English is not my
native language. Please forgive me my mistakes.
Disclaimer: "X-men" and all the characters
here belong to Marvel, 20 Century Fox and I intend no infringement, this is a
piece of amateur fan fiction, and I make no money of it.
Only the original idea contained within
this work is the property of the author. Please do not copy this story to any
website or archive without permission of the author.
Timeline: Set in
the movie universe. After the movie.
Universe: Set in
the movie universe; NOT the book which goes with it.
Romance: Light
Charles/Erik, light Scott/Jean, light Logan/Rogue
Summary: Scott
visits Erik in prison and sees some truths he never questioned
before
Archiving: Want,
ASK, take,
have.
Feedback: Yes,
please. My e-mail address is neh@post10.tele.dk.
Rating:
PG-13
Sequel/series:
"Consequences Of Immorality" follows this story
Dedicated to
Sorcieré; for giving me the idea, for being such a wonderful friend and for just
being herself. Thanks sugah!
Part 1:
Scott walked down the dark prison hall and
tried to avoid eye contact with the men whose cells he passed. For the
100th time at least he wondered what in the world he was doing here.
What had possessed him to come here? What could he possibly gain by this? What
could he possibly learn from this? And forbidden was the thought; what if he
learned a truth he wasn't ready to face?
"Hey, pretty boy. Come keep me warm at night,"
one of the inmates called after him and the other prisoners laughed and called
after him as well. In your dreams, Scott thought darkly as the guard who walked
in front of him unlocked a big plastic door by the end of the hallway. As Scott
entered a small plastic room and the door to the other prisoners glided shut
Scott drew a deep breath. So far so good.
"Place all metal objects here. They'll be
returned to you when you leave," the guard said and Scott took off his silver
necklace with a cross he always wore inside his shirt.
"That's all," he said.
"The glasses, your belt, your shoes," the guard
asked.
"There is no metal in
them."
"Alright. You may enter then," the guard lead
him to another door and as Scott walked through the door was closed behind him.
The room was small and surrounded by plastic walls. He could see 4 guards
watching through the plastic into the room. In the room were only two chairs and
a table; all of plastic of course. But it wasn't the room that interested Scott
but the man who sat in the chair furthest away from the door. The room seemed to
sitter with his very presence. He was a man in his late 50's or early 60's, long
white/silver hair and intelligent blue/grey eyes that seemed to see everything.
He looked relaxed yet at guard at the same time.
"Magneto," Scott acknowledged as he steeped
forth and sat opposite Magneto. Erik gave a half smile.
"And me who was looking forth to playing some
chess with Charles."
"Xavier said to tell you he'll come by next
weekend," Scott said and didn't know what else to say.
"So, what brings you here? Surely you're not
here just to tell me that Charles couldn't make it today?" Erik asked with light
amusement in his voice. Scott's red glance met Erik's steel grey
eyes.
"No. I came for answers."
"It'll help if I knew the questions," again
that smile which were being to annoy Scott. He had a strange feeling that
Magneto was enjoying this.
"Why? I want to understand why?" Scott asked.
It had been plaguing him for so long. He needed to know.
"Do you really want to understand my reasons,
Summers, or do you only want to find peace of mind?"
"I…I really want to understand. I *need* to
understand what made you and Xavier choose two so different paths," Scott
explained.
"Has Charles told you about our history
together? About my past?" Erik asked lightly but Scott knew there was more to
the question then that.
"He told me you were once friends but drifted
apart."
"That's all?"
"Yes," Scott admitted and that was one of the
reasons he was here. He wanted to know what had happened between the man who had
been like a father to him and then this man who sat before
him.
"He hasn't changed," there was a hint of
sadness to Erik's voice.
"Xavier?"
"Yes."
"What happened?" Scott asked
softly.
"Well, since Charles apparently doesn't want to
tell you the truth I might as well. Maybe it'll make you see that you're
following a dream which can never come true and that you're fighting in blind,"
Erik said harshly.
"´The dream is…"Scot automatically began to
defend Xavier but Erik raised a hand and stopped him.
"Do you want to hear
this or not?"
"I do."
"Then shut up and let me show you the truth
though I doubt you'll like it."
"Go on," Scott urged. There were silence for a
while as Erik considered how to start.
"I was born in Poland in 1934 by
Jewish parents. The war came…and we were arrested. We were taken to Auschwitz,"
Erik tried to keep his voice even and forced down the memories of death and fear
the name brought to his mind.
"My God," Scott whispered horrified. Now he
could much better understand Magneto's fear and arguments. What this man must
have lived through…Scott gained enormous respect for Magneto right
there.
"I was separated from my parents. It was
discovered that I could control metal and the Nazi doctors found that rather
fascinating," hatred had entered his voice now.
"They experimented on you," Scott guessed and
Erik nodded.
"When the Allies freed the camp after the war
my family was dead, my home was destroyed and my country was occupied. I had
nothing to go back to. I went to the US. There I went to university, became a
doctor and went to work in a hospital. It was there I met Charles," Erik
continued and a rare warmth had entered his voice on that
word.
"Xavier worked as a doctor?!" Scott asked
surprised. He hadn't known Xavier had a degree in medicine but on the other hand
he hadn't known he had met Magneto in a hospital either. Magneto as a doctor,
saving lives…it put a whole new spin on things, a whole new perspective he
hadn't seen before…Magneto as Erik; the man…the saviour.
"No, he worked there as a psychologist, believe
it or not," Erik grinned as if he remembered something funny. "Anyway, I moved
into his mansion and for a time things were good."
"Wait a minute. Xavier is…you and he…" Scott
uttered shocked.
"The word you're looking for is lovers," Erik
laughed at Scott's shocked expression. "Didn't figure that one out, did
you?"
"Well, I…" Scott began but didn't know what to say. Erik's eyes
suddenly got very cold.
"Is this a problem for you? Me and
Charles?"
"No. I have no problem with it. Only…" he began
but then looked away and mumbled: "Only his lack of faith in
me."
"Charles never did trust anyone. It's a killer
on a relationship, believe me on that."
"I know," Scott whispered.
"You and the red-haired doctor broke up?"
Magneto guessed and Scott looked sharply at him. For a moment he considered
rather or not to tell the truth.
"Yes. I didn't like the way she acted around
L…another guy and she didn't like my 'possessiveness' as she called it," Scott
settled with.
"Speaking of your resident hero…how is
Wolverine these days?" Magneto asked casually. Maybe too
casually.
"Fine. He returned to the mansion four months
ago."
"And he's with your girl now?" Magneto
probed.
"No. He's with Rogue," Scott explained. Magneto
looked puzzled.
"The girl with the killer skin," Scott
explained almost angrily. Couldn't he even remember her
name?!
"Oh, Marie," Magneto nodded understanding.
"Ever since I saw the look of murder in his eyes I knew his feelings for the
girl were deeper than simple friendship."
"Marie? That's her real name?" Scott asked
softly. The name fit her; sweet and youthful…like she.
"She didn't tell you I gather? They don't tell
you much, do they?"
"Shut up," Scott mumbled through clashed teeth,
not wanting Magneto to know just how much all this lack of trust in him hurt
him.
"Silence can speak volumes too," Erik said
knowingly.
"So, what destroyed your relationship with
Xavier?" Scott asked, wanting to change the subject.
"Too different childhoods, too different
ideologies…humans. Take your pick," Erik said and let Scott change the
subject.
"How so?"
"Charles has always had everything; old money,
a mansion almost as big as Buckingham Palace, respect…he can afford a dream, he
can afford to be blind. Can you?"
"I'm not following you," Scott said
guarded.
"I've checked your past, Summers. You never had
any money, no family…nothing. You were a street child with no past and no future
when Charles found you and moulded you into being what he wanted you to be. But
what of you? Have you ever thought about what you're doing? If it really makes
as much sense as Charles wants you to think?" Magneto's eyes seemed to bore
through Scott's red glasses and into his soul.
"He saved me. I owe it to him," Scott began and
wished he had more to add. Why did he fight for Xavier? What kind of dream was
he following? And why had he never questioned it before? He had been a kid when
Xavier had found him but now he was old enough to think for himself. Why had he
been so afraid to do so? Did he fear the answers he would find within
himself?
"So you're fighting for Charles, for his dream,
you're rising your own life and that of your team-mates…for a debt you feel you
owe him?" Erik questioned and raised an eyebrow at him.
"No. I mean yes…No," Scott began confused. He
shouldn't have come here. Things had been so simple before. So
simple.
"Okay. Let's try something else. Charles hates
motorcycles and you?"
"I love 'em," Scott
admitted.
"Charles loves the opera and
you?"
"I love the cinema," Scott said and feared he
knew were Magneto were going with this.
"Charles opposites the death penalty. He thinks
everyone deserves a second chance. And you?"
"I…" the words wouldn't come from his
lips.
"Your parents were murdered, were they not?"
Magneto bore.
"Yes," Scott whispered
pained.
"And the murderer was never
found?"
"No."
"What would you do with this man
should you find him?"
"I'd kill him," Scott whispered and forced the
words over his lips. How many nights hadn't he thought about how sweet revenge
would be?
"I didn't hear that," Erik said with a small
smile and Scott knew he was baiting him.
"I'd kill him. I'd kill him with my bare hands!
Happy now?!" Scott almost shouted. Erik shook his head.
"No, I'm not nor will I ever be happy but I can
make sure what happened to me and you won't ever happen again."
"By killing
all humans?! That's your big plan?" Scott said disgusted.
"I see Charles have been telling you more half
truths. My intention has never been and will never be to kill all humans but
merely to ensure that all mutants are safe. THAT is my main priority."
"And
the machine you built? You almost killed Rogue!"
"I'm sorry for that. I really didn't want to
hurt her but in every war there're casualties. How long do you think it'll be
before you loose someone when on a mission? The X-men are fighting an impossible
battle; you're fighting both mutants and humans alike. Can't you see that in the
war there is to come, and believe me, it will come, there are no room for
neutrals?" Erik asked.
"Why do you say there is a war coming?" Scott
questioned. Xavier had always told him they could prevent a
war.
"You have always seemed like an intelligent
man, Summers. Don't let Charles's daydreams make you blind. The anti mutant
groups in politics are gaining more and more votes as we speak, there're more
killings, lynchings, mistreatments and harassments of mutants than ever before
and things are just getting started. With the new bill they're discussing, the
Mutant Registration Act, we're heading for a new war, a new Holocaust. I've been
a number, Summers, and I never want to be one again," as he spoke Erik pulled up
his shirt sleeve on his right arm and Scott could see the Auschwitz prison
number burned into his skin.
"But we…the X-men…" Scot tried again. Magneto
was beginning to make sense to him and that was scaring him more than anything
else.
"You can what? Save the world? Make all racists
suddenly see the light of reason? You're four people; an African weather witch,
a doctor, a madman with claws and then you; a leader with fire eyes. You're all
powerful mutants but none of you are THAT powerful. Not even if Charles tried to
alter their minds could you make the hostilities go away. Face facts, Summers:
there's a war coming and the X-men are standing in the middle and will go first.
See yourself as the man who's trying to keep a big stone from rolling down a
mountain; no matter how hard you try sooner or later it WILL roll over you and
destroy you," Erik explained and Scott unconsciously nodded. It was making
sense. It was all making a freighting amount of sense.
How could he have been so blind? Why hadn't he
ever thought things through before? Why had he blindly trusted Xavier? Love?
Loyalty? A sense of duty?
Scott looked Erik directly in the
eyes.
"You're right. There's a war coming. You're
also right, the X-men can't stop it. So, what's YOUR solution?" Scott questioned
and found he had finally admitted what he had felt for a while; Xavier's dream
was NOT his own. Was Erik's or should he search for his own dream?
"My
solution is simple. We're mutants and they're humans. They'll never accept us as
equals because they fear us too much and man always destroys what he fears. We
have to strike at them before they strike at us," Erik said and hammered his
fist down unto the table for good measure.
"You want to kill all humans?" Scott asked
again.
"No. Haven't you been listening? We're at war. I'll not lie like
Charles. There'll be losses, also civil losses but no wars are without
casualties. I do not wish as many deaths as possible; I've seen enough death to
last me a lifetime but should the situation occur…I'd rather see 30 people die
than 30000, wouldn't you? You're a logical man, a mathematical man even. Isn't
it better to lose 30 than 30000?"
"Yes, but I'll rather none died," Scott
protested.
"That's more of Charles's dream and that's all
it is; a dream. It can never be anything but a dream. In a war someone WILL die,
sacrifices MUST be made. That is the way of things. I'll also rather no one died
but I'll also like for my family and all the other 11 million people who were
brutally murdered during WW2 to be alive today but they aren't. Dreams are good
for nothing save misleading people," Erik told him flatly.
"So you don't have a
dream?"
"No. I have an idea. I have a goal. My goal is
to save mutantkind from more cruelty, to stop a new holocaust," Erik said and
sounded tired.
"How do you normally go about doing that?"
Scott asked curiously. Erik's arguments were making sense to him. A lot of
sense. Erik laughed out loud.
"I bet Charles told you the Brotherhood eat
children for dinner and then dump a nuke over the White House for
dessert?"
"Almost," Scott admitted and smiled himself.
"Normally we look for trouble, injustice done
against mutants and then we intervene. Anything from destroying 'secret' FBI
labs where they experiment on mutants to saving a mutant from a murderous hob of
humans," Erik explained.
"How many members are you?" Scott wanted to
know. They couldn't just be four…could they?
"I have more members than Raven, Victor and
Toad. Many mutants support my ideas but don't fight for me. They give me
information instead but that's just as valuable.
Knowledge…"
"...is power," Scott finished for him and Erik
nodded and smiled.
"That's right."
For a while neither said anything then Scott
asked:
"I need to know only one more thing; do you kill innocents? Torture
people?"
"No, never. I've seen enough injustice in my
life to add to it myself. But," Erik warned, "if I need information from someone
I *will* get it, one way or another. I prefer a non bloody way but if there's no
other way…" Erik let the sentence hang in the air, knowing Scott would know what
he meant.
"I understand," Scott said soberly. Erik looked
intensely at him.
" Do you? Do you really?"
"Yes, I do…Erik," Scott said softly and
stretched out his hand to the other man over the table. Erik
smiled.
"Glad to hear that…Scott," Erik said and the
two men shook hands.
"So…" Scott said and stood up. Erik looked
questionably at him but stood up at well.
"So what?" Erik inquired.
"Well, I can't let you sit here now that I've
seen that your fight is one I can understand, now can I?" Scott
grinned.
"What will you do?"
"Show you why I'm called 'Cyclops'," Scott said
and turned towards the wall he knew faced the outer wall.
"If I didn't know better I'll think you're
enjoying this," Erik said amused.
"I'm relived. I feel like I've seen the light
for the first time," Scott explained and knew nothing could explain the feeling
of suddenly having all the pieces to a puzzle fall together, to finally feel you
know who and what you are, to finally feel you belong.
"Stand back," Scott ordered and Erik did so as
Scott lifted his glasses and a beam of red energy left his eyes and blasted
through the plastic wall and all through the outer wall to the
outside.
"Fresh air. How wonderful," Erik breathed
deeply and felt his powers fill him as the magnetism around him entered his body
and made him feel whole again. Alarms went off and projectors were turned
towards the hole in the wall.
"Now, I made the escape route can you get us
out?" Scott asked and watched as guards were to open the door to the room where
he and Erik stood. Erik stretched out his hand and the metal handle on the
outside of the door melted and locked the guards out.
"No problem," Erik said and went to the hole in
the wall and walked right into thin air…and floated. He stretched out his hand
towards Scott. "Will you come with me? Fight with me? Will you join me?"
For a split second Scott seemed uncertain then
he smiled and went to the hole and took Erik's hand.
"Yes. I'll join you," Scott promised and Erik
smiled.
"Good," he said and made Scott fly next to him
and they flew away from the prison. Some of the guards shot after them but the
bullets bounced off on Erik's metal shield that covered both him and Scott.
Soon, they were out of range and flew towards
Erik's headquarters.
The Brotherhood had gotten their leader
back…and a new member.
The End