guideshapelead | XMFC/Hank's in trouble...

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XMFC/Hank's in trouble...

To both his annoyance and amusement, Charles has been watched like a hawk by Erik ever since the disastrous trial run of Cerebro. Recovered from the side-effects of the modified machine, Charles can appreciate his lover's concern, is even touched by it, but he honestly feels back to full health. He's got a lot of bruises, but besides that, he really can't complain.

Two nights after his experiment with Cerebro, Charles is lying in bed, head buried in a book. Whilst academia is no longer his life, he still tries hard to keep up to date with the latest genetics research and publications. Since he's barely been allowed out of bed, for the last two days, he's come a long way in catching up.

At the end of the chapter, Charles closes the book, sensing Erik's approach. It's late - past his lover's normal bedtime - and he has to admit to feeling more than a little tired himself. As he rolls to place the book on the bedside table, he's bothered by a momentary sensation of pins and needles throughout his whole body, but it's gone as quickly as it came. He's almost forgotten about it when the world goes black around him.

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Erik gently runs his fingers over the bruise, now terrified that Charles may have seriously injured his head.

Deciding that he has to leave him to fetch help, he places one last kiss on Charles' forehead before sprinting out of the door and down the corridor to Hank's room.

He bangs on the door and pushes it open. "Charles had a fit. I need you now."

And he's already racing back before Hank's even acknowledged him.

Erik's gone before the words even register, though when they do Hank comes running.

The Professor looks terrible to Hank's eyes as he examines him, pale and clammy with a bruised forehead, the eyes that watch him close to completely blank. His mind seems to have all but shut down, to compensate for the extreme activation that's just occurred.

Still, otherwise he seems alright. Bruised, but nothing broken. The bite to his tongue is minor.

"He'll live," he promises Erik when he's done checking Charles over.

"'He'll live?'"

Rage fills Erik, sweeping away his better sense, and before he knows what's happening, he has hold of Hank's pyjama top.

"Your machine did this to him. And now this is what it's going to be - forever? He can't live like this! This isn't living."

"He won't remember any of this," Hank tries to calm Erik, nervously pushing his glasses up his nose.

"It looks far worse than it actually is, I assure you."

Erik shakes him, consumed by his anger.

"He can't remember his own name! He doesn't know me. He's exhausted - how can he run a school like this?"

Erik snarls then lets him go, pushing Hank away from him.

"You've killed that dream. You've shot him more surely than I ever did on that beach."

"No..." The hurt is clear in Hank's voice. He knows better than Erik, knows that epilepsy can be treated and controlled relatively easily, but the accusations still cut deep. Regardless of how easy the seizures are to control, the point still stands that Charles' life will have to change.

And that is his fault.

"I can treat him," he offers. "This is my fault, you're right. And you're right that things won't be the same. But the dream's not dead. He can still do all of that."

Erik forces himself to let go of his anger. He can't know what's best for Charles with his mind full of rage. What he wouldn't give for some of Charles' serenity right now.

"Treat him how?"

"There are drugs he can take," Hank explains, trying to keep calm. He knows apologising won't do any good, right now. It won't change anything.

"They should keep his brain activity normal."

"Should? And if they don't?"

Erik is calmer now and he sits on the edge of their bed, settling his fingers in Charles' hair.

"Then we experiment until we find something that does." Hank sounds more confident than he feels, not wanting to let Erik down - let Charles down - any further than he already has.

Erik nods, watching Charles silently. They've overcome his paralysis, they've come together, and now this? He cannot accept they won't get through this and he wants to believe Hank's words.

"Thank you," he says tightly. "I'll watch him."

"I'll consider medication," Hank promises, starting to back from the room. "Call for me, if there's any problems."

He lingers a moment in the doorway. "I'm sorry," he finally apologises. Helpful or not, he needs to say it.

Erik meets Hank's eye and says steadily: "It's not your fault. I...I'm sorry."

Regardless of blame, Hank now knows that Cerebro has affected Charles' brain for good. The seizure the other day hadn't been a one off, after all. Still learning to cope with life in a wheelchair, Charles now has this to think about to.

And all because he'd modified Cerebro. He sure as hell feels to blame, regardless of Erik's words.

Face sad, he nods his acceptance of Erik's apology and beats a hasty retreat.

Erik watches the boy leave. He closes the door with his power and hastily changes for bed, throwing on his sweatpants and crawling into bed beside Charles.

He spoons up behind him, drawing him into his chest to keep him on his side during the night. "It's going to be fine."

"'rik?" The movement brings Charles back to consciousness. He's exhausted, and confused, but at least he's lucid again.

"I'm here," Erik says, kissing the side of Charles' neck. "Go back to sleep."

"Did... did it happen again?" Charles remembers more this time, remembers reading in bed and sensing Erik heading in his direction. And then... nothing. It's the same black hole in his memory as the day he reportedly used Cerebro.

Erik pulls Charles closer to him. "Yes."

He allows it a moment to sink in, then adds, "Hank is going to look at medication in the morning."

"I don't remember anything," Charles admits, thinking that that's probably a blessing.

He tries to twist himself in Erik's arms, wanting to see his lover's face, but he finds himself completely drained of energy. He can barely move.

Erik wordlessly completes the movement, so that Charles is facing him. The bruise on his temple is florid now and will only be worse come morning.

Erik kisses it, then kisses Charles' lips. "It stopped by itself this time, but you hit your head."

"I do have a headache," Charles admits. Then again, everything else aches too. He feels like he's run a marathon, or like he's gripped in some fever.

"I was just putting the book down..." he frowns, trying to fill the void in his memory.

Erik nods. "I heard it fall when I was on the stairs. Don't think about it - go to sleep."

"Is this..." Charles doesn't want to sleep, struggling to get his thoughts back together.

"Is this going to keep happening?"

Erik doesn't want to worry Charles when he's unwell, but he doesn't want to lie to him either.

"Hank thinks they can be controlled with medication."

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