If you can change a mind, you can change the world

"Erik was right. All your tries at being good ended up in pain," Raven walked just in front of him through the quad, skirting being on the grass. He couldn't seem to reach her to say something before she turned a corner and was gone.

"She's braver than you, Charles. Bold and daring," He could hear satisfaction in Erik's voice and he turned to spot him leaning against a wall in the library sipping at his scotch, "We're going to out play you and win."

The words were there, he could feel them, he could speak to Erik. A scream cut the air and the world was cold and white, his gloves felt like they were stuck to his hands.

He reached for consciousness through the morphine and woke sweating. He began to sit then he felt the pain and sank down, he had his shields. Near him, Art, who'd fought at Bastogne cried out and Charles took a breath before reaching out to soothe his nightmares through the wall.

He could do that, he could help, somehow.

****

As the morning light came through the window, Janet, his nurse came through the door and sighed, "Another bad night, Mr. Xavier?"

"Am I that obvious?" Her kind eyes cut him more than he cared to admit, he'd never been good at being cared for.

She helped him sit up, adjusting his pillows and he focused on the lists she ran through her head, what he needed, her shopping for later in the day including making a delicious Jamaican chicken dish with her family, "You think a lot and that keeps you up and you don't use enough morphine."

"I don't like how it makes me feel disconnected," It was harder to keep his shields where he wanted them and he felt lonelier. Janet lifted him into his chair for the uncomfortable process of going to the bathroom.

"That's a nice thought to keep connected but good to not be in pain too. There, that's all done and I've got your breakfast. I asked around and one of my neighbors is from St. Nevis and he had some of that tea you like. Now you can wake up with that English Breakfast you like so much without your friends having to sneak any into you. We wouldn't want any of those nice boys to get in trouble with the hospital. I keep expecting that boy Alex to bolt any time he comes near your room," The image of the neighbor and the smell of proper tea helped him relax as much as he could with all he couldn't feel and everything that was too much.

"Me too, that's why I remind him that he doesn't have to come as often," She set his tray in front of him with a fond smile.

"They care and I saw another visitor for you, Miss McTaggert on the list for today. So take your time with your breakfast and I'll find you a better mirror to get you looking your best for her," Janet looked him over, he liked how she saw him as someone who was nice and polite who didn't make her days too long. Then she turned and left to check on everyone else on the hall.

Breakfast was always hit or miss, but having actual proper tea made the bland porridge, odd eggs and today the spongy toast easier to enjoy. From what Moira had said at her prior visit, this was probably going to be the last time she saw him here as she had to return to the CIA where many questions waited for her. He knew that she would find ways to check in but it would be best if there was as much plausible deniability on her side. Enough people had been hurt by their well meaning attempts, she didn't need her career harmed any more.

****

When Moira arrived, his hair was combed and he was reading the day's papers and only wincing at some of the motions of turning the paper.

"Hello, Charles," Her voice was tight and as he folded the pages felt her worry for him and scenes of conference rooms.

"Good afternoon, Moira. Thank you for visiting me," He kept his voice calm, he didn't want to add anything more to her thought, "I've been thinking of how we might find a smooth ending for you. They already know some of what I can do, take advantage of that."

"I'm to tell them that you manipulated me? I don't know if they'd believe that of you," Her memory of his kindness to the hurt agents at the Facility's destruction and in Russia was in many reports. Those men wouldn't forget how he soothed the men that Erik took down.

"I trust your judgement. I'd rather not take anything from you unless you ask me to," That would be safer for all of them, but would betray the trust she placed in him.

"No, I know how to make them think you did and not ask anymore. Men can be very predictable," She smirked, thinking of how so many men including him underestimated her and few of them learned their lesson.

"Yes, we can," Moira sat down beside his bed and didn't speak for a time, reading the paper with him for almost an hour before standing up. It was quiet and comfortable, he had never done exactly this with either Raven or Erik. Raven had always been moving as he read the paper while Erik discussed what felt like almost every article with him.

As she turned to leave she thought at him; I'm sorry that they're gone, but I trust in what you can do.

He nodded and leaned back against his bed, he was tired and scared. This wasn't a place that he could stop, only rest and plan. He was needed.

There was only fog, he gasped and put his feet down hard to find/create solid ground. As he put his feet down, they slipped as the grass was covered in mist and rocks, he needed to find out where he was. He didn't trust the idea of creating a light as that hadn't been working and he didn't seem to have enough control.

Instead he reached out his hands and walked forward until his hands bumped stone, broken stone. Something went by overhead, he heard the noise of a plane and immediately tucked himself down to the ground, an air raid? If it was a raid, there should be a siren, loud and wailing, he'd never heard one himself, but he felt he knew them due to many minds. Was this the ruin of his home, these stone walls all that was left of Xavier mansion?

He kept his hands out and tried to stay along the walls, which are true ruins and heard something fall to the ground. Someone might be hurt and he stands up, if this is what's left of his home then he'll protect it. He starts forward until something with too many arms comes towards him from the fog, he knows that shape, "No, no, you're not allowed here. This is my home!"

It doesn't stop and he runs into the fog, he will fight.

In his room, he wakes up reaching into the darkness and shivers before turning on the light, then getting up and turning on all the lights. The fog can't come into his room, it can't.

His mother and Nanny were looking down at him and he could feel their concern pressing with its weight of worry. What had he done? What had he said that he wasn’t supposed to? He didn’t know what to ask as he couldn’t hear their words just feel them wondering and discussing him. Then Erik was there, tsking at him saying, “You feel too much, Charles. Its bad for you.”

He closed his eyes and tried to sink into his bed to make it all stop or wake up. Instead he was walking down a long hallway, it felt cold and he realized that the walls had a shine to them, so he tried to call up a flashlight. Where a light should have been electricity shot from his hand, arcing over the walls and he backed away, this wasn’t right, this wasn’t him. He tried to calm down, regain control and find his own mind as the electricity grew stronger and he saw figures coming towards him, men in suits. One seemed thinner than the rest and then he ran and ran until the hall changed from metal and the electricity faded and he stood in the small bedroom from Erik’s dream.

He sat down on the bed and breathed in this place Erik had felt safe here, had wanted him here. The room was still too dark, but there was a light on the bureau and he focused on it and willed himself awake.

His bed was solid and he’d gotten tangled up in his sheets during the dream, so he turned on his bedside lamp with a shiver. Something seemed to move in the shadows and he took deep breaths, this was reality, he was safe.