Suits BigBang Fic-Of Fate and Choice 1/6
Title: Of Fate and Choice
Fandom: Suits, X-Men, X-Men: First Class
Characters: Mike Ross, Harvey Specter, Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, Donna, Louis Litt, Kyle Durant, Bobby Drake, Kitty Pride, Rogue, Piotr Rasputin, Raven Darkholme/Mystique, Storm, Logan, Emma Frost, Hank McCoy, Alex Summers, Sean Cassidy, Original Characters
Pairings: Charles Xavier/Erik Lensherr, Harvey Specter/Mike Ross(if you squint)
Word Count: 38,809
Rating: PG-15
Warnings: Slash, Violence, Language
Summary: There’s a fine line between fate and choice.
Notes: This is a crossover fic between Suits and XMFC. Before Cuba, before the divorce-Charles and Erik are thrown into the future by one of the kids they’re trying to recruit on their roadtrip. They land in Manhattan near Pearson and Hardman where Mike is assaulted by their memories and is called to action to help save the world.
AN: In the X-Men comic-verse Emma Frost starts out as a member of the Hellfire club but eventually joins the X-Men, later forming her own school for mutants. For purposes of this story that element will be brought from the comic-verse. Anything else is straight from the X-Men movies.
There is also fabulous art for this story:
Book cover done by Firefox1490 can be found here:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OfFateandChoiceBookCover.jpg
Fanmix done by vertrauen and can be found here:
http://zellersee.livejournal.com/21401.html
Cover for the fanmix can be found here:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OFACAlbumCover.png
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Part One: Awakening:
It happens when he’s least expecting it of course because that’s when shit has a way of wanting to hit the fan.
Mike sat at his cubicle, highlighter in hand, eyes scanning for something, anything he could possibly use to get Harvey through his newest case and to get the other side to crumble. He would find something; it’s what he was good at, what he had to do despite the buzzing flitting around his head. It was a normal sensation for him, one he was used to keeping on a low volume and drowning out thanks to his training but today it was louder than usual. Louder, more annoying, and way more persistent than anything he’d felt in a very long time.
Mike rubbed the back of his neck as something flashed in his head, black for the moment as he shook his head and willed it away. These late nights must be getting to him and the tight control he kept on his mind when he was at the office. He’d have to force himself to drink more caffeine or actually get more than five hours of sleep tonight in order to keep himself from literally going insane.
He closed his eyes and breathed in and out:
“Just like that Michael. Breathe and calm yourself down.”
“Professor I can’t!”
“Yes you can, you’re doing it right now.”
“But it doesn’t last for long and-”
Mike shook his head, trying to get himself out of the headspace he was heading into. The memories helped calm him but they did nothing to stop the sorrow. The man associated with them, his mentor, his all-around savior had been gone for years now, taken from this world entirely too soon and it hurt to think about the amusement in the professors eyes during their first training session. Mike couldn’t afford to be sad right now, maybe later, when he had a six-pack and time to lose himself in his memories. Not right now. Not when he had work to do. The buzzing was still there, and still black, very black, but it was better than before.
He breathed because sometimes that was the only thing he could do.
“Must be nice to have time to take a nap.”
Mike opened his eyes and glared at Greg who was looking down at him.
“Fuck off.”
“Oooo touchy touchy, did I hurt your wittle feelings?” Greg cooed. “Awww look everyone, is little Ross gonna cry.”
“Greg I-” Mike stopped talking when the buzzing in his head changed into what sounded like someone screaming. Shit. Mike quickly put his highlighter down on the desk and searched for something to hold onto. This hadn’t happened to him in years but he knew the signs well enough by now and he was panicking because, fuck, this was going to happen in front of everyone.
“What? You aren’t going to do a damn….”
The annoying voice that belonged to his fellow associate faded out as the screaming gave way to the black that faded into color being painted on the canvas of his mind. He wasn’t sitting at his desk anymore, he was walking in the rain with his mama, being herded like cattle into the unknown, and he was terrified but trying to be brave for his mama.
Mike was pulled from this image and settled into a new one, he’s not in a line anymore but curled up in a bed that’s entirely too big for his twelve-year old self, though he’s still terrified because there’s a storm raging outside and mother won’t let him into her room.
He’s convinced the monsters will try and get him and even his mind won’t be able to stop them.
There’s more running through his head, powerful memories of pain and sorrow so deep he might drown in it, of a thirst for revenge so great he might die if he doesn’t quench it. There’s the desire to protect his sister from their step-father, to protect his father’s legacy, to get the fuck out, happiness, learning, wisdom Mike only wishes he could gain someday. There’s warmth and cold.
There’s water. And he’s switching between the two figures in the water, the memory is so closely intertwined with the others that Mike doesn’t know; it’s like they’re one person, feelings of wonder and awe merged together so beautifully that it almost hurts. They aren’t alone, he’s not alone anymore, there’s someone here who can do things like him. There’s someone here like him and his sister. Someone like him. Unrest. Peace. Revenge forgotten for the moment. Peace. Together. Oneness he hadn’t even thought capable of feeling.
The things they were going to do together if only they could get out of this water. The water that was very cold.
“Jesus kid, wake the fuck up!”
Mike startled when a hand knocked against his shoulder, groaned as he blinked and found that not only was there water there, he was lying on the floor with the entire office crowded around him. He tried to move, found that he couldn’t because two pairs of hands were holding him to the ground. He blinked again and found that Harvey’s face was right there and the two weights on his shoulders were most definitely Harvey’s hands. What was even more comical was the fact that right beside Harvey, Louis was kneeling beside him with an expression akin to concern plastered across his face.
“Mike can you hear me?”
Louis’s voice was soft and almost reassuring, Mike wanted to laugh but his head hurt to goddamn much. He nodded to the question and breathed in and out as he tried to figure out what the fuck had just happened with his powers.
“Good, that’s good, can you talk for us?” Harvey asked.
“Yes,” Mike replied even as his head throbbed because, fuck, coming out from an episode like that hurt. Shit. An episode like that hadn’t happened since he was a teenager and still trying to learn control on his powers. The last time had been because he had slipped too far into…fuck.
But that was impossible because Professor Xavier was gone and anyone that had any connection to him was up in Westchester with the institute or out of his range. Even then he was far too familiar with most of their memories; he knew that none of them had memories like that floating around in their heads. No, memories like those, Mike knew one of the signatures almost as well as his own mind. The other one….the other was new but vaguely familiar. Mike thought he’d seen those memories before, somewhere, but he shook his head, time to think about that later. Right now he had to-
“Mike stay with us,” Harvey commanded as one of his hands came up to brush against his forehead. “No fever, did someone call the paramedics?”
“No,” Mike panicked at that word. He couldn’t have the paramedics here. They wouldn’t understand, they’d take him to the goddamn hospital and then he couldn’t do anything about what he had just seen. Mike wasn’t crazy nor was he tripped up on drugs. “No paramedics, I’m fine.”
“Mike, you just blacked out for a solid five minutes,” Louis leveled him with a look. “You need an ambulance and a doctor.”
“No,” Mike shook his head again and then wriggled out from Harvey’s touch. He felt exhausted and his frayed mind couldn’t do touch right now. It had been all right at first but now that he was more aware, Harvey’s hands were screaming ‘Hey read me!’ to his frazzled brain. The last thing Mike wanted was to violate Harvey like that. Mike also didn’t want the hospital, too many questions, too many people’s thoughts…thoughts.
An idea sprung into his head, Mike nearly grinned as he quickly moved to execute it, breathed and let his mind reach out to the only person who might know something right now.
Emma? I think I need to talk to you…now. I just felt something rather…impossible. I need to know if I’ m crazy or not.
There was a brief pause before Mike felt the familiar white edges surrounding his mind, ones that were usually tinged with fondness now covered in worry and awe.
You’re not crazy Wise Man. I felt it too. It’s…it’s him. Charles is back.
Mike stopped breathing for a minute.
“Mike you need to-”
Harvey froze midsentence, Mike watched as everything and everyone in the office froze around him and he most certainly hadn’t done this. His pocket vibrated. He reached down and fished his phone out and hit accept with even looking at the screen because there was only (well now he supposed two) but one person who would call him like this. He almost smiled as he brought the phone to his ear.
“I had to,” Emma said in lieu of a greeting. “I couldn’t risk us being overheard.”
“I understand,” Mike replied because she was right, this was the kind of thing that “normal” people shouldn’t overhear. He paused, when had he started that old thought process?
“The second you got those memories sugar,” Emma supplied and Mike cursed.
“Sometimes you suck,” he said. “But want to tell me what the fucking fuck is going on here?”
XXXXXXXXXX
Part 2: Between the Haze
Haze. Fog. Confusion. He fought through them all with the anger that bubbled through his veins, fueling him to stand and straighten his clothes and look around. He was alone. He should have two others with him. He’d planned on it, trained for it, and now he was alone.
He hadn’t accounted for that goddamn telepath to be so strong. He hadn’t counted on such a fast response from him. He hadn’t been prepared for these things. He would rectify the situation.
He knew what to do now. He could react. He could fix this problem. He fished for his phone and pressed the number one.
“We have a problem. Meet me in fifteen.”
-
He felt Erik put a hand on front of him as he raised a hand to his temple and started to work on the minds of all of the people that had just seen two grown men appear out of nowhere. He was startled to realize that it was quite a lot of people and indiscriminately thankful for the fact that his powers could reach them all. It took him all of five minutes to erase the memories of them and replace it with the casual everyday bustle of life. When he’s sure it’s done and they are momentarily he safe he glanced at Erik.
“Any thoughts my friend?” Charles asked casually as he glanced around, they were surrounded by skyscrapers and so many people.
“Yes,” Erik replied. “That little shit tried to kill us.”
“Not kill, take us somewhere first,” Charles said. “At least that’s what I got from the brief glimpse into his mind before I was trying to steer us away from him.”
“But he was eventually going to kill us?” Erik asked, a pointed look aimed at Charles, who ran a hand through his hair as he frowned.
“From what I gathered yes it was his intention but I can’t imagine why,” he grumbled, a frown on his face. “We’d never met the man.”
“That was no man, he was a child, a very spoiled child,” Erik added as he looked around, nervous of all the people even if Charles was working his telepathy. “What do you suggest we do?”
“We should sit down, collect ourselves and try to figure out what happened,” Charles nodded towards a nearby bench.
“Or figure out exactly where we are.”
-
Mike was careful as he moved away from the crowd of still frozen coworkers and bosses alike, eyeing them as he stood up.
“They ain’t going anywhere honey,” Emma reassured him on the other end of the line.
“I know,” Mike chuckled, because really anyone who doubted Emma Frost’s power was crazy and probably about to have their asses kicked by her.
“Damn straight they are,” Emma told him. Mike laughed this time as he got away from the group, out into the hall, and proceeded to lean against the wall and breathe.
“So what do we need to do here?” Mike asked because from what he gathered Emma only knew a little bit more than he did.
“Are you up for a mission?” Emma asked after a minute. Mike sighed.
“You know I am,” he replied. “Tell me what you need.”
“More information, the kind that I can’t get without alerting Charles to the presence in his head,” Emma replied.
“Couldn’t you go into…Magneto’s head?” Mike asked.
“I…it’s complicated Wise Man,” she said after a minute. “What you saw…that’s not….it’s not Magneto. Not the one you know, not yet, at least that’s what I think.”
“So what can I do?”
“Go and get them, Charles will love you and your do good ways,” Emma said. “I’ll guide you to them but after that you’re going to have to get them somewhere safe and…”
“You want me to go into their heads too?” Mike asked.
“Charles will be more inclined to let you rummage around in his head than he would me,” Emma breathed. “When you’re done I’ll get into your head, see what we’re dealing with and act accordingly.”
“Alright,” Mike nodded because he had to do this, he had to help. He’d missed being able to help, to be involved in the other world he’d had to leave when his Gram had gotten sick. “I’ll get back into position on the floor, you let my co-workers out, and then you get into my head and guide me.”
“Let’s do this, and Wise Man?”
“Yeah Emma?”
“We’ve missed you too,” Emma told him. Mike smiled just a little as he hung up, pocketed his phone, and then walked back over to the frozen group and got back on the ground, underneath Harvey’s hands. Five seconds later everyone started moving again.
“Stay down,” Harvey said. “Donna can you please go threaten the paramedics?”
Mike forgot about the damn paramedics. Shit.
Not to worry, all taken care of for you.
Emma’s voice filtered into his head, Mike grinned and looked at Donna, was surprised to find her staring at him with her head cocked and a hand at her temple. He backed away; he’d analyze it later, when he didn’t have bigger things on his mind. He breathed in and pushed himself up from where Harvey was holding him down, stood, and shook his head.
“I’m fine,” he replied as he made himself stand up. “I just need some air…I’ll be back.”
“Mike wait, sit down!” Harvey yelled but Mike shook his head and walked towards the elevators, kept calm as people called his name, as the whispering started, as Donna kept eyeing him. He decided against waiting for the elevators and made a beeline for the stairs, faster and easier to avoid people.
He didn’t have any time to lose.
-
Wise Man, I’m going to leave you now. Charles will sense me if I keep our connection. You know what you’re looking for right?
Mike felt his heart stop when he glanced across the street and saw the two men from the memories that had assaulted him sitting on a bench, heads bent together, talking. He felt the barest whisper of Emma telling him goodbye but all he could seem to focus on was the fact that Charles Xavier, his teacher, his father figure, one of the people he trusted most in the world was right in front of him.
And he had hair.
Mike nearly choked when he saw that. The professor Xavier he knew certainly didn’t have hair, nor did he just sit on a bench. The only normal thing about this was the fact that the Professor was talking to Magneto, something that the two had constantly done despite the fact that they were on opposite ends of the battle. But this Magneto…he looked so much younger, happier, and was currently not looking at the professor but had turned his attentions across the street, his eyes right on him.
Fuck.
Not quite that. Come across and talk to us Michael.
Mike jumped when he heard the familiar voice filtering through his head. It had been so long since he’d last heard it and as he glanced across he found the Professor looking at him, his hand at his temple, mouth quirked into a confused smile. Mike couldn’t resist grinning back. He nodded and made his way to the crosswalk, waited a minute and then hurried over to where the Professor was sitting with a man that Mike had only seen in accidental glimpses of Xavier’s mind; Erik Lensherr in the flesh, glaring at him.
Good to know some things had carried over. Mike made himself look taller because he knew from those accidental pictures that Erik was a danger. Especially where Charles Xavier was concerned.
“Erik, be nice,” Charles grumbled. “Michael was here looking for us.”
“I will not be nice when we were just taken from everything we know and put somewhere new. How do we know that he’s not working for the child that brought us here?”
“Erik,” Charles leveled him with a look. “If he were I would know. Now, Michael, you seem to know us, but we don’t know you.”
“No professor,” he spoke. “You don’t….at least…you don’t yet. I…”
“You’re a mutant!” Charles clapped his hands. Mike startled and glanced around and was never more grateful for the everyday bustle of the city and the fact that everyone minded their own business. “Fabulous. Erik he’s one of us.”
“Charming,” Erik bit out, though he looked more relaxed at the mention of the fact that Mike was like him.
“I am,” Mike replied. “And we should get out of here. We have a lot of things to figure out and I’m guessing not a lot of time to do it in. I know it’s asking a lot but could you-”
He stopped when Erik held a hand up and motioned across the street.
“We are no longer alone.”
Mike tensed and reached out with his own mind. He rolled his eyes when he felt familiar memories creep into his head.
“Can’t mind his own goddamned business,” he grumbled as he turned his head and found that Harvey was standing on the opposite side of the street, arms crossed over his chest, staring at him. Mike glared at him in return because he really didn’t need this right now. There were more important matters at hand.
“You know him?” Charles asked, hand at his temple. Mike nodded.
“My boss,” Mike rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m afraid he’s too inquisitive for his own good sometimes.”
“He’s not a mutant?” Erik asked. Charles shook his head.
“No but he seems rather angry at Michael here.”
“Call me Mike Professor.”
“Then you shall call me Charles,” Charles told him. “I feel odd being addressed as Professor when I haven’t taught you anything.”
Mike bit out a laugh.
“Pro-Charles, Erik, we need to take cover and figure some things out. I promise you I’m not out to get you, Charles can verify.”
“His intentions are pure, he came to find us though I’m curious as to how you knew where we were.”
“It comes with my powers,” Mike responded. “That I’ll be happy to tell you about when we aren’t out in the open like this.”
“He’s right Charles, we should go,” Erik nodded. “In case the little nitwit who brought us here comes back with friends.”
“And where are we to go?” Charles asked Mike. Mike glanced back at Harvey who was now tapping his foot impatiently.
“My office building. It’s close and it’ll be easy for the others to get there,” Mike said. Both Charles and Erik stood.
“Lead the way,” Charles told him. Mike nodded and cocked his head to the crosswalk. The three of them raced across the street and were met by Harvey’s stare.
“Would you care to explain why you walked out of the office after you passed out?” Harvey asked.
“No,” Mike replied, Harvey’s eyes widened, his eyebrow rose, but Mike wouldn’t back down from this. It was about more than Harvey and a case this time around. It might very well be about the fate of the world. It probably was, if Charles and Erik were here.
“But I need to borrow your office.”
“Because that’s going to make me say yes,” Harvey snorted. Mike felt a prickle in his head and glanced back at Charles who had his hand half raised to his temple. He shook his head in response to the gesture and turned back to Harvey.
“Harvey I can’t explain this to you right now because it’s more than just me,” Mike told him and he prayed this next part would work so he wouldn’t have to use more persuasive methods with his boss. Harvey was someone he avoided. “So I need you to trust me and come back to the firm and let me use your office.”
“This isn’t the place to deal with it anyway. Let’s go,” Harvey grumbled.
“Follow me,” Mike nodded to Charles and Erik.
XXXXXXXXXX
Part Three: Alert
Mike was grateful for the silence as they all rode the elevator, though he could feel Harvey’s eyes boring into him. Mike just shot his boss/mentor/friend looks that begged him not to ask questions that Mike honestly couldn’t answer. Erik and Charles seemed to be immersed in their own silent conversation, something that Mike knew was normal from the stories he’d coaxed out of Alex as a child.
“You know Alex Summers?” Charles broke the silence, Erik clucked in response.
“Charles you mustn’t go into people’s heads all the time, it’s rude.”
“It’s alright Erik,” Mike was mildly worried that he liked this younger version of someone he was supposed to distrust but he appreciated the honesty and the no nonsense attitude. “You get used to it and it’s not like I haven’t gone into Charles’ mind.”
“You have?” Erik was interested now. “Are you like him?”
“Like him how?” Harvey asked, eyes darting between all three of them, Mike sighed and shook his head.
“Not quite, my powers are different,” he offered, ready to explain more, but then the elevator doors dinged and they were on the floor that led to Harvey’s office. Mike closed his mouth and nodded to go out, sent a warning look to Harvey before they all stepped out of the elevator. Mike led the way down the hall and when he found it empty he was more than a little sure that Charles was weaving his own powers to keep it that way. They avoided everyone on the normally busy floor until they reached Donna.
Mike expected her to eye him critically, he did not expect her mouth to drop open at the sight of the two men following him nor did he expect to hear her sharp intake of breath as a hand covered her still open mouth. He glanced back to find that Harvey was eying his assistant curiously and that Charles just looked full on delighted to see her. Erik looked torn between amusement and exasperation.
Holy fuck Donna was a mutant and she had her head cocked at him now, and yep she had pieced it together about him as well.
“Harvey I need to talk to you for a minute, now, non-negotiable,” Donna informed their boss as she shot Mike a warning look. He nodded, though they’d talk later. He had more important things to worry about right now; like the fact that Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr had filed into the office. Mike watched as Harvey stopped to talk to his assistant before he closed the office door and drew the ceiling to floor black curtains around the glass.
“I’m not sure how long we have,” Mike turned to them. “So I’m going to need to ask one of you to let me do something.”
“Do what?” Erik asked suspiciously, Charles held a hand up.
“This wouldn’t have something to do with your powers would it?” he asked. “We never did find out what they were.”
“I…I can see into people’s pasts,” Mike explained. “Their memories, emotions, I see it all.”
“And that’s useful how?” Erik asked, Mike crossed his arms over his chest defensively. This may be the man that would someday drive fear into the minds of the Professor’s school but he wasn’t there yet. Mike wasn’t scared of Erik Lensherr and he might even admit to a little respect for his blunt questions.
“Erik I don’t think that-”
“No Charles it’s alright,” Mike focused his attention solely on Erik. “My powers are actually very useful because people can’t hide their memories. They can bury them but they don’t disappear. I’ll find them and see them and if I’m so inclined I will leave them there.”
Erik looked properly chastised even as Charles’s eyes lit up.
“Fascinating,” Charles murmured. “Your powers must be incredibly useful when you want information. You see someone’s past….I wonder if your powers were developed enough…could you see the future?”
“No I just deal with memories,” Mike ran a hand through his hair.
“Groovy,” Charles winked. “Erik do you have something to say?”
“I won’t apologize for wondering,” Erik told him. “But I will say that your powers are incredibly interesting. Now what did you want to do to us with them?”
“I was wondering if one of you would let me venture into your heads,” Mike replied. “Normally I’m not so intrusive but…clearly things are different,” he gestured to their clothes as well as their appearances. “And we need answers sooner rather than later.”
“You can go into mine,” Charles told him. Erik made a sound beside him.
“Charles no, you can’t simply let someone we just met into your head, your memories like that, it’s foolish and dangerous and-”
“Erik, I agree but Michael is right, we do not have the time to chit chat. Besides,” Charles turned a smile onto Mike. “I don’t think this will be his first trip into my head will it?”
“No,” Mike chuckled. “When I first came to you…you were the one that taught me how to….control what I could do. The only one that really could because I was kind of….really close to going crazy at eleven with all of these things in my head that weren’t mine.”
“Eleven? Really? Your powers manifested that early?” Charles asked, eyes alight. “Of course it’s been known to happen,” he gestured to himself and Erik, who grimaced.
“I…when I was eleven I was in a car accident with my parents,” Mike replied quietly. “They didn’t make it…you….you and Dr. McCoy think that the trauma of the accident and then losing them jolted something in me, which made them manifest earlier than normal. You came to get me about a month after the fact which…thanks in advance. You probably saved my life.”
“I’m sure you would do the same for us,” Charles responded. Mike smiled.
“I’d do it for you in a heartbeat Professor,” Mike replied as he gestured to the couch. “Now let’s see what brought you to twenty-eleven.”
Charles took a seat as Mike joined him.
“What do you need from me?”
“It’ll help if you can try and isolate the past few hours for me,” Mike told him. “That way I’m not routing around in your head for longer than necessary. Also, I need to ask you to try and keep yourself out of my head.”
“Secrets you don’t want to share?” Erik asked suspiciously. Mike rolled his eyes.
“Things about this time that you shouldn’t know,” he countered. Erik opened his mouth to speak but closed it and sent a look to Charles. Mike nearly rolled his eyes again but stopped when Charles sent what could only be deemed as an early version of his ‘professor look’ towards him. Early version, but still just as effective at getting him to quiet down.
“I can adhere to that, I’ve seen enough of your mind to know that you mean us no harm. I’ll do my best to keep out, but I trust that there might be some overflow?” Charles asked.
“Maybe,” Mike answered. “I’m usually pretty good at blocking it but your mind is also a lot stronger than everyone else.”
“Let’s begin then, I’m quite intrigued by your power,” Charles looked like a child on Christmas morning and Mike couldn’t help but chuckle. “Erik will you…”
“The door is being guarded.”
“Then take a breath and let me in,” Mike concentrated. It didn’t take long for him to feel the surface of Charles’ memories calling to him. Usually if it hit this point Mike resisted the pull but now he just let himself get sucked down.
Mike blinked and glanced around, he knew this room, he knew those bookshelves, had borrowed from them many times. But the place looked less lived in right now, dark instead of warm and safe. He felt like it needed some life now that there were people in the house again.
“Charles.”
He turned and felt a jolt of warmth rush through him at the sight of Erik standing in the doorway to the study with the car keys floating in front of him.
“So you’ve changed your mind my friend?”
“You’re sure that you felt the presence of another mutant close by?”
“Positive,” Charles responded. “Cerebro widened my range before we came here and I can feel this mutant.”
“Then we go and find them.”
“Now?”
“No in two weeks,” Erik teased, he smiled at the fondness in his tone. “Yes now, the children will be fine here for a few hours.”
“It’s not the children I’m worried about,” Charles countered. “It’s if we’ll have a home to come back to.”
“Come, we’ll threaten them with chores before we go.”
Mike almost laughed at the way Erik said it, looking ridiculously domestic in ways that he didn’t know were possible for him before he felt the memory slip way to reveal another.
They approached the front of the house cautiously and knocked. Only an hour away from the house and the children within it, possibly adding one more to the mix before the day was done. He was grateful to have Erik with him in this, he wasn’t sure he could do it all alone.
“Yes?”
Charles nearly jumped when he was confronted with a man of no more than thirty standing in front of him, with brown hair and red eyes, menacing as his arms crossed in front of him and a smirk appeared on his face.
“Hello my name is Charles X-”
“Oh I know who you are Xavier, and you too Lensherr,” the man’s smirk turned into something sisnister. “My name is Jupiter. You two are the reason I’m back in this god awful time. So glad you got my message. Now…let’s take a trip. Things to do, events to prevent. Come along, come along.”
Before either Erik or Charles could react there was a hand on each of their shoulders. The only thing Charles could do was send his mind into his, try to counter as they both slipped into the black.
Mike felt the edges of the memories fade. He was about to pull himself out completely when he felt himself start to trickle into something that tasted like copper and ash and no…he couldn’t no not this not now.
It was cold, so cold, and he couldn’t see anything. His head hurt a lot.
“Mommy?”
He forced himself and Charles out of the memory and away from each other. He heard a gasp, he ignored it in favor of keeping his eyes closed and willing the despair to go away.
“Charles!”
Footsteps, there was someone next to them, Mike took a deep breath.
“What in god’s name did he do to you?”
“Nothing, he didn’t do a thing Erik,” Charles’s voice was soft and suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Mike, you can come back now. You did well, bringing us out before it got too bad.”
“I…I did warn you,” Mike sighed as he wiped his eyes and opened them to focus on Charles and Erik. “I’m sorry. No one should have to see that.”
“I suspect that I already have,” Charles squeezed his shoulder. “Did you get what you needed?”
“Enough of it,” Mike said. “At least we have a starting place.”
“I must say that your powers are extraordinary,” Charles looked at Erik. “It’s so different than my own.”
“Powers? Mike…what the hell is going on here?”
All three of them shared a look and turned towards the doorway and saw Harvey standing there, arms crossed, eyes trained on Mike as Donna glanced at them all, worry in her eyes. Erik cursed in some other language.
“Mike? What did he mean powers?”
“He doesn’t know?” Charles murmured. Mike shook his head.
“He’s about to find out,” he replied before he looked at Harvey. “Come in, close the door, and sit down. I’ll explain…after I make a call.”
“You will-”
Mike held one hand up as the other went to fish his phone out with the other.
“Believe it or not Harvey there are more important things in this world than you and your needs so please come into your office, sit down, and I will explain in a minute. After I make a call.”
Harvey glared at him and Mike met the look with one of his own. He was so used to backing down but right now he was right, things were being set in motion, shit had gone down, and when it came to mutants that usually meant that the world was in jeopardy. He had to follow through with the initial plan. Harvey huffed but did as requested but made sure to sit at his desk. Mike kept a close eye on him, could feel Erik and Charles doing the same thing as he punched the speed dial on his phone.
“What is that?” Erik asked. Mike snorted.
“The beauty of technology,” he replied as he put the phone up to his ear and set about blocking his mind as Harvey glared and Emma answered the phone.
“Successful?”
“I have them,” Mike replied carefully. “They’re in the room with my boss and I.”
“I see,” Emma responded. “Prognosis Wise Man?”
“Does the year 1962 mean anything to you?”
“Fuck me,” Emma muttered.
“So I was right,” Mike nodded. “We’re fucked?”
“Probably, I don’t want to risk going into your head with Charles there. Storm, Logan, and I are assembling a team to come get you all right now,” she replied. “You’re good to come?”
“I’m already involved,” Mike replied. “You know I’m in.”
“Good. Still have your communicator?”
“Never leave home without it. Just have to rescue it from my desk.”
“I’ll have one of the guys buzz you when they get there. Stay safe.”
The line cut off and Mike sighed as he put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Charles and Erik first.
“We’re going to figure this out. Some friends are coming to get us right now,” he replied before he turned to Harvey.
“Friends?” Erik asked. “What friends?”
“You’ll see,” Mike assured. “They’re like us.”
“If someone could please tell me what us is that would be fantastic,” Harvey scoffed. Mike sighed; he always kept his powers a secret, even from Trevor, from Jenny, the only person that knew about them was Gram. It wasn’t because he was ashamed but because it kept him safer. The world was still filled with people who hated mutants and if Mike wanted to be a valuable member of the team then it was necessary. But it seemed that he had no choice but to tell Harvey now.
“You don’t have to tell him anything,” Charles comforted. “I can…you just don’t.”
“He also shouldn’t have to hide,” Erik interrupted. “He should be proud of who he is.”
“I am proud of who I am,” Mike aimed a look at Erik. “It’s always been safer to keep them to myself though. It’s not just about me. It’s about a lot of people I care about.”
“What are you hiding from me?” Harvey asked, this time he stood, Mike did the same thing and held a hand out to stop Charles and Erik from moving. He took a deep breath, glanced at the closed door, and gave Harvey the most serious of looks.
“I’m a mutant.”
-
Silence echoed. Harvey openly stared at him, mouth agape, and if this were any situation Mike would be laughing at the fact that he had made Harvey Specter speechless. But this wasn’t any other situation, this was just nerve wracking.
“A mutant? You’re a…mutant?” Harvey rolled the word over his tongue, Mike felt Erik step closer to him, looked towards the older man and found him standing tall and proud, eyes trained on Harvey.
“Yes,” Mike replied. “I’m a mutant.”
“And you….all of you,” Harvey motioned to the three of them, and now Mike could feel Charles shift his own stance. “Are mutants.”
“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” Erik asked.
“I…you….you’re a mutant.”
“Yes Harvey we’ve established that,” Mike understood that finding out that your employee was a mutant and had been hiding it from you for the better part of a year was difficult to process but he had hoped that Harvey and his quick mind would have done so by now. Harvey leveled him a look, one of shock and hurt mixed together.
“You didn’t tell me that you were a mutant,” Harvey told him.
“No, I don’t tell a lot of people about my gifts,” Mike responded.
“Gifts,” Harvey muttered as he sat down and ran a hand against the back of his neck before his eyes were back on Mike. “Your memory?”
“Something like that,” Mike responded.
“Explain,” Harvey ordered.
“He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Erik cut into their exchange.
“On the contrary he does, I’m his boss and he’s been keeping a pretty big fucking secret from me so I can-” Harvey stopped talking when the stapler on his desk rose up and started to spin right in front of him. Mike glanced at Erik to find him smirking.
“Erik stop,” Charles ordered. “The man’s just in shock and as he said Mike has been keeping this from him. Stop.”
“Please,” Mike told him. “I can handle him. His bark is worse than his bite.”
Erik gave Charles a long suffering look before the stapler found its way back onto the desk, but stayed right in front of Harvey. Mike breathed a sigh of relief because he was in no way prepared to fight with Erik Lensherr of all people. Charles gave him an odd look; Mike shook his head and turned his attentions back to Harvey.
“Harvey I…”
“Harvey.”
Everyone turned to find that Donna was in the doorway with Louis of all people, both looking more than a little shaken.
“Not now,” Harvey told them. “Donna,” he said when the two didn’t budge. “I said no interruptions. Louis we’re busy.”
“Jessica wants to see us,” Louis told him. Harvey looked at Donna who nodded.
“The call just came in. I was coming to get you when Louis came barging up. She said it was urgent,” Donna told him. Harvey glared at Louis and Donna, they held their ground, Mike was left to wonder about the part that Louis played in all of this. “I know what you said Harvey but it’s Jessica.”
There was silence as Harvey looked at Mike and then to Donna and Louis before he sighed and stood.
“Fine,” he buttoned his jacket. “Keep an eye on our guests, don’t let them leave. Mike we’ll be having words later.”
“Right,” Mike nodded as Harvey left the room, Louis hot on his heels, bickering about how awesome he was. Donna waited until he was out of earshot before she looked at all of them.
“Go while you can, Louis will only distract him for so long,” she instructed.
“Donna…” Mike trailed off but she shook her head and held her hand out, where his communicator was blinking. She tossed it to him; he caught it, flipped it open and brought it to his ear. “Hello?”
“Wise Man we’re cloaked on the roof ready and waiting for all of you,” Sean’s voice came through and Mike had never been so relieved. “It’s just Alex and I…everyone else thought that it’d be easiest given what we’re working with here.”
“Right, we’ll be up in a minute,” he promised before he hung up and pocketed the device as he glanced at Donna. “You’re…”
“I have some psychic abilities,” she replied before she gave the professor a fond smile. “That you tried to help me with when I was younger.”
“Really?” Charles frowned. “Tried?”
“I never went to your school but you were always ready to help if I ever called, Mike,” Donna looked at him. “You need to go before Harvey comes back. I’ll….I can’t promise anything on this front but…”
“No I get it,” he told her before he nodded towards Charles and Erik. He walked to the door way, glanced at her and chuckled. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“What?”
“I knew you had to have some sort of magic,” he told her, she winked at him.
“Go,” she instructed with a slight push towards the hall. “All of you. I’ll do my best to throw him off of your trail.”
“You’re my goddess,” Mike said as he walked out and gestured to Charles and Erik. Erik followed readily, but Charles paused. Donna raised her eyebrow.
“It was nothing you did,” she told him. “I just didn’t see myself there. You were always willing to help me though. So thank you.”
“I don’t know what I’ve done to warrant it,” Charles replied, Donna smiled at him.
“Not yet but you will,” she replied. “Treasure your time here, you’ll need it.”
“Charles,” Erik interrupted, Donna flashed eyes on him, he paused.
“You need to go,” she said. “Our boss will come back and even I won’t be able to rescue you. Go. Mike,” she looked at him. “It’s time to look where you fear the most.”
“Donna?”
“I can’t tell you more just…good luck,” she said. Mike wanted to ask her more, wanted to know what she knew but a quick glance down the hall had him realizing that they had to go and now. He did give her a nod before he glanced at Charles and Erik.
“Let’s take the stairs,” he suggested. “We can-”
“Run if we have to,” Erik nodded. “You’ve been taught well.”
“I had great teachers,” Mike grinned at Charles who sent him a smile in return.
“Lead the way my friend, I’m anxious to see the reinforcements you’ve brought.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Link to Part 2: http://engimaforum.livejournal.com/3625.html#cutid1">
Fandom: Suits, X-Men, X-Men: First Class
Characters: Mike Ross, Harvey Specter, Charles Xavier, Erik Lensherr, Donna, Louis Litt, Kyle Durant, Bobby Drake, Kitty Pride, Rogue, Piotr Rasputin, Raven Darkholme/Mystique, Storm, Logan, Emma Frost, Hank McCoy, Alex Summers, Sean Cassidy, Original Characters
Pairings: Charles Xavier/Erik Lensherr, Harvey Specter/Mike Ross(if you squint)
Word Count: 38,809
Rating: PG-15
Warnings: Slash, Violence, Language
Summary: There’s a fine line between fate and choice.
Notes: This is a crossover fic between Suits and XMFC. Before Cuba, before the divorce-Charles and Erik are thrown into the future by one of the kids they’re trying to recruit on their roadtrip. They land in Manhattan near Pearson and Hardman where Mike is assaulted by their memories and is called to action to help save the world.
AN: In the X-Men comic-verse Emma Frost starts out as a member of the Hellfire club but eventually joins the X-Men, later forming her own school for mutants. For purposes of this story that element will be brought from the comic-verse. Anything else is straight from the X-Men movies.
There is also fabulous art for this story:
Book cover done by Firefox1490 can be found here:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OfFateandChoiceBookCover.jpg
Fanmix done by vertrauen and can be found here:
http://zellersee.livejournal.com/21401.html
Cover for the fanmix can be found here:
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r191/Enigmaforum/Suits%20Big%20Bang/OFACAlbumCover.png
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
Part One: Awakening:
It happens when he’s least expecting it of course because that’s when shit has a way of wanting to hit the fan.
Mike sat at his cubicle, highlighter in hand, eyes scanning for something, anything he could possibly use to get Harvey through his newest case and to get the other side to crumble. He would find something; it’s what he was good at, what he had to do despite the buzzing flitting around his head. It was a normal sensation for him, one he was used to keeping on a low volume and drowning out thanks to his training but today it was louder than usual. Louder, more annoying, and way more persistent than anything he’d felt in a very long time.
Mike rubbed the back of his neck as something flashed in his head, black for the moment as he shook his head and willed it away. These late nights must be getting to him and the tight control he kept on his mind when he was at the office. He’d have to force himself to drink more caffeine or actually get more than five hours of sleep tonight in order to keep himself from literally going insane.
He closed his eyes and breathed in and out:
“Just like that Michael. Breathe and calm yourself down.”
“Professor I can’t!”
“Yes you can, you’re doing it right now.”
“But it doesn’t last for long and-”
Mike shook his head, trying to get himself out of the headspace he was heading into. The memories helped calm him but they did nothing to stop the sorrow. The man associated with them, his mentor, his all-around savior had been gone for years now, taken from this world entirely too soon and it hurt to think about the amusement in the professors eyes during their first training session. Mike couldn’t afford to be sad right now, maybe later, when he had a six-pack and time to lose himself in his memories. Not right now. Not when he had work to do. The buzzing was still there, and still black, very black, but it was better than before.
He breathed because sometimes that was the only thing he could do.
“Must be nice to have time to take a nap.”
Mike opened his eyes and glared at Greg who was looking down at him.
“Fuck off.”
“Oooo touchy touchy, did I hurt your wittle feelings?” Greg cooed. “Awww look everyone, is little Ross gonna cry.”
“Greg I-” Mike stopped talking when the buzzing in his head changed into what sounded like someone screaming. Shit. Mike quickly put his highlighter down on the desk and searched for something to hold onto. This hadn’t happened to him in years but he knew the signs well enough by now and he was panicking because, fuck, this was going to happen in front of everyone.
“What? You aren’t going to do a damn….”
The annoying voice that belonged to his fellow associate faded out as the screaming gave way to the black that faded into color being painted on the canvas of his mind. He wasn’t sitting at his desk anymore, he was walking in the rain with his mama, being herded like cattle into the unknown, and he was terrified but trying to be brave for his mama.
Mike was pulled from this image and settled into a new one, he’s not in a line anymore but curled up in a bed that’s entirely too big for his twelve-year old self, though he’s still terrified because there’s a storm raging outside and mother won’t let him into her room.
He’s convinced the monsters will try and get him and even his mind won’t be able to stop them.
There’s more running through his head, powerful memories of pain and sorrow so deep he might drown in it, of a thirst for revenge so great he might die if he doesn’t quench it. There’s the desire to protect his sister from their step-father, to protect his father’s legacy, to get the fuck out, happiness, learning, wisdom Mike only wishes he could gain someday. There’s warmth and cold.
There’s water. And he’s switching between the two figures in the water, the memory is so closely intertwined with the others that Mike doesn’t know; it’s like they’re one person, feelings of wonder and awe merged together so beautifully that it almost hurts. They aren’t alone, he’s not alone anymore, there’s someone here who can do things like him. There’s someone here like him and his sister. Someone like him. Unrest. Peace. Revenge forgotten for the moment. Peace. Together. Oneness he hadn’t even thought capable of feeling.
The things they were going to do together if only they could get out of this water. The water that was very cold.
“Jesus kid, wake the fuck up!”
Mike startled when a hand knocked against his shoulder, groaned as he blinked and found that not only was there water there, he was lying on the floor with the entire office crowded around him. He tried to move, found that he couldn’t because two pairs of hands were holding him to the ground. He blinked again and found that Harvey’s face was right there and the two weights on his shoulders were most definitely Harvey’s hands. What was even more comical was the fact that right beside Harvey, Louis was kneeling beside him with an expression akin to concern plastered across his face.
“Mike can you hear me?”
Louis’s voice was soft and almost reassuring, Mike wanted to laugh but his head hurt to goddamn much. He nodded to the question and breathed in and out as he tried to figure out what the fuck had just happened with his powers.
“Good, that’s good, can you talk for us?” Harvey asked.
“Yes,” Mike replied even as his head throbbed because, fuck, coming out from an episode like that hurt. Shit. An episode like that hadn’t happened since he was a teenager and still trying to learn control on his powers. The last time had been because he had slipped too far into…fuck.
But that was impossible because Professor Xavier was gone and anyone that had any connection to him was up in Westchester with the institute or out of his range. Even then he was far too familiar with most of their memories; he knew that none of them had memories like that floating around in their heads. No, memories like those, Mike knew one of the signatures almost as well as his own mind. The other one….the other was new but vaguely familiar. Mike thought he’d seen those memories before, somewhere, but he shook his head, time to think about that later. Right now he had to-
“Mike stay with us,” Harvey commanded as one of his hands came up to brush against his forehead. “No fever, did someone call the paramedics?”
“No,” Mike panicked at that word. He couldn’t have the paramedics here. They wouldn’t understand, they’d take him to the goddamn hospital and then he couldn’t do anything about what he had just seen. Mike wasn’t crazy nor was he tripped up on drugs. “No paramedics, I’m fine.”
“Mike, you just blacked out for a solid five minutes,” Louis leveled him with a look. “You need an ambulance and a doctor.”
“No,” Mike shook his head again and then wriggled out from Harvey’s touch. He felt exhausted and his frayed mind couldn’t do touch right now. It had been all right at first but now that he was more aware, Harvey’s hands were screaming ‘Hey read me!’ to his frazzled brain. The last thing Mike wanted was to violate Harvey like that. Mike also didn’t want the hospital, too many questions, too many people’s thoughts…thoughts.
An idea sprung into his head, Mike nearly grinned as he quickly moved to execute it, breathed and let his mind reach out to the only person who might know something right now.
Emma? I think I need to talk to you…now. I just felt something rather…impossible. I need to know if I’ m crazy or not.
There was a brief pause before Mike felt the familiar white edges surrounding his mind, ones that were usually tinged with fondness now covered in worry and awe.
You’re not crazy Wise Man. I felt it too. It’s…it’s him. Charles is back.
Mike stopped breathing for a minute.
“Mike you need to-”
Harvey froze midsentence, Mike watched as everything and everyone in the office froze around him and he most certainly hadn’t done this. His pocket vibrated. He reached down and fished his phone out and hit accept with even looking at the screen because there was only (well now he supposed two) but one person who would call him like this. He almost smiled as he brought the phone to his ear.
“I had to,” Emma said in lieu of a greeting. “I couldn’t risk us being overheard.”
“I understand,” Mike replied because she was right, this was the kind of thing that “normal” people shouldn’t overhear. He paused, when had he started that old thought process?
“The second you got those memories sugar,” Emma supplied and Mike cursed.
“Sometimes you suck,” he said. “But want to tell me what the fucking fuck is going on here?”
XXXXXXXXXX
Part 2: Between the Haze
Haze. Fog. Confusion. He fought through them all with the anger that bubbled through his veins, fueling him to stand and straighten his clothes and look around. He was alone. He should have two others with him. He’d planned on it, trained for it, and now he was alone.
He hadn’t accounted for that goddamn telepath to be so strong. He hadn’t counted on such a fast response from him. He hadn’t been prepared for these things. He would rectify the situation.
He knew what to do now. He could react. He could fix this problem. He fished for his phone and pressed the number one.
“We have a problem. Meet me in fifteen.”
-
He felt Erik put a hand on front of him as he raised a hand to his temple and started to work on the minds of all of the people that had just seen two grown men appear out of nowhere. He was startled to realize that it was quite a lot of people and indiscriminately thankful for the fact that his powers could reach them all. It took him all of five minutes to erase the memories of them and replace it with the casual everyday bustle of life. When he’s sure it’s done and they are momentarily he safe he glanced at Erik.
“Any thoughts my friend?” Charles asked casually as he glanced around, they were surrounded by skyscrapers and so many people.
“Yes,” Erik replied. “That little shit tried to kill us.”
“Not kill, take us somewhere first,” Charles said. “At least that’s what I got from the brief glimpse into his mind before I was trying to steer us away from him.”
“But he was eventually going to kill us?” Erik asked, a pointed look aimed at Charles, who ran a hand through his hair as he frowned.
“From what I gathered yes it was his intention but I can’t imagine why,” he grumbled, a frown on his face. “We’d never met the man.”
“That was no man, he was a child, a very spoiled child,” Erik added as he looked around, nervous of all the people even if Charles was working his telepathy. “What do you suggest we do?”
“We should sit down, collect ourselves and try to figure out what happened,” Charles nodded towards a nearby bench.
“Or figure out exactly where we are.”
-
Mike was careful as he moved away from the crowd of still frozen coworkers and bosses alike, eyeing them as he stood up.
“They ain’t going anywhere honey,” Emma reassured him on the other end of the line.
“I know,” Mike chuckled, because really anyone who doubted Emma Frost’s power was crazy and probably about to have their asses kicked by her.
“Damn straight they are,” Emma told him. Mike laughed this time as he got away from the group, out into the hall, and proceeded to lean against the wall and breathe.
“So what do we need to do here?” Mike asked because from what he gathered Emma only knew a little bit more than he did.
“Are you up for a mission?” Emma asked after a minute. Mike sighed.
“You know I am,” he replied. “Tell me what you need.”
“More information, the kind that I can’t get without alerting Charles to the presence in his head,” Emma replied.
“Couldn’t you go into…Magneto’s head?” Mike asked.
“I…it’s complicated Wise Man,” she said after a minute. “What you saw…that’s not….it’s not Magneto. Not the one you know, not yet, at least that’s what I think.”
“So what can I do?”
“Go and get them, Charles will love you and your do good ways,” Emma said. “I’ll guide you to them but after that you’re going to have to get them somewhere safe and…”
“You want me to go into their heads too?” Mike asked.
“Charles will be more inclined to let you rummage around in his head than he would me,” Emma breathed. “When you’re done I’ll get into your head, see what we’re dealing with and act accordingly.”
“Alright,” Mike nodded because he had to do this, he had to help. He’d missed being able to help, to be involved in the other world he’d had to leave when his Gram had gotten sick. “I’ll get back into position on the floor, you let my co-workers out, and then you get into my head and guide me.”
“Let’s do this, and Wise Man?”
“Yeah Emma?”
“We’ve missed you too,” Emma told him. Mike smiled just a little as he hung up, pocketed his phone, and then walked back over to the frozen group and got back on the ground, underneath Harvey’s hands. Five seconds later everyone started moving again.
“Stay down,” Harvey said. “Donna can you please go threaten the paramedics?”
Mike forgot about the damn paramedics. Shit.
Not to worry, all taken care of for you.
Emma’s voice filtered into his head, Mike grinned and looked at Donna, was surprised to find her staring at him with her head cocked and a hand at her temple. He backed away; he’d analyze it later, when he didn’t have bigger things on his mind. He breathed in and pushed himself up from where Harvey was holding him down, stood, and shook his head.
“I’m fine,” he replied as he made himself stand up. “I just need some air…I’ll be back.”
“Mike wait, sit down!” Harvey yelled but Mike shook his head and walked towards the elevators, kept calm as people called his name, as the whispering started, as Donna kept eyeing him. He decided against waiting for the elevators and made a beeline for the stairs, faster and easier to avoid people.
He didn’t have any time to lose.
-
Wise Man, I’m going to leave you now. Charles will sense me if I keep our connection. You know what you’re looking for right?
Mike felt his heart stop when he glanced across the street and saw the two men from the memories that had assaulted him sitting on a bench, heads bent together, talking. He felt the barest whisper of Emma telling him goodbye but all he could seem to focus on was the fact that Charles Xavier, his teacher, his father figure, one of the people he trusted most in the world was right in front of him.
And he had hair.
Mike nearly choked when he saw that. The professor Xavier he knew certainly didn’t have hair, nor did he just sit on a bench. The only normal thing about this was the fact that the Professor was talking to Magneto, something that the two had constantly done despite the fact that they were on opposite ends of the battle. But this Magneto…he looked so much younger, happier, and was currently not looking at the professor but had turned his attentions across the street, his eyes right on him.
Fuck.
Not quite that. Come across and talk to us Michael.
Mike jumped when he heard the familiar voice filtering through his head. It had been so long since he’d last heard it and as he glanced across he found the Professor looking at him, his hand at his temple, mouth quirked into a confused smile. Mike couldn’t resist grinning back. He nodded and made his way to the crosswalk, waited a minute and then hurried over to where the Professor was sitting with a man that Mike had only seen in accidental glimpses of Xavier’s mind; Erik Lensherr in the flesh, glaring at him.
Good to know some things had carried over. Mike made himself look taller because he knew from those accidental pictures that Erik was a danger. Especially where Charles Xavier was concerned.
“Erik, be nice,” Charles grumbled. “Michael was here looking for us.”
“I will not be nice when we were just taken from everything we know and put somewhere new. How do we know that he’s not working for the child that brought us here?”
“Erik,” Charles leveled him with a look. “If he were I would know. Now, Michael, you seem to know us, but we don’t know you.”
“No professor,” he spoke. “You don’t….at least…you don’t yet. I…”
“You’re a mutant!” Charles clapped his hands. Mike startled and glanced around and was never more grateful for the everyday bustle of the city and the fact that everyone minded their own business. “Fabulous. Erik he’s one of us.”
“Charming,” Erik bit out, though he looked more relaxed at the mention of the fact that Mike was like him.
“I am,” Mike replied. “And we should get out of here. We have a lot of things to figure out and I’m guessing not a lot of time to do it in. I know it’s asking a lot but could you-”
He stopped when Erik held a hand up and motioned across the street.
“We are no longer alone.”
Mike tensed and reached out with his own mind. He rolled his eyes when he felt familiar memories creep into his head.
“Can’t mind his own goddamned business,” he grumbled as he turned his head and found that Harvey was standing on the opposite side of the street, arms crossed over his chest, staring at him. Mike glared at him in return because he really didn’t need this right now. There were more important matters at hand.
“You know him?” Charles asked, hand at his temple. Mike nodded.
“My boss,” Mike rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m afraid he’s too inquisitive for his own good sometimes.”
“He’s not a mutant?” Erik asked. Charles shook his head.
“No but he seems rather angry at Michael here.”
“Call me Mike Professor.”
“Then you shall call me Charles,” Charles told him. “I feel odd being addressed as Professor when I haven’t taught you anything.”
Mike bit out a laugh.
“Pro-Charles, Erik, we need to take cover and figure some things out. I promise you I’m not out to get you, Charles can verify.”
“His intentions are pure, he came to find us though I’m curious as to how you knew where we were.”
“It comes with my powers,” Mike responded. “That I’ll be happy to tell you about when we aren’t out in the open like this.”
“He’s right Charles, we should go,” Erik nodded. “In case the little nitwit who brought us here comes back with friends.”
“And where are we to go?” Charles asked Mike. Mike glanced back at Harvey who was now tapping his foot impatiently.
“My office building. It’s close and it’ll be easy for the others to get there,” Mike said. Both Charles and Erik stood.
“Lead the way,” Charles told him. Mike nodded and cocked his head to the crosswalk. The three of them raced across the street and were met by Harvey’s stare.
“Would you care to explain why you walked out of the office after you passed out?” Harvey asked.
“No,” Mike replied, Harvey’s eyes widened, his eyebrow rose, but Mike wouldn’t back down from this. It was about more than Harvey and a case this time around. It might very well be about the fate of the world. It probably was, if Charles and Erik were here.
“But I need to borrow your office.”
“Because that’s going to make me say yes,” Harvey snorted. Mike felt a prickle in his head and glanced back at Charles who had his hand half raised to his temple. He shook his head in response to the gesture and turned back to Harvey.
“Harvey I can’t explain this to you right now because it’s more than just me,” Mike told him and he prayed this next part would work so he wouldn’t have to use more persuasive methods with his boss. Harvey was someone he avoided. “So I need you to trust me and come back to the firm and let me use your office.”
“This isn’t the place to deal with it anyway. Let’s go,” Harvey grumbled.
“Follow me,” Mike nodded to Charles and Erik.
XXXXXXXXXX
Part Three: Alert
Mike was grateful for the silence as they all rode the elevator, though he could feel Harvey’s eyes boring into him. Mike just shot his boss/mentor/friend looks that begged him not to ask questions that Mike honestly couldn’t answer. Erik and Charles seemed to be immersed in their own silent conversation, something that Mike knew was normal from the stories he’d coaxed out of Alex as a child.
“You know Alex Summers?” Charles broke the silence, Erik clucked in response.
“Charles you mustn’t go into people’s heads all the time, it’s rude.”
“It’s alright Erik,” Mike was mildly worried that he liked this younger version of someone he was supposed to distrust but he appreciated the honesty and the no nonsense attitude. “You get used to it and it’s not like I haven’t gone into Charles’ mind.”
“You have?” Erik was interested now. “Are you like him?”
“Like him how?” Harvey asked, eyes darting between all three of them, Mike sighed and shook his head.
“Not quite, my powers are different,” he offered, ready to explain more, but then the elevator doors dinged and they were on the floor that led to Harvey’s office. Mike closed his mouth and nodded to go out, sent a warning look to Harvey before they all stepped out of the elevator. Mike led the way down the hall and when he found it empty he was more than a little sure that Charles was weaving his own powers to keep it that way. They avoided everyone on the normally busy floor until they reached Donna.
Mike expected her to eye him critically, he did not expect her mouth to drop open at the sight of the two men following him nor did he expect to hear her sharp intake of breath as a hand covered her still open mouth. He glanced back to find that Harvey was eying his assistant curiously and that Charles just looked full on delighted to see her. Erik looked torn between amusement and exasperation.
Holy fuck Donna was a mutant and she had her head cocked at him now, and yep she had pieced it together about him as well.
“Harvey I need to talk to you for a minute, now, non-negotiable,” Donna informed their boss as she shot Mike a warning look. He nodded, though they’d talk later. He had more important things to worry about right now; like the fact that Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr had filed into the office. Mike watched as Harvey stopped to talk to his assistant before he closed the office door and drew the ceiling to floor black curtains around the glass.
“I’m not sure how long we have,” Mike turned to them. “So I’m going to need to ask one of you to let me do something.”
“Do what?” Erik asked suspiciously, Charles held a hand up.
“This wouldn’t have something to do with your powers would it?” he asked. “We never did find out what they were.”
“I…I can see into people’s pasts,” Mike explained. “Their memories, emotions, I see it all.”
“And that’s useful how?” Erik asked, Mike crossed his arms over his chest defensively. This may be the man that would someday drive fear into the minds of the Professor’s school but he wasn’t there yet. Mike wasn’t scared of Erik Lensherr and he might even admit to a little respect for his blunt questions.
“Erik I don’t think that-”
“No Charles it’s alright,” Mike focused his attention solely on Erik. “My powers are actually very useful because people can’t hide their memories. They can bury them but they don’t disappear. I’ll find them and see them and if I’m so inclined I will leave them there.”
Erik looked properly chastised even as Charles’s eyes lit up.
“Fascinating,” Charles murmured. “Your powers must be incredibly useful when you want information. You see someone’s past….I wonder if your powers were developed enough…could you see the future?”
“No I just deal with memories,” Mike ran a hand through his hair.
“Groovy,” Charles winked. “Erik do you have something to say?”
“I won’t apologize for wondering,” Erik told him. “But I will say that your powers are incredibly interesting. Now what did you want to do to us with them?”
“I was wondering if one of you would let me venture into your heads,” Mike replied. “Normally I’m not so intrusive but…clearly things are different,” he gestured to their clothes as well as their appearances. “And we need answers sooner rather than later.”
“You can go into mine,” Charles told him. Erik made a sound beside him.
“Charles no, you can’t simply let someone we just met into your head, your memories like that, it’s foolish and dangerous and-”
“Erik, I agree but Michael is right, we do not have the time to chit chat. Besides,” Charles turned a smile onto Mike. “I don’t think this will be his first trip into my head will it?”
“No,” Mike chuckled. “When I first came to you…you were the one that taught me how to….control what I could do. The only one that really could because I was kind of….really close to going crazy at eleven with all of these things in my head that weren’t mine.”
“Eleven? Really? Your powers manifested that early?” Charles asked, eyes alight. “Of course it’s been known to happen,” he gestured to himself and Erik, who grimaced.
“I…when I was eleven I was in a car accident with my parents,” Mike replied quietly. “They didn’t make it…you….you and Dr. McCoy think that the trauma of the accident and then losing them jolted something in me, which made them manifest earlier than normal. You came to get me about a month after the fact which…thanks in advance. You probably saved my life.”
“I’m sure you would do the same for us,” Charles responded. Mike smiled.
“I’d do it for you in a heartbeat Professor,” Mike replied as he gestured to the couch. “Now let’s see what brought you to twenty-eleven.”
Charles took a seat as Mike joined him.
“What do you need from me?”
“It’ll help if you can try and isolate the past few hours for me,” Mike told him. “That way I’m not routing around in your head for longer than necessary. Also, I need to ask you to try and keep yourself out of my head.”
“Secrets you don’t want to share?” Erik asked suspiciously. Mike rolled his eyes.
“Things about this time that you shouldn’t know,” he countered. Erik opened his mouth to speak but closed it and sent a look to Charles. Mike nearly rolled his eyes again but stopped when Charles sent what could only be deemed as an early version of his ‘professor look’ towards him. Early version, but still just as effective at getting him to quiet down.
“I can adhere to that, I’ve seen enough of your mind to know that you mean us no harm. I’ll do my best to keep out, but I trust that there might be some overflow?” Charles asked.
“Maybe,” Mike answered. “I’m usually pretty good at blocking it but your mind is also a lot stronger than everyone else.”
“Let’s begin then, I’m quite intrigued by your power,” Charles looked like a child on Christmas morning and Mike couldn’t help but chuckle. “Erik will you…”
“The door is being guarded.”
“Then take a breath and let me in,” Mike concentrated. It didn’t take long for him to feel the surface of Charles’ memories calling to him. Usually if it hit this point Mike resisted the pull but now he just let himself get sucked down.
Mike blinked and glanced around, he knew this room, he knew those bookshelves, had borrowed from them many times. But the place looked less lived in right now, dark instead of warm and safe. He felt like it needed some life now that there were people in the house again.
“Charles.”
He turned and felt a jolt of warmth rush through him at the sight of Erik standing in the doorway to the study with the car keys floating in front of him.
“So you’ve changed your mind my friend?”
“You’re sure that you felt the presence of another mutant close by?”
“Positive,” Charles responded. “Cerebro widened my range before we came here and I can feel this mutant.”
“Then we go and find them.”
“Now?”
“No in two weeks,” Erik teased, he smiled at the fondness in his tone. “Yes now, the children will be fine here for a few hours.”
“It’s not the children I’m worried about,” Charles countered. “It’s if we’ll have a home to come back to.”
“Come, we’ll threaten them with chores before we go.”
Mike almost laughed at the way Erik said it, looking ridiculously domestic in ways that he didn’t know were possible for him before he felt the memory slip way to reveal another.
They approached the front of the house cautiously and knocked. Only an hour away from the house and the children within it, possibly adding one more to the mix before the day was done. He was grateful to have Erik with him in this, he wasn’t sure he could do it all alone.
“Yes?”
Charles nearly jumped when he was confronted with a man of no more than thirty standing in front of him, with brown hair and red eyes, menacing as his arms crossed in front of him and a smirk appeared on his face.
“Hello my name is Charles X-”
“Oh I know who you are Xavier, and you too Lensherr,” the man’s smirk turned into something sisnister. “My name is Jupiter. You two are the reason I’m back in this god awful time. So glad you got my message. Now…let’s take a trip. Things to do, events to prevent. Come along, come along.”
Before either Erik or Charles could react there was a hand on each of their shoulders. The only thing Charles could do was send his mind into his, try to counter as they both slipped into the black.
Mike felt the edges of the memories fade. He was about to pull himself out completely when he felt himself start to trickle into something that tasted like copper and ash and no…he couldn’t no not this not now.
It was cold, so cold, and he couldn’t see anything. His head hurt a lot.
“Mommy?”
He forced himself and Charles out of the memory and away from each other. He heard a gasp, he ignored it in favor of keeping his eyes closed and willing the despair to go away.
“Charles!”
Footsteps, there was someone next to them, Mike took a deep breath.
“What in god’s name did he do to you?”
“Nothing, he didn’t do a thing Erik,” Charles’s voice was soft and suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder. “It’s alright Mike, you can come back now. You did well, bringing us out before it got too bad.”
“I…I did warn you,” Mike sighed as he wiped his eyes and opened them to focus on Charles and Erik. “I’m sorry. No one should have to see that.”
“I suspect that I already have,” Charles squeezed his shoulder. “Did you get what you needed?”
“Enough of it,” Mike said. “At least we have a starting place.”
“I must say that your powers are extraordinary,” Charles looked at Erik. “It’s so different than my own.”
“Powers? Mike…what the hell is going on here?”
All three of them shared a look and turned towards the doorway and saw Harvey standing there, arms crossed, eyes trained on Mike as Donna glanced at them all, worry in her eyes. Erik cursed in some other language.
“Mike? What did he mean powers?”
“He doesn’t know?” Charles murmured. Mike shook his head.
“He’s about to find out,” he replied before he looked at Harvey. “Come in, close the door, and sit down. I’ll explain…after I make a call.”
“You will-”
Mike held one hand up as the other went to fish his phone out with the other.
“Believe it or not Harvey there are more important things in this world than you and your needs so please come into your office, sit down, and I will explain in a minute. After I make a call.”
Harvey glared at him and Mike met the look with one of his own. He was so used to backing down but right now he was right, things were being set in motion, shit had gone down, and when it came to mutants that usually meant that the world was in jeopardy. He had to follow through with the initial plan. Harvey huffed but did as requested but made sure to sit at his desk. Mike kept a close eye on him, could feel Erik and Charles doing the same thing as he punched the speed dial on his phone.
“What is that?” Erik asked. Mike snorted.
“The beauty of technology,” he replied as he put the phone up to his ear and set about blocking his mind as Harvey glared and Emma answered the phone.
“Successful?”
“I have them,” Mike replied carefully. “They’re in the room with my boss and I.”
“I see,” Emma responded. “Prognosis Wise Man?”
“Does the year 1962 mean anything to you?”
“Fuck me,” Emma muttered.
“So I was right,” Mike nodded. “We’re fucked?”
“Probably, I don’t want to risk going into your head with Charles there. Storm, Logan, and I are assembling a team to come get you all right now,” she replied. “You’re good to come?”
“I’m already involved,” Mike replied. “You know I’m in.”
“Good. Still have your communicator?”
“Never leave home without it. Just have to rescue it from my desk.”
“I’ll have one of the guys buzz you when they get there. Stay safe.”
The line cut off and Mike sighed as he put his phone back in his pocket. He looked at Charles and Erik first.
“We’re going to figure this out. Some friends are coming to get us right now,” he replied before he turned to Harvey.
“Friends?” Erik asked. “What friends?”
“You’ll see,” Mike assured. “They’re like us.”
“If someone could please tell me what us is that would be fantastic,” Harvey scoffed. Mike sighed; he always kept his powers a secret, even from Trevor, from Jenny, the only person that knew about them was Gram. It wasn’t because he was ashamed but because it kept him safer. The world was still filled with people who hated mutants and if Mike wanted to be a valuable member of the team then it was necessary. But it seemed that he had no choice but to tell Harvey now.
“You don’t have to tell him anything,” Charles comforted. “I can…you just don’t.”
“He also shouldn’t have to hide,” Erik interrupted. “He should be proud of who he is.”
“I am proud of who I am,” Mike aimed a look at Erik. “It’s always been safer to keep them to myself though. It’s not just about me. It’s about a lot of people I care about.”
“What are you hiding from me?” Harvey asked, this time he stood, Mike did the same thing and held a hand out to stop Charles and Erik from moving. He took a deep breath, glanced at the closed door, and gave Harvey the most serious of looks.
“I’m a mutant.”
-
Silence echoed. Harvey openly stared at him, mouth agape, and if this were any situation Mike would be laughing at the fact that he had made Harvey Specter speechless. But this wasn’t any other situation, this was just nerve wracking.
“A mutant? You’re a…mutant?” Harvey rolled the word over his tongue, Mike felt Erik step closer to him, looked towards the older man and found him standing tall and proud, eyes trained on Harvey.
“Yes,” Mike replied. “I’m a mutant.”
“And you….all of you,” Harvey motioned to the three of them, and now Mike could feel Charles shift his own stance. “Are mutants.”
“Yes, do you have a problem with that?” Erik asked.
“I…you….you’re a mutant.”
“Yes Harvey we’ve established that,” Mike understood that finding out that your employee was a mutant and had been hiding it from you for the better part of a year was difficult to process but he had hoped that Harvey and his quick mind would have done so by now. Harvey leveled him a look, one of shock and hurt mixed together.
“You didn’t tell me that you were a mutant,” Harvey told him.
“No, I don’t tell a lot of people about my gifts,” Mike responded.
“Gifts,” Harvey muttered as he sat down and ran a hand against the back of his neck before his eyes were back on Mike. “Your memory?”
“Something like that,” Mike responded.
“Explain,” Harvey ordered.
“He doesn’t have to do anything he doesn’t want to,” Erik cut into their exchange.
“On the contrary he does, I’m his boss and he’s been keeping a pretty big fucking secret from me so I can-” Harvey stopped talking when the stapler on his desk rose up and started to spin right in front of him. Mike glanced at Erik to find him smirking.
“Erik stop,” Charles ordered. “The man’s just in shock and as he said Mike has been keeping this from him. Stop.”
“Please,” Mike told him. “I can handle him. His bark is worse than his bite.”
Erik gave Charles a long suffering look before the stapler found its way back onto the desk, but stayed right in front of Harvey. Mike breathed a sigh of relief because he was in no way prepared to fight with Erik Lensherr of all people. Charles gave him an odd look; Mike shook his head and turned his attentions back to Harvey.
“Harvey I…”
“Harvey.”
Everyone turned to find that Donna was in the doorway with Louis of all people, both looking more than a little shaken.
“Not now,” Harvey told them. “Donna,” he said when the two didn’t budge. “I said no interruptions. Louis we’re busy.”
“Jessica wants to see us,” Louis told him. Harvey looked at Donna who nodded.
“The call just came in. I was coming to get you when Louis came barging up. She said it was urgent,” Donna told him. Harvey glared at Louis and Donna, they held their ground, Mike was left to wonder about the part that Louis played in all of this. “I know what you said Harvey but it’s Jessica.”
There was silence as Harvey looked at Mike and then to Donna and Louis before he sighed and stood.
“Fine,” he buttoned his jacket. “Keep an eye on our guests, don’t let them leave. Mike we’ll be having words later.”
“Right,” Mike nodded as Harvey left the room, Louis hot on his heels, bickering about how awesome he was. Donna waited until he was out of earshot before she looked at all of them.
“Go while you can, Louis will only distract him for so long,” she instructed.
“Donna…” Mike trailed off but she shook her head and held her hand out, where his communicator was blinking. She tossed it to him; he caught it, flipped it open and brought it to his ear. “Hello?”
“Wise Man we’re cloaked on the roof ready and waiting for all of you,” Sean’s voice came through and Mike had never been so relieved. “It’s just Alex and I…everyone else thought that it’d be easiest given what we’re working with here.”
“Right, we’ll be up in a minute,” he promised before he hung up and pocketed the device as he glanced at Donna. “You’re…”
“I have some psychic abilities,” she replied before she gave the professor a fond smile. “That you tried to help me with when I was younger.”
“Really?” Charles frowned. “Tried?”
“I never went to your school but you were always ready to help if I ever called, Mike,” Donna looked at him. “You need to go before Harvey comes back. I’ll….I can’t promise anything on this front but…”
“No I get it,” he told her before he nodded towards Charles and Erik. He walked to the door way, glanced at her and chuckled. She narrowed her eyes at him.
“What?”
“I knew you had to have some sort of magic,” he told her, she winked at him.
“Go,” she instructed with a slight push towards the hall. “All of you. I’ll do my best to throw him off of your trail.”
“You’re my goddess,” Mike said as he walked out and gestured to Charles and Erik. Erik followed readily, but Charles paused. Donna raised her eyebrow.
“It was nothing you did,” she told him. “I just didn’t see myself there. You were always willing to help me though. So thank you.”
“I don’t know what I’ve done to warrant it,” Charles replied, Donna smiled at him.
“Not yet but you will,” she replied. “Treasure your time here, you’ll need it.”
“Charles,” Erik interrupted, Donna flashed eyes on him, he paused.
“You need to go,” she said. “Our boss will come back and even I won’t be able to rescue you. Go. Mike,” she looked at him. “It’s time to look where you fear the most.”
“Donna?”
“I can’t tell you more just…good luck,” she said. Mike wanted to ask her more, wanted to know what she knew but a quick glance down the hall had him realizing that they had to go and now. He did give her a nod before he glanced at Charles and Erik.
“Let’s take the stairs,” he suggested. “We can-”
“Run if we have to,” Erik nodded. “You’ve been taught well.”
“I had great teachers,” Mike grinned at Charles who sent him a smile in return.
“Lead the way my friend, I’m anxious to see the reinforcements you’ve brought.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Link to Part 2: http://engimaforum.livejournal.com/3625.html#cutid1">