finding him near enough convulsing from the pain which was erupting in his skull, the two had parted ways. Hank to find something to ease him, and Margo to stay with him.

It was at this time which she had oddly remembered something her mother had once said to her. Perhaps one of few comforting things she had been told. That the more attention focussed on a pain, the worse it became. For this reason it was best to focus on something else.

When it came to the power of the mind, Margo was greatly outmatched by Charles. But by being close, or even leaning against him gently, she seemed to create a link which gave him something to focus on.

Though when he did for the first time he was confronted with: “I'll be good. I wish I could. I get this message over to you now. When you see me again. I hope that you have been. The kind of person you really are now.” She was singing in her mind, and seeing as how her voice was the only one singing he had latched onto it. Though, her choice in song caused him to frown. He often thought she chose that song purposely considering she naturally preferred the him before the serum injections.

Being subjected to her reciting song lyrics had oddly calmed him enough until Hank appeared. But this time Margo just sat quietly, she had nothing to say for this matter and simply allowed him in. It wasn't exactly wise, with him naturally came the pain which plagued him. A problem halved is a problem shared seemed quite apt for the moment at hand.

“Look,” Logan said while Margo finally leant away from Charles. She simply rested her head on top his when he leant his head against her shoulder. He opened his eyes hearing Logan's voice but it was hard to focus on something other than the echoing pain in his head. “I'm still here. She's still out there. But we need your help, Charles. Not like this, I need you. We can't find Raven, not without your powers.” Logan said while watching as Margo seemed to give a small agreeing nod while running her fingers gently through his hair. At least someone agreed with him, all he got from Charles was silence and pained looks.

Hearing footsteps approaching Charles quickly leant away from Margo and reached up to take the syringe from Hank's extended hand. “I added a little extra cause you missed a dose.” He explained while ignoring the irritated look on Margo's face and the slightly disappointed one which flitted onto Logan's.

“Charles,” Logan said quietly while watching as he went to insert the needle into his skin. He looked up at him with pained eyes before looking back to the needle in his hand. With a new sense of will power he sighed heavily and placed it to one side.

Running a hand down his face he looked up at Hank. “Hank, do me a favour. Would you help me to my study, please?”

“Alright,” Hank said while moving closer and placing one arm around his shoulders. Hoisting him up the two of them commenced their walk to his study.

“The grinning is a little worrying,” Logan said while holding a hand out and helping Margo to stand. She had after all rather quickly started grinning when she watched Charles decline the serum.

“You get used to it, trust me!” Charles called over his shoulder while turning into his study.

Margo smiled and looked up at Logan as they followed quickly after them. “What can I say? I like to smile.”

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(A/N: Sly and the Family Stone - If You Want Me To Stay, have some 1973 tuneage, enjoy xD)