guideshapelead | XMFC/Rebuilding Cerebro

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XMFC/Rebuilding Cerebro

Charles is busy at work in his office, trying to finalise plans for turning the mansion into the school that's become his dream, when a knock comes at his door. Sensing for who his visitor is, the professor smiles when he recognises the feel of Hank's mind.

"Come on in," he calls, smiling up at his friend in the doorway. "Do you bring me good news?"

"I do." What passes for a smile crosses Beast's face. "I've finished all my tests. Cerebro is fully functional, once again, and the reach should be even greater than it was before."

"Wonderful, Hank, thank you!" Charles is already moving away from his desk, not wanting to waste another moment. He wants to test the device, right now. If it really is ready, then he and Erik can start their recruitment drive once again. They can have their school.

//Cerebro is ready// he sends the message to Erik before following Hank from his office, trusting his lover to meet them there.

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Erik is in the garage working on an old motorcycle when he hears Charles' voice in his mind.

He scowls.

Throwing down his wrench, Erik stalks out of the garage, heading towards the feel of Charles' mind which is too close to the Danger Room for his liking.

On the way, he collects Alex from the kitchen. If something goes wrong, he need someone who'll help him drag Charles from the lab's clutches.

Charles and Hank are waiting for Erik - and Alex - by the doors to the room Hank has been converting for Cerebro.

"It's quite different from the last model," Beast is explaining to Charles as the others appear. "The larger the space, the further the reach."

"And is there some way to make sure it won't kill him?" Erik says, as calmly as possible, laying a protective hand on Charles' shoulder and glaring at the doors as if they're the Gates to Hell.

"The Professor coped with the previous build just fine," Hank answers Erik rather coolly, annoyed that his own skills are being called into question.

"I have increased the strength, but otherwise the build is identical. I'm sure he will be just fine." And with that, he opens the door on the cavern that is Cerebro.

Erik holds his tongue, knowing that Hank is right and that Charles wants this. His lover has always encouraged him to stretch his limits - and he should do the same for Charles.

"Yes, of course," Erik says, struggling to sound like he means it.

"'He' is within hearing distance," Charles points out, before falling silent as the door opens onto a vast cavern, a gangway seemingly hanging in thin air and leading towards the console he remembers from Cerebro's original build.

"This is incredible, Hank," he can't hide the awe from his voice.

Erik can't help but be impressed. Alex gives a low whistle. "How'd you manage this, bozo? You could fit the swimming pool in here."

Erik follows Charles, sticking close by him and drinking in the machinery. It's come a long way from loose wires and a bicycle helmet.

"It's simpler than it looks," Hank comments, and leaves it at that. He's aware that Charles has seen the new headset, and that's where his attention should be.

"There's no real difference as far as you're concerned, Professor," he tells Charles. "Open your mind to the mutants, and the coordinates will be recorded. And... say stop, if you feel overwhelmed." Hank can't imagine how it feels, to actually be hooked into Cerebro. He doesn't know whether the increased strength will make things harder for Charles to control.

Now that it comes down to it, Erik has difficulty controlling his fear.

"The moment you feel overwhelmed," Erik prompts.

"I'll be fine," Charles tries to calm Erik's worries, giving him a warm and honest smile. He's not concerned at all; he remembers the pull from the first version of Cerebro, and he's prepared to feel it again now. And if it's stronger that before? So's he.

Reaching for the headpiece, he lowers it down onto his head, waiting for Hank to do whatever's necessary to start the system up.

"Are you sure you won't shave your h-"

"No, Hank."

Erik steps forward, not caring about the children as he kisses Charles on the lips.

"Good luck," he says.

Rolling his eyes at Erik, Charles reaches for his hand. "Don't ruin this for me, Erik," he repeats his words from the last time they were in this situation.

Taking a deep breath, bracing himself for the surge of information that'll be filling his head in a minute, Charles nods to Hank to flick the switch.

The flood is immediate, and no memory was ever going to be vivid enough to fully prepare Charles for the way Cerebro makes him feel. He can barely remember how to breathe as every single sense is taken over by his visions, mutant after mutant flying past his eyes. Frowning, he tries to slow the stream, tries to concentrate on one mutant at a time, tries to focus. It's harder than he remembers, and by the time he has one face in his mind - a young girl, dark skinned with shocking white hair - his head is pounding. He focusses for as long as he can, before letting the girl go, but it does nothing to stop the pounding behind his eyes.

In fact, it's just getting worse and worse.

"Stop!" He finds himself begging, the pain in his head excruciating now. "P-please, stop."

And the world goes black.

"GET IT OFF HIM."

Erik is at Charles' side instantly, the whine of dying machinery in his ears, but he's not prepared for the twitching in Charles' right hand.

And then his arm, and suddenly Charles is shaking violently.

Erik grabs hold of Charles, pulling him out of the chair and into his lap, struggling to contain the convulsions ripping through his body.

"What's happening to him?" he says, voice filling with panic.

"A seizure, most likely," Hank's voice is lined with worry and guilt as he drops to Erik's side, watching Charles closely. He's hoping that this passes quickly.

Erik turns on Hank, filled with rage. "You did this to him! Make it stop!"

He grips his lover tightly, terrified now.

"Let him go," Hank tries to think rationally, not easy to do when the Professor's convulsing violently in Erik's arms.

"The more you try and keep him still, the more damage he's likely to do himself. I'll see when drugs I can find to make this stop." And with that he's on his feet and running from the room.

Erik can't let go. He can't put Charles on the floor any more than he could stab his lover through the heart.

Still, he lets Charles hit at him, battering his chest, nauseated by the parody of movement he sees in Charles' legs.

Alex is standing awkwardly behind him, wringing his hands and waiting for Hank to come back.

Charles is still convulsing when Hank reappears a minute later, carrying what looks like half of his laboratory in his arms. He curses as he sees no change in the Professor, having hoped that he'd stop without medical help.

"I should have something here..." he tries to keep calm as he starts going through the medicines in his possession.

"Find something now!"

Erik is torn between rage and terror, his mind filling with catastrophe. What if Charles doesn't stop? What if Charles doesn't wake up? What if Charles dies in his arms?

Hank rummages faster and digs out a bottle of phenobarbital, drawing it up quickly and enlisting Alex to hold Charles' arm.

He sinks it into the vein, depresses the plunger - and waits.

Charles continues to jerk madly for a moment after the drug is administered, before he finally begins to still. Eyes closing, his head turns in towards Erik's chest as he falls into a deep sleep.

Erik is both relieved and horrified. He listens for Charles' breathing, placing his palm flat against his chest to feel his heartbeat.

His own heart pounding in his chest, he carefully lifts Charles off the floor and into his arms, carrying him out of that torture chamber.

He hears Alex saying to Hank behind him: "He will wake up, won't he?"

"He should do," Hank can't give a better answer than that, feeling absolutely wretched with guilt.

Following Erik out, he hovers at his side, wanting to make sure that the Professor really does wake up.

Erik knows that Charles hates the indignity of Hank's lab, so he carries him towards the lift and the comfort of their bedroom.

"Alex, I need you to tell the others that Charles...is unwell and sleeping it off. Try not to worry them."

Then, Erik rounds on Hank. "And haven't you done enough?"

"Erik..." Hank manages to sound hurt, even with the gruffness of his voice.

"I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry..."

Erik shuts his eyes, holding Charles closer to him, and reins in his temper. Charles would berate him for hurting Hank and, God, he wishes Charles would wake up to shout at him.

"It's not your fault," he says, and finds that he means it.

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