All These Years

All These Years

Sequel to Home Again have tissues ready

Magneto stood outside the mansion in silence for several long minutes; this would be the last time he would ever come back. The night was cold, and like the night he had first come here after the incident in Cuba, he could see his breath on the air in the dim light. Even after all these years the mansion still felt like it was welcoming him home. He shook his head. This place wasn't his home, it never was, and after today, it would never be again.

His body lifted as he concentrated on the metal in his new costume, manipulating the magnetic field to make him float, hover, fly. Up, up and up, to a window on a higher level. As Magneto suspected, it was closed. Charles liked having it open to allow fresh air and sunlight into his room while he studied during the day, and he was never good at closing it at night, but it seemed someone had taken the job to close it for him after dark so the Professor wouldn't catch cold. Once the Metal bender had considered it his job, he smiled faintly at the memory.

He opened the window as gently as he could so it wouldn't make too much noise, and pushed the curtains aside quietly; the gentle breeze pushed them back and forth. He landed gentle on the floor, the moment his boots hit the carpet he left behind the name Magneto and became Erik Lensher once again. His foot steps made no noise as he crossed the room. The bed was empty, as was the chair across the room, the lights were all off, and everything was as it had been the night before when Erik had last been in this room. Nothing was changed except the single moved chess piece that Charles had played when he woke that morning…

…And the fact that the man who owned this room was now dead.

He had watched, unable to move as Jean Grey lost control of herself. Charles tried to calm her, to help her gain control, but she was too far gone, too lost in her own power. Charles meant well, as he always did, he understood that, Jean was confused, terrified as she was as a child. They both wanted to help her, but Charles knew something he hadn't told Erik. Perhaps if he had know, Erik would have been more willing to listen to him. Instead he contradicted everything his friend said, confusing the woman further, and driving her further into madness. She pushed Erik away, lifted Charles from his chair and destroyed him…All while he sat there unable to move, powerless to help.

He'd watched his dearest friend die…

"Oh God, Charles…" He murmured under his breath.

When had this happened? How had they become such opposites? He knew deep down it was his own fault. Perhaps if all those years ago, or any of the other times he had come back to this place, he had decided to stay, they could have been spared this fate. Perhaps Charles would still be here this night, waiting for Erik to come home. Guilt stabbed his heart.

He placed a hand on the table where Charles once laid his head, "I'm so sorry my old friend." He whispered to no one.

There was no Charles now, to sleep on unaware. Erik wondered again if Charles could have read his mind while he was asleep. Would he have awoken if he took off his helmet making his mind visible to the telepath? He would never know now, with dismay he cursed himself for never finding out.

With nothing to gain or lose, Erik reached up and removed the helmet from his head. It was somehow freeing to be in this room without out his mind hidden by it. If Charles was here would he notice? Erik glanced down at the chess board. There was only one move he could make, one that would end the game that had stretched on all these years. He moved the final piece.

"Check mate." He whispered, knocking over Charles king. The victory had no meaning.

He turned around to leave. At the window he looked back toward his friend's room one last time. "Good bye Charles." He called softly.

Before he could climb back out the window into in freezing air, he heard a soft voice, like the echo of a whisper.

Erik…

He froze. Turning again, "Charles?" he whispered in surprise and longing. He waited for a long time, longer than he should have for an answer, but none ever came. It must have been his imagination.  

Disappointed he climbed out the window leaving Erik Lensher with Charles' ghost and becoming Magneto once again. He turned around and closed the window as gently as he could,, it took him a moment to realize that he was crying. He knew he would never come home again…