fade away.

eight.

. chapter eight

It was early morning now. It had been exactly nine hours since Angel left, and since Darwin passed.

August could have stopped it. She didn't know how, but she saw it happen only a few seconds before it occurred. If she had just been quicker -been paying attention to the problem at hand- maybe Darwin would still be alive. Maybe Alex wouldn't be hating himself, or Raven crying over everything that's happened in the last 24 hours, but that was all happening, and it was because of August. Hank and Sean seemed to be fine, albeit just a bit shaken due to the events, but other than that they seemed bland.

They all sat in front of the CIA building, having nothing else to do but wait for Charles and Erik to return. August was truthfully afraid of what Charles may say about her actions. You should have paid attention. You should have seen it coming. You should be more responsible. You should have left.

The last thought caused August's heart to break. Would he think that? After all the trouble he went through just to make her stay, would he regret it all? He seemed like he would, but at the same time, he looked like the kind of guy that gave second chances. August was really hoping that he would not be angry. That is the last thing she would need. With the yelling, it reminded her of her father. A memory isn't something she wanted to be burdened with at such early hours of the morning.

She was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Raven leaving her side to go embrace Charles, who had just arrived. August seemed to be doing that quite a lot, lately. Her thoughts never consumed her as much before, so why now do they choose to do so? And at the most untimely moments too?

Her green eyes travelled up to the two just a few feet away. Charles looked over Raven's shoulder and caught August's gaze, his blue eyes an intensifying color in the raw morning sunlight.

"Are you okay?" she heard him whisper in her mind. Though this time she didn't care that he was there.

"Do you want honesty, or false assurance?"

"Honesty is preferred, yes."

"Then no, I'm not okay, Charles."

Charles released Raven, his eyes only taking a brief glance down at her before returning to August. He took only two quick strides before he reached August, and embraced her tightly. She never truly experienced a real hug before. No one has ever held her in such a way, not even her mother. She couldn't help but sink into the sweet feeling, taking a calming deep breath in through her nose. Charles's arms were wrapped tightly around her body, trapping her arms from moving. August's hands rested on his torso, her fingertips brushing against the fabric of his coat, and her head slowly moved to rest on his shoulder. She's never felt so comfortable, and she figured Charles knew that because he never fully let her go.

"I'm not angry with you," Charles whispered, the warmth of his breath inching down August's neck.

"I thought we came to a consensus on not reading my thoughts," she smiled, her voice somewhat muffled due to being pressed against Charles's shoulder.

"I just can't seem to stay away."

The blush that crept up August's cheeks burned because it was so hot. First meeting Charles, he didn't exactly seem like the kind of man that would flirt. Perhaps he doesn't usually do so. This is the first time he's attempted to flirt with August, and she had to admit, it made her feel a certain way.

Charles pulled away, his arm now hanging over her shoulders. Now was not the time to be fooling around. He faced the group of mutants, who were staring back with sadness in their eyes.

"We've made arrangements for you to to be taken home immediately," he spoke out, his fingers soothingly pressing into August's shoulders.

Everyone's faces seemed to drop. August looked over at Erik to find him staring blankly ahead, Charles' words processing in his brain.

"Charles, you know we can't do that," August argued, tilting her head so that she could see him. "He killed Darwin, and took Angel, we can't just sit back and do nothing. He wants to start a war, and these humans aren't going to prevent that from happening, they'll pursue it. Isn't this what you called us in here for? To stop Shaw, to finally come to common ground with the humans? Sending us home won't do that, Charles, and you know that."

"We're not going home," Sean stated firmly, agreeing with August.

"What?" Charles questioned, eyebrows furrowed as he looked at Sean.

Sean motioned towards Alex, "he's not going back to prison."

"He killed Darwin!" Alex pointed out, his hard glare still set on his face.

"All the more for you to leave," Charles said calmly. "This is over."

Raven gaped slightly, her arms hugging her middle as she breathed out, "Darwin's dead, Charles, and we can't even bury him."

Is Charles really ready to drop everything he's worked for and give up? He tried so hard to get them to this point, so much physical and mental strain was put into it, and now he's throwing it all away? August didn't want to accept that, and the other mutants surely felt the same way.

"We can avenge him."

The voice made August smile. Erik stood a few feet away, arms crossed as he looked over all the mutants. His eyes then landed on Charles, waiting patiently for a response.

Charles's arm dropped from August's shoulders as he motioned towards Erik. "Erik, a word, please."

August watched as Charles pulled Erik aside, hoping with everything in her that he'll make the right decision. She's not a mutant yet, but she knows that the right thing to do was to go through with this fight. Giving up won't help the mutants, and will certainly not help any of the humans either. What if Shaw wins? Mutants will be hated forever, and that's not what Charles wants for them. August may not have mutant abilities right now, but she will develop them, and she knows which side she is on.

August blinked once Charles and Erik spun around to face them.

"We'll have to train," he said. "All of us, yes?"

There was a chorus of 'yes' around the group, and it made August smile when she agreed. She was proud of their choice, because she felt that they could actually win, despite what everyone else thought.

"Well, we can't stay here," Hank pointed out. "Even if they reopen the department, it's not safe. We have nowhere to go."

Charles smirked, "yes, we do."