I Die Often Hank

Chapter 64

Crimson's POV:

Charles didn't appear shocked at my words, but Hank certainly did. That doesn't make sense, Hank was there, he participated in the murder. 

"I know what you think happened, but someone has messed with your memories. I know you have no reason to trust me, but let me show you the truth," Charles spoke. 

Before I could respond Charles had transported me into my mind, or at least that's where he said I was. I looked over and saw myself, unconscious and hooked up to a strange machine. I saw Victor there as well. Victor was staring at some kind of display and he pressed a button with a strange grin on his face. The version of me with the machine tensed up and started to scream. 

Then it all faded away and I was back in the room chained up with Charles, Erik, and Hank. I wasn't sure what to believe. There has to be some way to know for sure. I thought back to the worst memories and remembered when Erik was shot. A bullet wound would leave a scar, right? If it's there it was all real, if not...

"Erik show me your shoulders," I ordered. The men all looked equally confused. Erik did as I asked and pulled down his shirt to show both his shoulders. There was no wound. No scar. No sign that he had ever been shot. Now that I think about it it would be weird for metal man to get shot. It wasn't real.

Probably reading my mind Charles signaled to Erik to release the chains holding me. I stepped forward and wrapped my arms tightly around Hank. He grabbed hold of me and I buried my head in his chest. 

"It wasn't real..." I reassured myself.

"What can I do?" Hank asked. 

"Can we just go to bed?" I asked very tired of being a soldier in Charles' army. 

"Ki-" Erik started before being interrupted. 

"ERIK!"

"READ THE ROOM!"

"BITCH!"

I grabbed Hank and pulled him out of the room. Charles if you can hear this I'm going to kill your husband. No response, fine Charles be that way. We arrived at our bedroom and I crashed into bed not even bothering to change in pajamas first. Hank chuckled a bit before joining me in the bed. 

"Do you want to talk about it?" Hank asked quietly. 

"It was a couple different like scenes or something," I started to explain.

"Scenes?" Hank asked confused.

"Yeah, they are pretty short. There was one where you cheated on me and everyone knew and they all just laughed at me. In one of them Warren was drinking way too much on purpose and he blamed me for his problems. One of them-" I stopped suddenly, remembering the hallucination. 

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me if you're not ready," Hank reassured. 

"It was back in the Pentagon. Erik he- he cornered me and-" I stopped again and felt myself start to cry. 

"It's alright love, you're safe now," Hank spoke soothingly. I grabbed Hank tighter and he did the same. "I've got you now and no one is gonna hurt you," Hank added. 

"I kept screaming for help, but no one ever came," I mumbled into his chest. I cried into Hank's chest for a little while longer while he held me and offered reassurance and kind words. "There was one more really bad one," I spoke up again.

"What happened?" Hank asked.

"All of you pulled me out of bed in the middle of the night and took me to Charles' office. Then you each put nails into Logan and eventually Charles killed him," I spoke.

"I'm sorry Crimson"

Peter's POV:

A Few Hours Later

I couldn't sleep. The idea that some guy out there could mess with our heads and give us fake memories was sickening. I was going to the kitchen for a snack when I heard a whisper argument coming from Charles' office. 

"We got what we needed, the world thinks she's dead. We have peace Erik, don't disturb things."

"You know better than I do what the man did to her and you just want to let him go. Not do anything about someone with that kind of power and hatred?" 

"Erik, the poor girl deserves some rest, we all do. You know what we've lost these past two years, we can rest."

"Charles you really think that he won't come after us? You think the man whose dedicated his life to hating and killing us will just stand down?"

"Crimson and Hank can have their wedding and we can bring the students back, we can have the life we've dreamed of."

"If you want peace, then prepare for war"

"I don't want to live my life waiting and preparing for a war that may never come"

I'd heard enough of their fighting. I walked to the door and quickly pushed it open. They both turned towards me and looked confused and angry. Wow Peter you really thought this one through. 

"Dads, it is way past your bedtime," I announced

"Peter please leave us to our business," Charles asked. 

"No, I'm tired of you two arguing. Everytime something happens you two find a way to make it all about yourselves," I spoke with newfound confidence. 

"You heard us, who is right here?" Erik asked.

"Oh hell no. I am Switzerland," I answered. 

"Well then, Switzerland is being kicked out of the U.N.," Charles spoke before pointing toward his office door. 

"Isn't the whole point of the United Nations, to UNITE the nations not whisper yell at each other at two the in morning?" I asked while Erik pushed me out of the office.