I Will Always Love You [Charles Xavier]

Chapter 14. Who are you?

I became a lawyer today. On the one hand I'm glad I don't have to study anymore. On the other hand, I now have to spend more time at home. Or rather, in what used to be my home.

I try to postpone the moment when I have to go into the house again, smile at Charles, and pretend that everything is normal. Then waking up after nightmares, and realizing that I had slept for a few hours.

I'm parking near mansion and see someone's car.

I couldn't give away my anxiety. So I put on a nice smile and walk in.

- "Honey, I'm home." -I say. It comes out a little forced.

I see a tall man in a leather jacket with sideburns. Charles is sitting on the stairs with a bottle of some kind of alcohol. Hank is in his blue form.

I walk back to the door.

-"I gonna have to ask him to ask you to leave." - Charles says. He's still in the same clothes he was wearing when I left.

- "Well." - the man sighs. - "I'm afraid I can't do that."

I raise an eyebrow. What's going on? Hank notices me, and I nod quietly.

- "Because, uh, I was sent here for you."

- "Tell whoever sent it to you that I'm busy." - Charles says and smiles slightly. What are you busy with, Charles? Another bottle?

- "This is gonna be a little tricky because the person who sent me was you." - The stranger replies.

- "What?" -Charles asks.

I haven't heard that kind of nonsense in a long time.

- "About fifty years from now." - he says.

Man, I wish you'd think of something more realistic.

Charles doesn't seem to believe it either, so he starts laughing. Hank twirls his finger at his temple. But the stranger isn't embarrassed.

- "I know. Stay with me."

- "Like in the future, fifty years from now?" - Charles clarifies.

- "Yeah." - the stranger shortly replies.

- "I sent you from the future."

- "Yeah."

Very implausible. If either one of us is going to live fifty years, it's me. And that's only because my ability to heal can rejuvenate cells-Hank and I did the research.

-"Piss off." -Charles replies.

But the man isn't embarrassed.

- "If you had your powers, you'd know I was telling the truth." -he says.

I get inside his head. And to my surprise, I realize he's telling the truth. His consciousness has been transferred here, into his body, from fifty years later. He's from 2023.

- "How do you know I don't have my p...." - Charles begins and cuts himself off. - "Who are you?"

- "I told you."

- "Are you CIA?"

- "No."

Wonderful explanation, stranger.

- "He's not CIA." - I answer. But they don't listen to me.

-"You've been watching me?" -Charles continues. Usually when he's like this it's best not to touch him. But this guy really pissed him off.

- "I know you, Charles. We've been friends for years. I know your powers came when you were nine. I know you thought you were going crazy when it started, all the voices in your head. It wasn't until you were 12 when you realized all the voices were in everyone else's head. Do you want me to go on?"