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━━ IF WE HAD TIME
"WHAT?!"BOTHCHARLESAND I ask at the same time. My eyebrows knit together and Hank and I share a look. I cross my arms tighter around my waist, my long, pink scar suddenly aching, and turn my attention back to the man in front of me. He glances in my direction, then back to Charles.
"About 50 years from now." he continues on. A small smile plays on his lips as he takes in our surprised and shocked expressions. My insides squirm. I'm almost tempted to look inside his head, hoping to see if he's telling the truth, but then I remember the pain I felt in his head, the feeling of being ripped apart. I shudder, never wanting to feel something like that again. It's too familiar. I'm reminded of when Shaw would spread the kinetic energy through my body, and a shiver, full of emotions I don't want, comes rolling up my spine.
"What are you talking about?" I ask.
"50 years from now?" Charles interjects, a smirk on his lips as he fiddles with his hands. I purse my lips as astonishment, so intense and real, hits my stomach like a punch to the gut. I stagger back a step, closing my eyes for a second. Whispers, incandescent and like wisps of silvery smoke, make their way through my head. I rub my temples as Charles continues to speak. I rack my brain for when I took the last dose of Hank's serum. It must be wearing off.
I bite the inside of my cheek.
"Like in the future, 50 years from now?" Charles continues.
"Yeah," the man answers.
"It's not possible." I argue. The man raises an eyebrow at me. Hank, who is still in his blue form, shakes his head disbelievingly. Anger bounces around inside my head, shadows revealing themselves from the corner of my mind. I narrow my eyes and hiss a breath.
Charles says. "Piss off." The man doesn't waver. I frown, partly agreeing with Charles' sentiment. This man is clearly out of his mind, talking about time travel and an older Charles sending him back here. Maybe ten years ago, I would have believed that Charles Xavier would do something like this if it meant saving lives. But not now. The man Charles Xavier has become would never do such a thing. He only cares about himself, now that everyone he loved has gone.
"If you had your powers," the man says. "You'd know I was telling the truth." My head shoots up, and I take a step closer to Charles, who's eyes blaze with a new found fire.
"Get out." I warn the man.
"How do you know I don't have my..." Charles cuts off, and I pull my arms away from my stomach, letting them rest to the side. Energy tingles in my palms. The man takes a slight step back at my abrupt change in stature, but I don't care. If he's come to hurt Charles, to hurt any of us, I won't hesitate to try and take him down. These people are all I have left, and I'll protect them with my life.
