Echoes of the Mind - Ch.23

Chapter 23
Trust Me

A/N: Ok, officially this is Thursdays chapter. After getting 600 reviews on Fanfiction.net, I could not keep from posting this next chapter early as a HUGE thank you to each and everyone of my readers.  Truly, you have given me such an emotional lift. With out going into details, this story has given me a place to focus and your warm reception has been exactly what the doctor ordered. Thank you so much for allowing me to share it with you.

Several people have asked me: "Why does Erik write in Polish on Charles' card, isn't he German?"

In certain origin stories - yes Erik (then Max) was born in Germany and fled to Poland only to be captured. In others - Erik's family was German who fled to Poland where he was born. Either way - He was raised in Poland ( German occupied Poland, but Poland none the less)

I see him preferring to use Polish instead of the German language, like the German beer in the scene in Switzerland is just another reminder of the Nazis.

Either way he is fluent in German, Polish, French and Spanish (at the very least) and the initial concept behind the drawing was to make Charles figure it out. Which would have been made more of a challenge by using a lesser known dialect. He just chose to translate it given the fact it was something Charles needed to hear.

Make sense?

Erik x Charles =  Don't like it? Don't read it.


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"What time is it?" Hanks voice echoed loudly inside the circular room. After ten hours straight of work it was beginning to take on the shape of what would one day be Cerebro.

It was easily twenty times larger than the one which Hank had modified for the CIA.

They were weeks ahead of where they had thought they would be. Having Erik there was a massive help as he was able to move the large materials and even smooth them into the needed shapes. He had never really needed the fine motor element of his mutation but it was something Charles had always encouraged him to work on. Now, he was glad of that fact.

"Eleven thirty." Erik answered from the opposite end of the sphere. He appeared to be levitating, though in truth he was simply manipulating the metal in his clothing and shoes for the desired effect.

Charles was stationed by the main consol which jutted out into the middle of the sphere. He kept moving between the wiring and a notebook full of equations. He looked up when Erik said the time.

"Eleven thirty?" Charles questioned, brushing his hair back from his eyes. His back and shoulders were killing him from being hunched over the consol for what had apparently been at least seven hours.

"Eleven thirty two." Erik responded without stopping his work.

Charles looked at Hank, though he didn't sweat or give off signs of exhaustion the way the young scientist was moving gave away his weariness. Erik didn't show any such signs in his posture, but there was a steady beading of sweat on his face. If they continued to work in this state they would get careless, and make mistakes.

"We should stop." Charles said softly.

"Oh, thank heavens." Hank muttered moving to join Charles on the walkway.

Erik landed by the door. He ran his arm across his forehead. He didn't say anything but a blind man could tell he was ready for a break.

"Thank you both." Charles said genuinely as he rolled his shoulders trying to ease the tension which had collected there. "I would like to continue this in the morning if at all possible."

Hank nodded before walking out the door. He stopped and looked back at Erik. "We don't all hate you, just so you know." He didn't wait for a response as the prospect of a cool shower and a warm bed awaited him just a few doors away.

Erik had looked up surprised and was still blinking at the empty hallway when Charles' hand slid into his own. He looked down at the other, having not noticed he had closed the distance between them. He closed his hand around Charles' and for a moment neither spoke.

"Mind if I walk you to your room?" Erik asked quietly.

Charles seemed pleasantly surprised, he had expected to say good bye there. "Of course not."

Charles felt his chair move forward and was startled briefly before he realized it was Erik's doing. There was something surreal about moving down the hall way hand in hand. It was risky, neither had discussed how open or private they wanted their relationship to be.

Charles did not mind anyone knowing, but he got the impression that Erik was reluctant to be open about personal things. The fact that by law, they could be in prison for what they were doing, was a contributing factor but not a deciding one. Good luck finding a prison to hold either one of them.

No one was out in the hallway at the late hour so their little stroll went unnoticed. Once inside Charles' room Erik moved away from him. Charles watched him in curious confusion. Erik moved over toward the record player Charles kept. He flipped through several albums before selecting one and putting it on the turn table.

The static of the needle on the record soon gave way to Elvis Presley's new song I can't help falling in love with you. Charles was still watching him with an unreadable expression.

(I highly recommend that while reading this you pull up a you tube video of the song I can't help falling in love with you  by Elvis and letting it play in the background to get the impression intended. People tend to think of Elvis of the hips and the curled lip but he truly was a beautiful singer and the song mentioned with in this story truly captures the moment.)

Erik crossed back over toward him. He was clearly nervous, but focused. "I ruined your birthday-"

"No, you-" Charles was cut off by Erik.

"Let me make it up to you."

Charles grew quiet again the soft song played and Charles understood. There were some things Erik couldn't say, some lines he couldn't cross. So he was letting the music do it for him. Charles watched the record turn and nodded softly.

"Charles." Erik held out his hand.

Charles looked confused then slightly hurt. What did he expect him to do, jump up and waltz with him?

Erik saw the reluctance and knelt. "You once asked me to trust you. Trust me." He said quietly. Erik was not one given easily to trust, and he was showing more of himself in that moment than anyone had ever seen. Charles looked at him.

"I can't." Charles said softly.

"Dance with me." Erik whispered. He had watched Charles' watch Hank and Raven dance at the New Years Party. He had seen that longing, and he wanted to take it away. Charles opened his mouth to speak but no sound slipped out. Erik reached forward and took his hands which he then directed around his neck. Then he stood.

Erik gently drew Charles up to his feet. Charles had no mobility or feeling in his legs but that didn't seem to matter. Erik wrapped both arms around the other, using his powers to help support the others weight. He stood there letting Charles become accustom to what he was certain was an odd feeling.

Charles had a death grip around the others neck.

"I won't let you fall." Erik whispered in his ear. He brought one arm slightly higher so that Charles could feel him holding him. Slowly, Charles loosened his grip, inch by fearful inch.

Then came the moment of realization which Charles had no words for. He brought his arms around the others neck and shoulders, now as a dance partner.

Tears sprung to his eyes but he couldn't care less in the moment. He rested his head on Erik's shoulder.

Once Charles relaxed Erik began a slow sway to the music.

Neither spoke even after the single on the record had faded into the steady hiss of a finished record or as the needle lifted and the record was silenced.

"Happy Birthday Charles." Erik whispered into the others ear before kissing his cheek.
Charles lifted his head from the other's shoulder and kissed him chastely. He was still crying. He knew that the other was supporting him. He knew the logistics of the fact the he could not walk or stand. Somehow in that moment as he danced with Erik, everything else had faded away. He had given up hope that he could ever feel like that again.

"Thank you." Charles whispered back, his voice choked with emotion.

Erik had moved them across the floor without ever moving away from him. Charles found himself laid back onto his bed. Erik kissed him softly. "Good night." Erik rose to go only to have his hand grabbed by Charles, who tugged him back down.

Erik took a seat on the edge of the bed, waiting patiently for whatever Charles felt he needed to say. He had expected to hear that it wasn't his fault, or that they would find a way to make their teams mesh. What he heard was the last thing he would have ever expected.

"I love you too." Charles spoke quietly never quiet meeting his eyes. For all of Erik's uneasiness if Charles had interrupted his actions incorrectly saying that could very well send Erik running for the hills.

Erik's eyes widened and his mouth hung slightly agape. For the longest time he just
stared at the other. When Charles finally looked his way Erik could only nod and Charles didn't push him for more.

Erik didn't love - he couldn't. No one he loved ever lived long enough to truly appreciate it. His mother, father and sister were the only ones who he felt ever loved him. People in the camps who were kind to him, they all met with early ends. That was why Erik never let himself get that close.

Even as he tried to look at it logically and not answer Charles' declaration, another voice in his mind asked him who he thought he was kidding.

"Good night Charles." Erik sounded more unsure than before.

Charles didn't give up the hold on his hand and Erik didn't draw away.

"Stay with me tonight." Charles requested softly.

Erik just watched him, not in disgust but almost with… shyness. He started to respond but words failed him. Charles pushed himself up into a sitting position. He reached out and pulled the other in for a kiss. Erik's fears washed away the second they made contact.

They were lost in the taste of one and other for several minutes before both settled back on their sides. Erik slid Charles shirt over his head before his attentions became more urgent. How long had he wanted this?

That thought froze, however, the second that Charles started to lift up his shirt. Erik turned to switch off the lamp which was the only light source in the room.

"No." Charles spoke for the first moment since the kiss. His lips were swollen and his face was flushed but he was adamant. Erik had already started to shrink back, maybe this wasn't a good idea.

"Erik." Charles touched the others face, gently. "Nothing I see is going to make me leave." he spoke softly.

In truth, he had already seen the scars on Erik's torso in the infirmary. Erik had been dressed by the time he had woke up, so Charles doubted it had occurred to him that anyone had seen him without his shirt. Charles did not offer up that information, this needed to be a decision of Erik's. As much as any training exercise, he needed to know that it was ok to trust.

Erik's hand was still over Charles', which he had grabbed when he started to lift the shirt. Slowly he released the others hand and allowed Charles to draw the shirt over his head. Erik looked everywhere but at Charles, he didn't want to see the look he knew would be there. He didn't want to hear what Shaw had always told him would be true.

A feather soft, and slightly wet kiss to the gunshot wound on his shoulder caused Erik to jump. Charles gently leaned against him and pushed him to his back. Erik watched in dumbfounded silence as Charles moved to each scar and placed another kiss. It was almost as though Charles was reclaiming each injury and leaving a positive reminder in it's place. After the first few Erik closed his eyes, his hands wandering over Charles' shoulder and neck.

Charles took his time and Erik had a great many scars.

Charles smiled softly when he glanced up towards Erik's face. Erik was a flushed beauty with his defenses crumbled around them. Charles felt a proud to have been the one to put him in such a state. Likewise he felt honored to be able to see him like this.

Charles slid over the top of Erik as best as he could to capture the other in a aggressive kiss. He was pleased to find Erik match him step for step. His hand slipped low between them and Erik opened his eyes.

"I don't want to hurt you." Erik breathed his voice heavy with need.

"You won't." Charles assured him.

He reached over them and switched off the light.

Erik smiled into the darkness as he heard the other's genuine words.

"I trust you"

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Thank you all, so much for the wonderful response to this story. I will see you again on Friday morning with the next installment of Echoes of the Mind, where we will see just how the two teams interact inside the same house. We will also find out a little more about the Mutant Registration Act.