Thunderbird || X-Men

Chapter 23 ~ Reunited

"Today, the Paris Peace Summit was rocked by the appearance of unidentified assailants... the likes of which the world has never seen." Said the news anchor. He spoke French, so I had to read the English subtitles. "At the same time, emergency personnel is still at the scene where at least 600 guests were stricken with temporary paralysis. The cause is still unknown."

"Erik... they're talking about me, aren't they?" I asked him. I was sitting behind him, stitching the back of his head up from the incident earlier. I guess it was the least I could do. Erik just ignored me, looking at some blueprints through a levitating bottle.

"Mass hysteria has gripped the nation as people ask... 'Where did they come from? Will they be back?' And most importantly, 'Are they friend or foe?' This has been London correspondent Toby Elliot... reporting from the Paris Peace Summit today."

I quickly twitched my hand and turned the TV off. I couldn't stand hearing it anymore. I sniffled quietly, hoping Erik wouldn't notice as I continued stitching. It was strange, Erik and I, together again. After what happened, I knew I needed to take the time to talk to him. Maybe it was because I wanted so bad to be alone with him. I wanted to make things like it used to be. Looking at it now, it probably wasn't the best excuse.

"This isn't a good idea, Erik." I told him, my voice shaking. "Look, I'm sorry. You were right. In the future, humans turn against us. But what makes you think doing this is going to make anything better?"

Erik didn't respond. I kind of gave up at that point. I finished the last of his stitching, placing the needle and thread on a small table beside me. I laid my head on his back. I could feel a tear fall down my face.

"What are we gonna do, Erik?" I asked him. Erik knew I was starting to cry. He reached behind him, grabbing my arms and wrapping them around his torso.

"Just leave it to me, love." He told me, dropping the bottle into his hand and standing it upright on the table. I rolled my eyes, my smile coming back slowly.

"Last time I did that you went to prison."

"Heh, I guess that's true." He giggled sweetly.

A pause.

"You're not dangerous, Kayla." Erik finally spoke again. "You're just more powerful than you realize... and a bit out of practice."

"Being out of practice makes me dangerous. I can't let what happened today happen again." I explained to him, wiping my face. Erik squeezed my hand a little tighter.

"You've got something special, love. Now get up so I can kiss you." Both of us stood up immediately. Erik spun himself around, grabbing onto the side of my neck and pulling me in forcefully. It had been ten years too long, and every small touch felt like the first time all over again.

Erik broke it after a while, grabbing at my hips and hugging me.

"I missed you so much. I thought about you every day, wishing that I could take it back, truly." He told me softly, his face buried in my shoulder. "I won't let Trask touch you. I won't let anyone touch you." Erik kissed my neck lovingly, giving me chills.

"I-" I stopped. I remembered I needed to take my dose of the serum. I was getting a little emotional and I didn't want another outburst to ruin the moment. I squirmed away from Erik's grip and grabbed the serum and a needle from my small bag.

"You too..?" He asked sadly. I sat down quickly and filled the needle.

"If I get any kind of emotional it'll set it off again..." I told him, lining up the needle to my arm. "I'll hurt you."

"No, you won't."

"Yes, I will."

"No Kayla, you won't." Erik declared, a bit firmer than before. He sat down next to me as I hovered it over my arm. For the first time since I started taking it, I questioned myself. I looked at the serum, then at Erik, my eyes trailing over his body. He outstretched his hand in silence. I took a deep, reluctant sigh. I was worried I'd hurt him but I obeyed, handing him the needle. I watched him carefully as he immediately injected the serum back into the bottle and tossed it into the small trashcan across the room. Then he placed the now empty needle on the dresser gently, bringing his gaze back to me.

"You don't have to be scared, love. You aren't going to hurt anyone." He cooed, which comforted me.

"I'm sorry."

"No no no, stop it, don't give me those eyes." He joked, kissing my cheek. I did feel much more confident, I always did around Erik. I sighed again and fell back on his bed. He did the same, our legs dangling off the side. Erik twisted himself so he was hovering over me with a smirk.

"What?" I asked him.

"We were quite a pair 10 years ago." He stated, looking my body up and down. He takes my hand and places it on his chest. I touch his warm skin, feeling his heartbeat.

"Yea, you were pretty good." I told him, caressing his collarbone.

"You were too." Erik leaned in, planting a soft, teasing kiss on my lips. He lifted my shirt only slightly before stopping. He was feeling my scar. A scar on my waist I almost forgot I had. It was from our battle together in Cuba. He felt the raised skin, lost in nostalgic thought.

"You threw me against a piece of metal and it stabbed me." I reminded him of the day. He looked away in embarrassment.

"Sorry about that by the way..." he apologized.

"Oh, you remember that?" I asked him with a cheeky smile. He smirked.

"I remember every part of your body."

Erik kissed me again, this time being needier. He grabbed at my hips, still keeping his thumb over my scar. Then he moved to my neck, making me shiver. He was fully on top of me now, his legs between mine. I wrapped them around his long torso as he nibbled at my soft skin. I ran a hand through his hair. This whole thing brought back memories, memories full of love, and pleasure. Memories of having someone share some of their life with you, and you share part of yours with them as well. I know a week ago I would've never thought I'd get to experience it again, certainly not with Erik. But I guess fate brought us together again as it did all those years ago.