All's Fair in Love and War

Chapter 17 Magneto

"You did."

At those two little words, Erik's gaze returned to his friend.

Moira was released and she fell to her knees, gasping for breath. Erik didn't even notice as he whispered to Charles mournfully, "Us turning on each other, it's what they want. I tried to warn you, Charles."

Charles gazed up at his friend with equal sorrow as Erik pleaded, "I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us together, protecting each other."

Erik peered down at his friend.

"We want the same thing."

"Oh, my friend." Charles gasped at last, a tear escaping him and trickling down his cheek as he gazed up at Erik. "I'm sorry, but we do not."

His eyes were apologetic but firm as he stared Erik in the eye, and Erik stared back silently for a moment. His gaze was searching, but all he found was the same answer - the answer he'd known deep down he would find.

Finally Erik lifted his head and he motioned to Moira.

She was fast to react, rushing over and Moira gasped as she took Erik's place as Charles's support, "Charles! I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right. It's all right." Charles murmured as Moira sobbed over him, begging his forgiveness that he already gave.

Erik meanwhile turned back to his fellow mutants - the only people he had left.

"This society won't accept us." He called, gesturing to them all. "We form our own. The humans have played their hand."

He pointed to the fleet that still stood, the smoke from the missiles they had launched still filling the air like a poisonous fog.

"Now we get ready to play ours. Who's with me?"

He looked at Evie as he spoke, silently asking - pleading - one last time.

A tear slipped down her face, but Evie shook her head. She couldn't follow him where he was planning to go; she knew that now more than ever. She had never hated humans, only cruelty and injustice - and it was clear Erik sought both in his future. In his battle against humanity. He had proven that today.

Erik's jaw locked at Evie's rejection, and his eyes travelled along before resting on Raven.

The blue-skinned mutant was watching him, her yellow eyes uncertain, and Erik held out his hand to her.

"No more hiding." He murmured.

That sealed Raven's choice, and he knew her answer from the way her gaze turned determined. Evie closed her eyes against the fresh tears as she watched Raven walk away from the others, knowing her former friend's choice as well as Erik did. She wasn't surprised, not after what she'd thought she had seen... but it did little to lessen the pain in the bleeding remains of her heart.

Charles too knew Raven's choice as his foster sister knelt down beside him for one last time, and he whispered to her, "You should go with him. It's what you want."

Raven smiled sadly and she murmured, "You promised me you would never read my mind."

"I know." Charles replied regretfully and remorsefully. "I promised you a great many things, I'm afraid. I'm sorry."

He kissed her hand and Raven kissed his forehead before she looked at Moira.

"Take care of him." She requested of the agent.

Moira nodded and Raven moved to take Erik's outstretched hand.

To no-one's surprise, Angel, Azazel and Riptide also moved to take Erik's offered hand, and in a line that was eerily familiar to the group of friends, the beginnings of what would become the Brotherhood stood in a tall line on the edge of the Cuban beach.