XMFC/I'm going to count to three...

[guideshapelead]

The school is thriving and Charles couldn't be happier. Every day he gets to see his young protégés improve their abilities and their educations, and already he can see the young men and women that they will become. And despite all the stress that comes with the job title, Charles would not give up his role as head-master for anything. It means he gets the best of both worlds; group teaching and an overall view, as well as individual classes with every student in the mansion.

This afternoon he's inspecting the house training sessions, something he always enjoys, not only because he gets to see his young staff showing off their newly honed teaching skills. He starts with Erik's Silver house, before moving on to Sean's Green. When Charles turns up, Sean's testing the range of a young boy's telekinetic abilities whilst his housemates watch on, cheering and encouraging their friend.

But when Charles sees what Sean is using, his blood runs cold. He will never, ever forget the sight of that coin hovering in front of his - Shaw's - eyes. The apprehension as it moved closer, the blinding pain as it pushed right through his skull and brain. Pain enough to kill a man, that Charles had endured for Erik's sake, to give him his peace.

He cannot stay now, cannot watch the boy hover Sean's coins in the air. The sight makes him feel sick.

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[guideshapelead]

"But... breakfast," Charles complains as he cuddles in to Erik's warmth.

"I like breakfast."

[diecastking]

Erik sinks beneath the covers with Charles in his arms.

"I will bring you breakfast. In bed."

[guideshapelead]

"Promise?" Charles asks as he closes his eyes, relaxes as best he can, and wills sleep to take him soon.

[diecastking]

"Cross my heart," Erik mumbles, and lets his mind drift into calm thoughts that will carry them both to sleep.

[guideshapelead]

With Erik's calm radiating through his mind, it doesn't take long for Charles to fall asleep, his last thoughts being that he hopes he wakes up with tomorrow with little memory of the day just gone...

He's back with Sean, watching his training session, watching the young boy hover the coins in front of his nose. He's laughing happily, proud of himself, spurred on by the cheers and whoops of his housemates. Unable to control himself, Charles walks closer, turning to face the boy as he stands directly in front of him.

And then the boy begins to change, growing to adulthood at an alarming rate, face contorting and turning into Erik's before his very eyes. The classroom around them warps too, and just like that Charles is back behind Shaw's eyes on the beach in Cuba. Erik's hovering the coin, threatening to push it through his skull on the count of 3. He's begging, the panic overwhelming, knowing already how this is going to end and powerless to change it without sacrificing his friend. He cries and screams for Erik to stop, but the man is mad with vengeance. He does not listen.

And the coin pushes past his eyes, and the pain is blinding agony.

Charles wakes screaming, the pain echoing into the waking world.

[diecastking]

Erik remembers this day.

He feels powerful - finally able to put this demon to rest. Charles will understand. He will have to understand that there is nothing more powerful than vengeance.

But something is wrong. Someone is screaming in his mind.

He moves the coin. It is Destiny.

Suddenly, he sees Charles' eyes. He sees the coin enter Shaw's skull - and he feels it burn through his own head, an indescribable agony.

Erik wakes - and Charles is screaming.

He reaches for him instinctively, but his own mind is poison to him. He did that, to Charles. How can Charles ever forgive him that day?

[guideshapelead]

Charles slams a hand against his own forehead, as if to convince himself that there's no wound, no blood, and before he can help himself he's retching. Thankfully he has the good sense to twist, head hanging over the edge of their bed.

[diecastking]

Erik leans over him, rubbing circles into his back and trying to breathe. But the pain isn't fading and the images he saw is burned into his mind.

"Ch-Charles," he rasps, trying to reassure himself that his lover is indeed alive. That he hasn't split open his head.

[guideshapelead]

Charles takes a deep, shuddering breath and wipes at the back of his mouth with the back of his hand. He feels shaky and sick, but he's alive. Just like last time, he's left with nothing but the memory of the horror.

Not realising that Erik's seen his dream, Charles feels he has to try and explain himself. "B-bad dream," he manages.

[diecastking]

Erik swallows down his rising bile.

"Me. Pushing that five Reichsmark piece of silver through your head." Erik fights back tears. "But it wasn't just a dream, was it?"

[guideshapelead]

Charles swears - a rare thing indeed - as he realises that he's shared his dream with Erik. It's happened before, but never over something he'd never wanted Erik to find out about.

"I..." he starts and stops, doesn't know what to say.

"What's done is done, Erik. It's in the past."

[diecastking]

Erik stares at Charles incredulously.

"I could have killed you. Twice that day. How can you forgive me? How can you even stand to look at me?"

[guideshapelead]

Charles feels drained, sick to his stomach, and he really doesn't want this conversation now. But there's no escape; he doesn't particularly want to go back to sleep either.

"I could have pulled out of Shaw's mind any time I wanted to," Charles points out, choosing to close his eyes rather than look into Erik's.

"But I didn't. Because I couldn't bear to see you hurt. I stand by what I did. It was my decision."

[diecastking]

Erik looks at his hands, at the memory of that coin seared into his palm.

"I don't regret killing Shaw," he says quietly. He know Charles can never condone murder, but Erik is a soldier, before he is a lover and a father. Death is in his bones.

"But that I hurt you, that you died with him," Erik shakes his head, unable to stop the tears overspilling his eyes, " I would rather die."

[guideshapelead]

"I didn't die," Charles points out, deciding against mentioning that the pain of dying without the oblivion of death was probably far worse.

"Please, do not wish yourself dead. Not ever."

[diecastking]

Erik doesn't rub at the tears, because he can't admit them - even after all this time.

"I mean it," he says quietly, then shakes his head. "But I wouldn't choose to leave you, Charles. You or Scott. Even if his father is a monster."

[guideshapelead]

"You're no monster, Erik," Charles sighs, exhausted. His head still hurts from the force of the nightmare.

"You did what you had to do to find your peace."

[diecastking]

Erik suddenly turns to him - he doesn't want to be alone anymore.

With a trembling hand, he reaches out to stroke the centre of Charles' forehead, unmarked.

"You are my peace," he confesses. "You were right, about Shaw. I should've listened to you, Charles."

[guideshapelead]

"And then what?" Charles somehow still has the sense of mind to think rationally.

"Would you be at peace now, with me and Scott and the school? Would you have put a ring on my finger? Or would you be out there hunting Shaw down, regretting that you didn't take your chance at him when you could have?"

[diecastking]

Erik slowly shakes his head.

"I would've hunted him to the ends of the earth. I was my revenge - it's all I lived and breathed for years."

[guideshapelead]

"Precisely."

Charles manages to open his eyes, looking directly up into Erik's.

"You did what you had to do. I understand that, Erik."

[diecastking]

Erik folds Charles into his arms, clinging to him.

"The price was too high," he murmurs against Charles' ear. "I should have found another way."

[guideshapelead]

"No, the price was just fine," Charles shakes his head.

"Look what you have now."

[diecastking]

Erik stills Charles' head with a hand cradling his skull, as if he can contain the horrors within.

"Your legs," he says thickly. "Your dreams. What more will I ask of you to have my peace, Charles?"

[guideshapelead]

"No more," Charles promises.

"We have our peace, now, don't we?"