Suits BigBang Fic-Of Fate and Choice 4/6
Title: Of Fate and Choice
Fandom: Suits, X-Men, X-Men: First Class
Notes: The Fourth Part of my Suits BigBang. Only two more to go after this folks.
Part Eight: Breathe in, Breathe Out.
Harvey stumbled through his apartment as he tried to wrap a towel around his waist. The knock on his door had gotten more insistent in the past five minutes and he wanted it to stop more so than he cared about his own dignity. Besides he had no reason to be ashamed of his body, he worked out; he made sure it was fit.
He was surprised to find that Donna was on the other end of his door, dressed for the day her with a ferocious look on her face.
“You,” she hissed as she stomped past him.
“Me?” Harvey asked as he closed the door and turned to face her. “What?”
“You’re putting him in danger,” Donna told him. “The more you look. The more suspicious it seems. Stop.”
Harvey felt himself freeze.
“How did you know that I was looking?”
“I have my ways and you need to stop,” Donna told him.
“Donna, he’s my associate and he’s been hiding a pretty big fucking part of his life from me and then he disappeared and you said he might be in trouble,” Harvey crossed his arms over his chest, Donna just shook her head.
“And I also told you to let it be because there was more at stake here than just you,” she told him. “So I’m going to ask you one more time. Please stop. The lines are blurry enough without you trying to interfere.”
“Blurry lines?” Harvey asked. “What are you talking about?”
Donna closed her eyes and breathed.
“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” her voice was soft. “And a lot is about to happen.”
“Mike’s involved?”
Donna snorted.
“Of course he is,” she sighed. “I never expected to find-but yes he is.”
“Why won’t you tell me?” he asked, he knew sounded desperate but this was Donna and she looked worried and kept looking at her hands and then at him. Donna didn’t worry, she knew everything and if she was worried about Mike than he had to be too. “If he’s in trouble I’m not about to let him-”
“We’re all in trouble,” she said with a sad smile.
“What?” he was thoroughly confused now and he didn’t like it. He felt completely out of control.
“Your future will have to wait in favor of all of us having one.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“I’m sure if you think about it you’ll figure it out,” Donna’s eyes bore into his and he paused as an idea started to form in his head. She stood before him defiant and strong, eyes just daring him to say something negative about her. He could never do that. He would never do that to anyone he cared about.
“Stop, you said?”
She relaxed in front of him and nodded.
“Go get dressed, I’ll put on some coffee and we’ll start shredding the files you do have.”
-
The room had been silent for all of three minutes before Charles and Erik finally got annoyed, exchanged a look, and then Erik took the liberty to speak.
“We have been patient and abided by your requests what we need now is answers.”
“I have been staying out of your heads but I will-”
“There’s no need to go into them,” Alex told him. “We just…before we get into what was there we need to tell you about things.”
“Things that haven’t happened for you yet,” Sean explained at their confused expressions.
“Specifically concerning Sebastian Shaw,” Hank added, Erik tensed.
“What about that monster?”
“He’s dead,” Alex answered coolly, his gaze on Charles while Erik’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“How?”
“You killed him,” Charles murmured as his gaze went to Erik.
“You know that I was always going to-”
“I had hoped you would change your mind, my friend.”
“Charles I-”
“You two lovebirds can spat later,” Emma interrupted. “There’s more to this story.”
“It involves Shaw?” Erik asked. “If he is dead how is this possible?”
“Because Shaw had a sister who believed in his vision and wasn’t afraid to indoctrinate his son,” Mike answered as every eye in the room turned to him. He wasn’t surprised when the metal against the wall started to vibrate and he was equally unsurprised when Emma donned her diamond form.
“You knew,” Erik accused her. “You knew of this.”
“No, I didn’t, sugar,” she replied with an icy smile. “Stop trying to get to me.”
“Erik stop,” Charles put a hand on Erik’s arm. “Calm your mind my friend.”
“They tell us that Shaw is gone only for a son and sister to make an appearance? How am I to be calm Charles?” Erik whispered. “How?”
“By focusing on me,” Charles told him, Mike shifted in his seat. “Ms. Frost you had no knowledge of Shaw’s sister or child?”
“No,” she replied. “I may have been part of his team but even he didn’t tell us everything. He certainly kept that buried away from my skills.”
“Mike what else can you tell us?” Sean prompted.
“Depends on what you can tell us about Shaw,” Mike gestured to the younger mutants in the room. “What I can tell you is that his sister believes in mutant supremacy and when he died she made it her life’s mission to create another one of her brother with her nephew.”
“What of Jupiter’s mother?” Storm questioned, Mike shook his head.
“Mutant most definitely but killed by Shaw from what I got,” he replied.
“Shaw’s idea was the same thing,” Emma responded before Charles could. “He believed that we should be the higher species. That mutants should rule.”
“Don’t you mean that he should rule supreme?” Charles asked, Emma cocked her head to the side, diamonds flashed as she gave a grim smile.
“Among other things.”
“Well his sister was not happy when he died,” Mike replied. “And she brought Charles and Erik back for some reason. I couldn’t really get why.”
“I can guess,” Erik told them, all eyes shifted to him. “You say that we stopped him yes? That he is dead?”
“Very much so,” Sean replied.
“Which means his plans didn’t come to fruition,” Erik told them.
“Shaw wanted to start World War Three,” Charles finished.
“And he was getting close to doing it too,” Emma said as she eyed Erik. “Are you going to try and kill me again?”
“I make no promises,” Erik snapped, Charles’ grip on his arm tightened and he relaxed. Emma seemed to take that as a sign and let the diamonds fall away to her normal white pantsuit. “You honestly didn’t know?”
“I may have been Sebastian’s co-worker but I was still only a woman,” Emma replied. Kitty snorted, she turned a fond look to Kitty. “It was the sixties. Times were different. No I didn’t know Lensherr and for the record I never knew about what he did to you. So sit down and shut up so we can figure out what he wants.”
“Revenge,” Logan said suddenly with a look towards Mike. “From what he’s saying this kid blames Chuck and Erik for everything.”
“And if he were to remove the problem, his father would still be alive and his plans ready to go,” Storm offered.
“But he knows we know now,” Rogue said. “So he has to change his plans.”
“His Aunt, Nike, she had back-up plans. I don’t know what.”
“I can guess,” Kitty said. “From what I saw on her computer…a lot of contacts with foreign powers.”
“They want a repeat of Shaw’s plan,” Alex said. “In case we figure out how to stop it. They want to recreate it.”
“But it would worse this time around,” Hank’s eyes were wide. “Our technology is infinitely better which makes it more destructive.”
“So we must stop him,” Charles said. “You’ll need Erik and I for this. We won’t go.”
“Not until every member is gone,” Erik added, Charles frowned. “They’re all fucking parasites on society.”
“He was upset,” Emma said. “When we were leaving his anger was palpable.”
“What I don’t understand is why he didn’t go back in time,” Bobby said. “His power has to do with going back in time.”
“Because bringing you two back took a lot out of him.”
Everyone in the room turned towards the doorway and were greeted with the sight of Emma Frosts duplicate standing there. She gave a quirk of the lips to her counterpart before the skin fell away to blue ridges. Mike felt the shift of chairs and found himself on his feet as red hair and yellow eyes became apparent.
“Mystique.”
“Raven.”
The yellow eyes left the view of the group and focused on the two members pushing forward above all else. The grave blue face shifted into a smile.
“It’s really you,” she murmured. Charles nodded.
“It really is, you look good,” he told her, she gave a choked laugh before she raced forward and threw herself into his arms. Charles looked surprised but embraced her all the same. Mike looked at everyone to find the younger ones staring at the scene in shock.
“Someone want to explain this to us?” Logan asked. “Because last time I checked she was our enemy.”
“Enemy?” Charles asked as Raven pulled away from the embrace but stayed close. “How could my sister possibly be our enemy?”
Silence.
“Sister?” Bobby squeaked. “You and-”
“Oh fuck me,” Logan muttered, Raven turned her blue head towards him and grinned.
“I tried that, you said no,” she told him.
“Raven what’s going on? Why do they…?”
“A lot’s happened,” she replied. “So much, Charles.”
“Why are you here?” Storm asked
“I called her,” Emma spoke up. “She and I have been in contact ever since her powers returned. I thought she would be useful to our purposes.”
“And willing to help,” Raven added.
“Why now?” Hank asked her. “You’ve never…”
“I’m allowed to have a change of heart and-” she gave both Charles and Erik a fond smile. “Charles is still my brother. And I have no desire to die by the offspring of Sebastian Shaw.”
“What have you been up to?” Sean asked before anyone else could add an insult.
“I took out one of Shaw’s associates during your mission,” Raven waved a flash drive in front of Hank’s face. “I think you’ll find that useful.”
“I…thank you,” Hank took the drive and pocketed it.
“You said something about Jupiter being weak?”
“Time jumping takes a lot out of him and bringing these two here,” she gestured to Charles and Erik. “And getting hit with Charles’s powers took a lot out of him. He’s recovering quickly though.”
“So we need to get to him quickly,” Erik added in a clipped tone.
“I hate to agree but he’s right,” Logan sighed. “Attacking before he can go back and rewrite history is the smart idea.”
“We still need a plan,” Storm interrupted before she looked at Mystique and sighed. “It seems we need your help.”
“How do we know she can be trusted?” Kitty asked.
“Because I trust her,” Charles told them all.
“I trust her too,” Emma added. Kitty pursed her lips but didn’t say anything.
“We don’t have time to waste on this,” Mystique told them. “We need to strike while we can. Hank I’ll help you go through the files I got…if you’ll let me.”
There was silence for a few minutes before Hank nodded and held his hand out.
“Welcome back,” he said, Mystique gifted him with a small smile as she shook it.
“We should train,” Bobby said suddenly. “His associates knew how to fight.”
“It would be wise for you to brush up,” Piotr told Mike who nodded.
“It’s a good idea but I need to head into the city first.”
“The city?” Rogue asked. “Why?”
“My boss is trying to find me.”
“We did take care of that,” Sean offered.
“I know,” Mike smiled. “And thank you for making sure Gram is safe. But if the world is going to end I’m going to be with all of you when it happens trying to stop it. I love being a lawyer but this is home and I want to come back on a more permanent basis.”
Storm smiled and walked over to hug him.
“You were always welcome back,” she whispered.
“And now the team is really back together,” Piotr and Bobby bumped fists.
“Damn straight.”
“The jet will be relatively safe,” Hank muttered.
“If I leave now I’ll get to the law firm when mostly everyone is gone. I won’t cause a scene,” Mike replied. “And I’d like to get some clothes from my apartment.”
“Go,” Logan said. “Call if there’s trouble. We’ll start training tomorrow and hopefully have a plan.”
Mike nodded and turned to walk back up to his room and change into jeans. He was stopped by an arm around his waist; he glanced around to find his friends around him.
“So…did you really think you were going to face this alone?” Bobby asked.
“Because last time we checked we were a team,” Rogue added.
“And there’s nothing like a trip into the city,” Kitty smiled brightly.
“But what about planning and-”
“And they’ll be fine for a few hours. I imagine Mystique and the others have a lot discuss,” Piotr surmised.
“In other words it’s going to get really awkward and you don’t want to be there,” Mike eyed them all, they shrugged.
“Yep.”
“Pretty much.”
“Can you blame us?”
He laughed.
“I guess not, let’s get dressed and meet in the garage in fifteen minutes?”
-
“You work here?”
“Worked,” Mike reiterated as he looked at his four friends who were all but gaping at the building in front of them. “I’m pretty sure I got fired when I walked out and disappeared. Companies don’t usually look too kindly on that.”
“I guess they wouldn’t,” Rogue shrugged.
“But what do you expect when you’re a superhero?” Kitty asked.
“Yeah. Fate of the world and all that jazz,” Piotr offered.
“You two are so sweet it’s giving me cavities,” Bobby told them.
Mike snorted before he took a breath.
“You guys coming up with me?”
“Duh,” Rogue pushed him towards the door. “Lead the way Wise Man.”
He nodded before he took a breath and walked past the security desk with a nod towards the guard, who conveniently forgot that they were there the moment they got into the elevator. The ride up seemed to take forever as he ran through all the possible scenarios in his head. The chances were that his desk was already cleared out and some new associate’s things were already there. The chances were that Harvey hated him and wouldn’t even see him. The odds were not in his favor but he had to do this. He owed Harvey some sort of explanation. He deserved that much from Mike before he left for who knew how long with a very strong possibility of not coming back.
“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” Kitty reached out and squeezed his hand. Mike looked at her.
“You’ve never met my boss, he’s…stubborn.”
“And you aren’t?” Bobby teased.
Mike breathed as the doors dinged open and was surprised to find Louis Litt standing on the other side. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Louis’ eyes drifted to the people beside him. Mike felt them all tense up but put a hand out as his mind caught onto memories of a little boy with an exceptional eye for numbers and a visit from a professor who wanted to help him.
“Louis.”
“Mike.”
“Well this is awkward,” Piotr muttered.
“Always knew there was something funny about you Ross,” Louis said, Mike’s lips twitched as he shrugged.
“Likewise,” Mike replied. “The numbers thing?”
“How did you…telepath?” he asked.
“Memory actually,” Mike responded.
“Memory,” he replied.
“Corporeal form,” Kitty piped up, the others chuckled as Mike gave her a fond smile. Louis’s lips lifted into a small grin before he narrowed his eyes.
“Is it bad?”
“Going to be,” Mike replied. “I’m leaving the firm.”
“I see,” Louis replied. “You know we have a non-discrimination policy right?”
“I know, but…I think it’s time I went home,” Mike nodded to the others.
“You’re one of them aren’t you? One of Xavier’s?”
Mike nodded.
“You never took his help.”
“I had it under control by the time he came to see if I’d want to attend school,” Louis replied. “I was sixteen and had my life planned out. Look,” he glanced around. “My powers aren’t useful in a fight but I can see that all of your employee files are deleted, your name erased from our system. If anyone comes looking for you I’ll say you were a lackluster employee that we let go.”
Mike had never liked Louis more than in this moment.
“Thank you,” he replied. “I have to go-”
“I know,” Louis nodded towards Harvey’s office. “Good luck with that. And with-”
“It’s going to get bad,” Mike warned. Louis nodded.
“Figured as much when I saw you show up with four other X-Men,” he said. “I’ll take my chances out here. Now I’m going to go drink.”
Louis left them to get into the elevator without another word.
“That was the nicest conversation he and I have ever had,” Mike informed everyone.
“He seems…well kind of like a dick actually,” Rogue commented.
“He’s a lawyer, they’re all dicks,” Mike told her. “Come on Harvey’s office is this way.”
They brushed past the associate cubicles and he was surprised to find that his things were still there but he made no move to get them. They weren’t important. Instead they all walked to Donna’s desk, she looked up before their approach and her mouth dropped open at the sight of them.
“Jesus,” she mumbled as she waved her hand in front her them all. Kitty started to move but Mike shook his head.
“She’s one of us,” he promised. “On our side too.”
“What are you doing?”
“Reading you,” Donna replied with a shudder. “What happened?”
“Oh, impending doom the usual,” Mike responded before he glanced into the office and found that Harvey was indeed there with his eyes trained on him, looking none too pleased. “Can I go in?”
“What are you going to do?” Donna asked.
“If I were smart I’d use my powers,” Mike replied, Donna arched an eyebrow and he shook his head. “But I won’t. I just…I’m going to-”
“You’re leaving,” she stated. “Quitting.”
“I have to,” Mike replied. “What’s going on is serious and they need me more than Harvey does.”
“They do?” Donna looked at the others who stiffened next to him.
“Fate of the world and the future trumps lawyers,” Peter responded, Donna’s lips quirked.
“Maybe it does,” Donna responded before her gaze shifted back to Mike. “This is really what you want?”
“Its home,” he responded. “In a way this place never will be. I don’t hide there.”
“Go on in.”
“We’ll stay out here with…”
“Donna. And I’m intrigued, not every day I get to meet other mutants.”
Mike shook his head and left them to talk as he headed into Harvey’s office and closed the door behind him. Harvey made no move to get up from his desk and greet him. Mike winced, though he guessed he deserved it as he stood there and tried to figure out what to say.
“You disappeared yesterday,” Harvey spoke. “Disappeared and haven’t made any form of contact. You’re cell phone was off. It’s never off. And…where were you? Why did I have to listen to Louis and Donna, Louis of all people defend you?”
“I can’t tell you where I was,” Mike replied. “You shouldn’t have tried looking for me Harvey.”
“You left after dropping a pretty fucking big bombshell,” Harvey informed him. “I wanted to know why but couldn’t because apparently have some very powerful friends that I also didn’t know about. So you have five minutes to explain what the hell is going on.”
“So much,” Mike responded. “So much that I can’t tell you. I just…I came to tell you goodbye.”
There was silence in the room as Harvey raised an eyebrow at him. Mike met his stare with one of his own. He would normally crumble under that look but right now he wasn’t just Mike and this wasn’t about his job. He was Wise Man and the whole fucking world was at stake.
“So you’re tapping out?” Harvey stood and approached him. Mike steeled himself for the lecture that was coming. “I thought you wanted to be better.”
“I do, and I am, I will be,” Mike nodded. “Just not here anymore. It’s….this has been amazing Harvey but we can’t do this anymore.”
“Is it because you’re a mutant?” Harvey’s voice was quiet. “Do you think that I’ll…Mike no one has to know. No one will know. You can hide it. I mean…I can’t even tell…what can you do?”
Mike felt himself stiffen.
“Think about it and you’ll figure it out,” he responded. “And I…the only reason I hid it around here was because it was safer here. I know people would use it against me and I’m not looking to go insane anytime soon. I’m not ashamed.”
“I never said you were and it doesn’t matter to me,” Harvey informed him. “But you kept it from me and now you show up with an entourage to tell me you’re quitting. What the hell is going on rookie?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Mutant business.”
“There’s no such thing as…”
“Harvey you’re the best closer in the city, you are ridiculously smart but I promise that there are things that even you don’t understand,” Mike chuckled as Harvey’s eyes narrowed. “All you need to know is that the world’s a pretty scary place right now.”
“So you’re running away?”
Mike snorted.
“No, more like running towards it,” he replied.
“And what about your grandmother? She still needs you.”
“She does and she’s being taken care of,” Mike replied.
“How? You’re her sole source of support.”
“Believe it or not Harvey I have other friends besides you,” Mike replied. “She’s being well cared for at a safe location. Look,” he chanced a glance outside and found everyone hunched over Donna’s desk with her, and yep they were definitely listening in. The all looked up and sent him sympathetic looks. “This has been the best opportunity and I am forever grateful for everything you’ve done for me-”
“Then why are you leaving?” Harvey asked. “You can do something with yourself here Mike. Something safe.”
Mike smiled.
“Safe really isn’t part of the game with me anymore, I’m….I’m going to go home,” Mike told him quietly. “You’ve become one of my best friends but I’m so tired of playing the games that comes with what we’re doing. It gets to you after a while.”
“Mike…no,” Harvey put a hand on his shoulder.
“I promise that after this is over. If I’m…if it works, then I’ll come over and explain some things,” Mike told him. “Until then please stop looking for me.”
“That a threat?”
“I can make it one,” Mike replied simply. “I don’t want to though. Just…you’re putting me at risk.”
“Mike.”
He stepped away from Harvey.
“I need to go now, thank you,” he emphasized the last words and tried to smile again. This was harder than he thought it would be but when he thought about it, safer. So much safer and right. He was tired of pretending, he’d always planned on going back to the mansion, but his grandmother had come first.
“Just…we shredded things this morning,” Harvey responded and he sounded confused. “I expect an explanation soon.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He breathed as he left Harvey’s office and was embraced by Kitty and fist bumped Bobby, Piotr, and Rogue. He buried his head against her shoulder when she pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“You did the right thing Wise Man,” she murmured.
“God I hope so,” he mumbled.
“Wise Man?” Donna snorted as Mike and Kitty separated and turned to look at her. “That’s what you go by?”
“Donna…” he walked over to her desk, she frowned.
“I know why you’re going, I know that you have to, though I never quite expected to find out you were a superhero,” she told him. “But don’t say goodbye alright? That means I won’t see you again.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“No,” she shook her head. “The future is fickle. I see blurry lines right now. It’s…different.”
“We’ll take blurry over nothing,” Bobby offered as the rest of them nodded. .
“I will kill you if you ever repeat this to anyone but…be safe alright? Don’t do anything too dumb,” Donna warned.
“I’ll try,” Mike chanced it and leaned down to give her a hug. He was surprised when she returned it. “This could be bad for all of us,” he murmured in her ear. “You know you can come to the mansion right?”
“I know,” she whispered. “But for now I’ll stick around here. If I…If I get anything I’ll let you know alright?”
“Deal,” he pulled away and then glanced back at Harvey’s office where the other man was staring at them. “Think he’ll keep trying to find me?”
“I don’t…possible we both know that whole I don’t care thing is bullshit,” she told him. Mike was about to say something when Rogue’s communicator went off. He turned to watch as she answered and stepped away to talk into it.
“Everything alright?” Piotr asked when she came back. She nodded.
“Just checking in,” she responded.
“Go on,” Donna nodded towards the hall. “Go save the world.”
“It’s what we do,” Mike saluted before he headed back down the hall and to the elevators. Donna waited until she was sure the group of young mutants were gone before she went into Harvey’s office, where he had migrated to the couch.
“He’s a superhero?”
“I should have known you’d be listening,” she sighed as she took a seat beside him. Harvey looked at her.
“He’s a superhero,” he repeated, Donna nodded. “And there’s something bad happening in the mutant world?”
“Bad, catastrophic, going to destroy the fabric of our universe,” Donna replied, Harvey dropped his head back onto the couch and groaned.
“He’s going to try and stop it?”
“He’s part of the team who will,” she patted his knee. “You’re going to worry, I’m going to worry, but we need to back off because he needs us to. He needs to focus on this.”
“How is he a superhero?”
“That’s a story for Mike to tell you.”
“What if…what if he doesn’t…”
“Well then we’ll all be dead and it won’t matter.”
“Donna you really know how to comfort a man.”
“It’s what they pay me the big bucks for.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Part Nine: Forging Paths
He stared at the map on the screen before him and grinned as he turned to look at Nike.
“You’ve outdone yourself Auntie,” he gestured to the figures and projections lighting it up.
“It was nothing really, just going back and fine tuning what Sebastian had planned,” she replied.
“Did he do something wrong?” Jupiter asked, she shook her head.
“Your father was perfect Jupiter,” she smiled. “Perfect in every way like you are. I just had to update it for the time period. Technology is more advanced now for everyone.”
“I want Xavier and Lensherr for myself,” he warned. “I won’t be denied my kill.”
“You’ll have them, they won’t be able to stop pursuing us,” she promised. “Until then we continue on with our plans.”
“Either way we have blood to shed.”
-
“You’re slower than you used to be,” Logan remarked with a frown as he helped Mike up from the ground.
“Not really a lot of time to practice self-defense as a first year associate,” Mike remarked as he stretched his arms out and wipe his sweaty forehead on the sleeve of his t-shirt. “I’ll be ready to fight if the need arises.”
“When this is over we’ll step up your training,” Logan told him. “Get you back to where you were when you left.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Mike nodded. “Are we done for the day? Hank wanted to go over some flight schematics with me.”
“Go on,” Logan nodded towards the door. “We’ll pick up again later tonight.”
Mike jogged out of room, grabbed a towel and bottle of water, he chugged it as he walked towards the hanger bay. He paused outside of the room when he saw that it was filled with Hank, Alex, and Sean.
“This is weird,” Sean said. “All we need is Moira and it’s like we’re back in the sixties.”
“Not exactly,” Alex muttered. “I still can’t believe that Emma called Mystique.”
“It’s not exactly a shock,” Hank told the both of them. “She got us good intelligence.”
“Spend a late night with her Beast?” Alex teased, Hank’s fur turned purple, Alex and Sean gaped.
“No, you and…what?” Sean asked.
“We didn’t do anything like that,” Beast growled. “But I had to work with her in order to decipher what she’d brought. We talked.”
“And?”
“She seemed sincere about wanting to help, shocked like the rest of us.”
“Where is she now?” Sean looked around.
“Spending time with Charles,” Hank replied. “She’s missed him.”
“We’ve all missed him,” Alex sighed.
“Both of them, we’ve missed both of them, at least…this Erik. The one before it all went to shit,” Sean remarked. “I’d forgotten how…I’d just forgotten so much.”
“Same,” Alex sighed. “I keep wondering what if things had…just they know about Shaw now. Think that will change anything?”
“It’s possible,” Hank replied. “We’ll address that when we come to it.”
The silence in the room and Mike took that as his cue to enter.
“Hank you said you wanted to talk to me?”
All three men looked up at his entrance and immediately shook themselves.
“Yes please come in, I thought we’d take the jet up today, get you over water again.”
“Water?” Mike asked.
“Jupiter really wants to be like his dad,” Sean told him. “Has a nice shiny submarine like Shaw’s that’s on its way to Russia as far as we can tell.”
“I thought we were friends with them now?” Alex asked. Sean shrugged.
“Depends on who you ask. I think they’re using Russia as a base to get to the really good stuff.”
“And then if it all goes south no blame falls on them,” Alex nodded. “Of course.”
“Guys?” Mike asked, Hank grinned.
“Come on, get changed into your suit and we’ll take it up. We want to be good for this mission as soon as possible.”
“I’m going to call Darwin, give him an update,” Alex nodded.
“Tell him we say hi.”
-
“You won’t tell me what’s happened will you?” Charles asked as he and Raven walked along the garden. She had donned clothes at Storm’s request but remained blue, her yellow eyes sad as she shook her head.
“It’s too much of a story Charles,” she responded. “But they have every right not to trust me. If I were them I wouldn’t trust me.”
“For every good thing I see in this time, in this world, it seems there’s something bad to accompany it,” he said. “I’ve established this school, it’s filled with children that need help controlling their abilities but neither you or Erik are here to run it with me. Half of our family is missing. How is that right?”
“Charles I wish I could tell you-there’s so much I want to tell you but-,” Raven told him.
“But they won’t let you tell me, they won’t even let me in,” Charles grumbled.
“You can’t break through Emma’s defenses?” Raven asked. He shook his head.
“I could but I don’t trust myself to do it without seriously damaging her,” he sighed. “I won’t risk that.”
“I’ve missed that attitude,” Raven smiled.
Charles was about to say something to that but paused when they walked past the railing in the garden and saw Erik standing there, staring at the satellite dish in the distance.
“Go to him,” Raven said, Charles looked at her in surprise.
“I’m walking with you.”
“He needs you more than I do right now,” she said. “And you’ve always needed each other. Go. We’ll talk later,” she pressed a kiss to his cheek before she took off towards the house. Charles decided to take her advice and approached Erik, said nothing to him as he leaned on the railing next to him. They were silent for a time.
“I think,” Erik began. “I think that I’ve figured out why we are not together in this time.”
“Erik,” Charles tried to speak but Erik shook his head.
“It must be because of Shaw. Because I killed him,” Erik told him. “And you do not want that end.”
“I do not believe that killing him will bring you the peace you so desire,” Charles told him.
“It’s never been about peace Charles; it’s always been about avenging my mother and what was done to me but it seems that that will cost me you,” Erik remarked, Charles reached out and shook his head.
“Haven’t we been through this Erik? There is more to you than rage my friend,” Charles murmured. “So much more.”
“I was built to be a monster.”
“Monsters don’t have hearts,” Charles told him. “And the fact that you are so concerned about losing me shows that you have one.”
“I’m not sure,” Erik grumbled even as Charles inched closer so they were touching, slid his hand to rest against Erik’s heart.
“You do,” Charles reassured him as Erik’s hand came up to cover Charles, a smile on his face at the wave of affection flowed through them both. “I feel it beating right there. Strong and sure, it is because of this that I know we can find a way to deal with Shaw together. You’re never going to be alone Erik.”
“I’m not?”
“No, I refuse to let you because that means that I am alone.”
“You have this,” Erik gestured to the school. “To look forward to.”
“I do, but what about my heart? No one knows me like you.”
"That’s because no one could put up with you as I do,” Erik teased, Charles rolled his eyes. “I still want Shaw dead Charles. Nothing will change that desire. I don’t think…I don’t think I can be at peace in a world where I know he still walks.”
“I’ve thought about it,” Charles sighed. “No one will be able to hold him unless I’m there and he has that damn helmet off.”
“So are we in agreement about him?”
“No, not yet,” Charles responded, Erik frowned. “Let us worry about one monster at a time. We need to focus on Jupiter and getting home and then we can change the future.”
“Change it how?”
“Do you want me by your side?”
“Always, we’re in this together you and I,” Erik told him. Charles nodded.
“Then we’ll forge a path a together.”
“Charles! Erik!”
Both men broke away from their talk, turned and found Sean peeking his head out of the window.
“Yes Sean?” Charles asked.
“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but you need to see this.”
The two exchanged a look, nodded, and then jogged to the back door that Sean was now holding open for them. He looked nonplussed with the glare Erik shot his way.
“You secretly love me,” he assured Erik who snorted.
“I tolerate you.”
“Uh huh,” Sean pointed to the main room. “Everyone’s in there.”
The three walked into the room to find every member of the team crowded around the television, watching the news broadcast with alert eyes and frowns on their face.
“We can confirm at this time that Russia munitions factories have been stockpiling and moving their contents to a remote island in the pacific. At this time the Russian government refuses to acknowledge that it is happening or comment on the suspicious behavior. The President has announced that the United States will be sending ships to investigate.”
“Son of a bitch,” Alex swore. “It’s happening all over again.”
“I thought they’d go for somewhere in the Middle East,” Hank said. “That seemed far more likely.”
“He really wants to be like his father doesn’t he?” Sean asked.
“We must act,” Erik told them all. “Quickly and decisively. I would recommend we leave tomorrow.”
“I agree,” Storm informed everyone. “If we get there before the ships do chances are we can stop a nuclear war.”
“Everyone take the rest of the day,” Charles stepped forward. “Do what needs to be done to secure the school. Tomorrow we go.”
There was silence as everyone looked at Charles and then each other.
“I’m going to check the jet over, Raven,” Hank looked at her. “Come with me?”
“Of course,” she responded. “Whatever you need.”
“We’ll go inform the older students,” Piotr nodded to Kitty.
“I’m going to call Da-our associates,” Alex said.
“Come Erik, we’ll walk some more,” Charles told him calmly. Erik nodded and they left the room again.
“Interrupted them did you?” Alex asked. Sean nodded.
“Interrupted what?” Storm asked.
“The Professor and Erik, they had a thing back in the day,” Sean responded casually, Logan and Storm stopped and stared at them.
“I’m sorry? Chuck and Magneto used to…”
“Make with the horizontal tango?” Raven supplied as she stood with Beast and grinned. “Oh yes. Remember when they thought they were being subtle?”
“Oh yeah, except they definitely weren’t,” Alex chuckled. “Everyone heard them sneaking into one another’s room.”
“And saw those hickies that one time,” Hank pointed out.
“Worst kept secret ever,” Sean added.
“You know I thought I smelled them all over each other the first time they tried to recruit me,” Logan mused and them shrugged.
“Good to know my senses weren’t wrong.”
“And with that I’m traumatized for life,” Mike said.
“Same.”
“Me too.”
“Did not need that image in my head.”
“I need a drink.”
“Can we make that ten?”
“I’m going to check on security for the mansion before this gets any weirder,” Bobby announced. “Mike you in?”
“Oh dear god yes,” he stood up and went to the door with Bobby.
-
“Do you think it’ll be different?”
Mike turned his head on the pillow to look at Kitty, who had herself sprawled against Piotr’s chest, Rogue and Bobby were in a similar position on the other side of them. The five of them had managed to fit on one bed together, snug but comfortable, reminiscent of days spent in each other’s rooms when they had been students.
“Will what be different?”
“Everything,” Kitty replied. “Now that Charles and Erik know about Shaw, about what’s going to happen to them.”
“It is tragic,” Rogue told them all. “Like I said, Erik’s greatest regret was how things ended between the two of them.”
“But not enough to change it before it got too bad,” Bobby pointed out.
“I don’t know if change was an option,” Mike replied. “We may not know much about Cuba but we know about Sebastian Shaw and what he did to Erik. If we were in his position what would we do?”
“We have no way of knowing what will happen,” Piotr shrugged. “If they change it we can only hope it will be for the better.”
“And we’ll still be together? All of us?” Kitty asked.
“I think we were meant to find each other,” Piotr told her. “There is no life where we are not friends.”
“Speaking of life,” Rogue pointed at Mike. “What was up with you and your boss?”
“Nothing,” Mike replied. Kitty and Rogue narrowed their eyes. “Seriously it’s nothing.”
“Are you sure? Because it looked like something,” Kitty informed him.
“Harvey is-he’s become a friend,” Mike sighed. “He was there when I needed someone to kick my ass.”
All four of his friends turned to narrow their eyes at him.
“We would have been there had you told us what was happening,” Bobby grumbled.
“I know,” Mike placated. “And I’m sorry for that. Not exactly some of my best moments.”
He settled back on the bed with a sigh. Harvey had become an important part of his life, had been there when he had been floundering. He had provided him with a direction and a purpose and somewhere along the way he had become a friend.
“Can I ask why you haven’t slept with him by now?” Rogue asked. “Because if I were you’d I’d be all over that.”
Bobby eyed her.
“Something you want to tell me.”
Rogue patted his chest.
“Too shark-like for me but Mike on the other hand,” she grinned. “I think you’d have fun trying to tame that beast.”
“He was pretty, smart too,” Kitty pointed out. “You like smart.”
“I do,” Mike mused. “But there are a number of reasons that I did not get all over that. Point one, he’s my boss, point two, he likes women and only does one night stands. Point three, Jenny and I started dating.”
“And how did that work out?” Piotr asked. Mike winced.
“Dumped me for being a workaholic,” he replied.
“You know he’s not your boss anymore,” Bobby grinned. “So you could definitely-”
“Did we forget the part where I said he liked women?” Mike asked.
“Never hurts to try and he looked like he wanted to try with you,” Kitty patted his chest. “And what better time than now?”
Her questions caused them all to quiet down. Tomorrow was the day that could quite possibly end them or change the world as they knew it. Everything was riding on them winning, and Mike knew that it was going to be hard to do it. Jupiter was someone driven by revenge and pure hatred. Their battles with Magneto had always revolved around more than that. Not to mention that was his first big mission with the team.
“This might be bad,” Bobby said after a minute.
“Very probably will be,” Piotr added. “We know next to nothing about Jupiter.”
“We know he’s crazy,” Kitty muttered.
“He never had a chance not to be,” Mike pointed out.
“We still need to stop him,” Rogue pointed out. “Or die trying.”
Or die trying. The words lingered in Mike’s mind. That was a very real possibility tomorrow and there were only two things that were worrying him; his grandmother being left alone and the fact that he might not get a chance to explain things to Harvey. He’d spoken to gram earlier and she’d just told him to be safe, he knew she’d be looked after in the event of things taking a turn for the worse that was at least mildly comforting. But Harvey, he’d be left in the dark about everything. That thought didn’t sit too well with Mike because his former boss was also a good friend.
“If I go into the city tonight-” Mike sucked in a breath as a cell phone was tossed onto his chest, he looked at Kitty and found her grinning.
“Call Kurt, he’ll take you,” she instructed. “Bring the phone with you when you want to come back.”
“Be back by five,” Bobby told him. “And get some sleep.”
“We need you on form tomorrow,” Piotr added. “Especially if you’re driving the jet.”
“And good luck,” Rogue smiled. “We want details.”
Mike grinned as he sat up and pressed the necessary numbers, brought the phone to his ear and waited until he heard the familiar accent on the other end.
“Hey Kurt I need a favor.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Link to Part 5: http://engimaforum.livejournal.com/4585.html#cutid1
Fandom: Suits, X-Men, X-Men: First Class
Notes: The Fourth Part of my Suits BigBang. Only two more to go after this folks.
Part Eight: Breathe in, Breathe Out.
Harvey stumbled through his apartment as he tried to wrap a towel around his waist. The knock on his door had gotten more insistent in the past five minutes and he wanted it to stop more so than he cared about his own dignity. Besides he had no reason to be ashamed of his body, he worked out; he made sure it was fit.
He was surprised to find that Donna was on the other end of his door, dressed for the day her with a ferocious look on her face.
“You,” she hissed as she stomped past him.
“Me?” Harvey asked as he closed the door and turned to face her. “What?”
“You’re putting him in danger,” Donna told him. “The more you look. The more suspicious it seems. Stop.”
Harvey felt himself freeze.
“How did you know that I was looking?”
“I have my ways and you need to stop,” Donna told him.
“Donna, he’s my associate and he’s been hiding a pretty big fucking part of his life from me and then he disappeared and you said he might be in trouble,” Harvey crossed his arms over his chest, Donna just shook her head.
“And I also told you to let it be because there was more at stake here than just you,” she told him. “So I’m going to ask you one more time. Please stop. The lines are blurry enough without you trying to interfere.”
“Blurry lines?” Harvey asked. “What are you talking about?”
Donna closed her eyes and breathed.
“There’s a lot you don’t understand,” her voice was soft. “And a lot is about to happen.”
“Mike’s involved?”
Donna snorted.
“Of course he is,” she sighed. “I never expected to find-but yes he is.”
“Why won’t you tell me?” he asked, he knew sounded desperate but this was Donna and she looked worried and kept looking at her hands and then at him. Donna didn’t worry, she knew everything and if she was worried about Mike than he had to be too. “If he’s in trouble I’m not about to let him-”
“We’re all in trouble,” she said with a sad smile.
“What?” he was thoroughly confused now and he didn’t like it. He felt completely out of control.
“Your future will have to wait in favor of all of us having one.”
“You’re not making sense.”
“I’m sure if you think about it you’ll figure it out,” Donna’s eyes bore into his and he paused as an idea started to form in his head. She stood before him defiant and strong, eyes just daring him to say something negative about her. He could never do that. He would never do that to anyone he cared about.
“Stop, you said?”
She relaxed in front of him and nodded.
“Go get dressed, I’ll put on some coffee and we’ll start shredding the files you do have.”
-
The room had been silent for all of three minutes before Charles and Erik finally got annoyed, exchanged a look, and then Erik took the liberty to speak.
“We have been patient and abided by your requests what we need now is answers.”
“I have been staying out of your heads but I will-”
“There’s no need to go into them,” Alex told him. “We just…before we get into what was there we need to tell you about things.”
“Things that haven’t happened for you yet,” Sean explained at their confused expressions.
“Specifically concerning Sebastian Shaw,” Hank added, Erik tensed.
“What about that monster?”
“He’s dead,” Alex answered coolly, his gaze on Charles while Erik’s mouth dropped open in shock.
“How?”
“You killed him,” Charles murmured as his gaze went to Erik.
“You know that I was always going to-”
“I had hoped you would change your mind, my friend.”
“Charles I-”
“You two lovebirds can spat later,” Emma interrupted. “There’s more to this story.”
“It involves Shaw?” Erik asked. “If he is dead how is this possible?”
“Because Shaw had a sister who believed in his vision and wasn’t afraid to indoctrinate his son,” Mike answered as every eye in the room turned to him. He wasn’t surprised when the metal against the wall started to vibrate and he was equally unsurprised when Emma donned her diamond form.
“You knew,” Erik accused her. “You knew of this.”
“No, I didn’t, sugar,” she replied with an icy smile. “Stop trying to get to me.”
“Erik stop,” Charles put a hand on Erik’s arm. “Calm your mind my friend.”
“They tell us that Shaw is gone only for a son and sister to make an appearance? How am I to be calm Charles?” Erik whispered. “How?”
“By focusing on me,” Charles told him, Mike shifted in his seat. “Ms. Frost you had no knowledge of Shaw’s sister or child?”
“No,” she replied. “I may have been part of his team but even he didn’t tell us everything. He certainly kept that buried away from my skills.”
“Mike what else can you tell us?” Sean prompted.
“Depends on what you can tell us about Shaw,” Mike gestured to the younger mutants in the room. “What I can tell you is that his sister believes in mutant supremacy and when he died she made it her life’s mission to create another one of her brother with her nephew.”
“What of Jupiter’s mother?” Storm questioned, Mike shook his head.
“Mutant most definitely but killed by Shaw from what I got,” he replied.
“Shaw’s idea was the same thing,” Emma responded before Charles could. “He believed that we should be the higher species. That mutants should rule.”
“Don’t you mean that he should rule supreme?” Charles asked, Emma cocked her head to the side, diamonds flashed as she gave a grim smile.
“Among other things.”
“Well his sister was not happy when he died,” Mike replied. “And she brought Charles and Erik back for some reason. I couldn’t really get why.”
“I can guess,” Erik told them, all eyes shifted to him. “You say that we stopped him yes? That he is dead?”
“Very much so,” Sean replied.
“Which means his plans didn’t come to fruition,” Erik told them.
“Shaw wanted to start World War Three,” Charles finished.
“And he was getting close to doing it too,” Emma said as she eyed Erik. “Are you going to try and kill me again?”
“I make no promises,” Erik snapped, Charles’ grip on his arm tightened and he relaxed. Emma seemed to take that as a sign and let the diamonds fall away to her normal white pantsuit. “You honestly didn’t know?”
“I may have been Sebastian’s co-worker but I was still only a woman,” Emma replied. Kitty snorted, she turned a fond look to Kitty. “It was the sixties. Times were different. No I didn’t know Lensherr and for the record I never knew about what he did to you. So sit down and shut up so we can figure out what he wants.”
“Revenge,” Logan said suddenly with a look towards Mike. “From what he’s saying this kid blames Chuck and Erik for everything.”
“And if he were to remove the problem, his father would still be alive and his plans ready to go,” Storm offered.
“But he knows we know now,” Rogue said. “So he has to change his plans.”
“His Aunt, Nike, she had back-up plans. I don’t know what.”
“I can guess,” Kitty said. “From what I saw on her computer…a lot of contacts with foreign powers.”
“They want a repeat of Shaw’s plan,” Alex said. “In case we figure out how to stop it. They want to recreate it.”
“But it would worse this time around,” Hank’s eyes were wide. “Our technology is infinitely better which makes it more destructive.”
“So we must stop him,” Charles said. “You’ll need Erik and I for this. We won’t go.”
“Not until every member is gone,” Erik added, Charles frowned. “They’re all fucking parasites on society.”
“He was upset,” Emma said. “When we were leaving his anger was palpable.”
“What I don’t understand is why he didn’t go back in time,” Bobby said. “His power has to do with going back in time.”
“Because bringing you two back took a lot out of him.”
Everyone in the room turned towards the doorway and were greeted with the sight of Emma Frosts duplicate standing there. She gave a quirk of the lips to her counterpart before the skin fell away to blue ridges. Mike felt the shift of chairs and found himself on his feet as red hair and yellow eyes became apparent.
“Mystique.”
“Raven.”
The yellow eyes left the view of the group and focused on the two members pushing forward above all else. The grave blue face shifted into a smile.
“It’s really you,” she murmured. Charles nodded.
“It really is, you look good,” he told her, she gave a choked laugh before she raced forward and threw herself into his arms. Charles looked surprised but embraced her all the same. Mike looked at everyone to find the younger ones staring at the scene in shock.
“Someone want to explain this to us?” Logan asked. “Because last time I checked she was our enemy.”
“Enemy?” Charles asked as Raven pulled away from the embrace but stayed close. “How could my sister possibly be our enemy?”
Silence.
“Sister?” Bobby squeaked. “You and-”
“Oh fuck me,” Logan muttered, Raven turned her blue head towards him and grinned.
“I tried that, you said no,” she told him.
“Raven what’s going on? Why do they…?”
“A lot’s happened,” she replied. “So much, Charles.”
“Why are you here?” Storm asked
“I called her,” Emma spoke up. “She and I have been in contact ever since her powers returned. I thought she would be useful to our purposes.”
“And willing to help,” Raven added.
“Why now?” Hank asked her. “You’ve never…”
“I’m allowed to have a change of heart and-” she gave both Charles and Erik a fond smile. “Charles is still my brother. And I have no desire to die by the offspring of Sebastian Shaw.”
“What have you been up to?” Sean asked before anyone else could add an insult.
“I took out one of Shaw’s associates during your mission,” Raven waved a flash drive in front of Hank’s face. “I think you’ll find that useful.”
“I…thank you,” Hank took the drive and pocketed it.
“You said something about Jupiter being weak?”
“Time jumping takes a lot out of him and bringing these two here,” she gestured to Charles and Erik. “And getting hit with Charles’s powers took a lot out of him. He’s recovering quickly though.”
“So we need to get to him quickly,” Erik added in a clipped tone.
“I hate to agree but he’s right,” Logan sighed. “Attacking before he can go back and rewrite history is the smart idea.”
“We still need a plan,” Storm interrupted before she looked at Mystique and sighed. “It seems we need your help.”
“How do we know she can be trusted?” Kitty asked.
“Because I trust her,” Charles told them all.
“I trust her too,” Emma added. Kitty pursed her lips but didn’t say anything.
“We don’t have time to waste on this,” Mystique told them. “We need to strike while we can. Hank I’ll help you go through the files I got…if you’ll let me.”
There was silence for a few minutes before Hank nodded and held his hand out.
“Welcome back,” he said, Mystique gifted him with a small smile as she shook it.
“We should train,” Bobby said suddenly. “His associates knew how to fight.”
“It would be wise for you to brush up,” Piotr told Mike who nodded.
“It’s a good idea but I need to head into the city first.”
“The city?” Rogue asked. “Why?”
“My boss is trying to find me.”
“We did take care of that,” Sean offered.
“I know,” Mike smiled. “And thank you for making sure Gram is safe. But if the world is going to end I’m going to be with all of you when it happens trying to stop it. I love being a lawyer but this is home and I want to come back on a more permanent basis.”
Storm smiled and walked over to hug him.
“You were always welcome back,” she whispered.
“And now the team is really back together,” Piotr and Bobby bumped fists.
“Damn straight.”
“The jet will be relatively safe,” Hank muttered.
“If I leave now I’ll get to the law firm when mostly everyone is gone. I won’t cause a scene,” Mike replied. “And I’d like to get some clothes from my apartment.”
“Go,” Logan said. “Call if there’s trouble. We’ll start training tomorrow and hopefully have a plan.”
Mike nodded and turned to walk back up to his room and change into jeans. He was stopped by an arm around his waist; he glanced around to find his friends around him.
“So…did you really think you were going to face this alone?” Bobby asked.
“Because last time we checked we were a team,” Rogue added.
“And there’s nothing like a trip into the city,” Kitty smiled brightly.
“But what about planning and-”
“And they’ll be fine for a few hours. I imagine Mystique and the others have a lot discuss,” Piotr surmised.
“In other words it’s going to get really awkward and you don’t want to be there,” Mike eyed them all, they shrugged.
“Yep.”
“Pretty much.”
“Can you blame us?”
He laughed.
“I guess not, let’s get dressed and meet in the garage in fifteen minutes?”
-
“You work here?”
“Worked,” Mike reiterated as he looked at his four friends who were all but gaping at the building in front of them. “I’m pretty sure I got fired when I walked out and disappeared. Companies don’t usually look too kindly on that.”
“I guess they wouldn’t,” Rogue shrugged.
“But what do you expect when you’re a superhero?” Kitty asked.
“Yeah. Fate of the world and all that jazz,” Piotr offered.
“You two are so sweet it’s giving me cavities,” Bobby told them.
Mike snorted before he took a breath.
“You guys coming up with me?”
“Duh,” Rogue pushed him towards the door. “Lead the way Wise Man.”
He nodded before he took a breath and walked past the security desk with a nod towards the guard, who conveniently forgot that they were there the moment they got into the elevator. The ride up seemed to take forever as he ran through all the possible scenarios in his head. The chances were that his desk was already cleared out and some new associate’s things were already there. The chances were that Harvey hated him and wouldn’t even see him. The odds were not in his favor but he had to do this. He owed Harvey some sort of explanation. He deserved that much from Mike before he left for who knew how long with a very strong possibility of not coming back.
“Hey, it’s going to be alright,” Kitty reached out and squeezed his hand. Mike looked at her.
“You’ve never met my boss, he’s…stubborn.”
“And you aren’t?” Bobby teased.
Mike breathed as the doors dinged open and was surprised to find Louis Litt standing on the other side. The two stared at each other for a few minutes before Louis’ eyes drifted to the people beside him. Mike felt them all tense up but put a hand out as his mind caught onto memories of a little boy with an exceptional eye for numbers and a visit from a professor who wanted to help him.
“Louis.”
“Mike.”
“Well this is awkward,” Piotr muttered.
“Always knew there was something funny about you Ross,” Louis said, Mike’s lips twitched as he shrugged.
“Likewise,” Mike replied. “The numbers thing?”
“How did you…telepath?” he asked.
“Memory actually,” Mike responded.
“Memory,” he replied.
“Corporeal form,” Kitty piped up, the others chuckled as Mike gave her a fond smile. Louis’s lips lifted into a small grin before he narrowed his eyes.
“Is it bad?”
“Going to be,” Mike replied. “I’m leaving the firm.”
“I see,” Louis replied. “You know we have a non-discrimination policy right?”
“I know, but…I think it’s time I went home,” Mike nodded to the others.
“You’re one of them aren’t you? One of Xavier’s?”
Mike nodded.
“You never took his help.”
“I had it under control by the time he came to see if I’d want to attend school,” Louis replied. “I was sixteen and had my life planned out. Look,” he glanced around. “My powers aren’t useful in a fight but I can see that all of your employee files are deleted, your name erased from our system. If anyone comes looking for you I’ll say you were a lackluster employee that we let go.”
Mike had never liked Louis more than in this moment.
“Thank you,” he replied. “I have to go-”
“I know,” Louis nodded towards Harvey’s office. “Good luck with that. And with-”
“It’s going to get bad,” Mike warned. Louis nodded.
“Figured as much when I saw you show up with four other X-Men,” he said. “I’ll take my chances out here. Now I’m going to go drink.”
Louis left them to get into the elevator without another word.
“That was the nicest conversation he and I have ever had,” Mike informed everyone.
“He seems…well kind of like a dick actually,” Rogue commented.
“He’s a lawyer, they’re all dicks,” Mike told her. “Come on Harvey’s office is this way.”
They brushed past the associate cubicles and he was surprised to find that his things were still there but he made no move to get them. They weren’t important. Instead they all walked to Donna’s desk, she looked up before their approach and her mouth dropped open at the sight of them.
“Jesus,” she mumbled as she waved her hand in front her them all. Kitty started to move but Mike shook his head.
“She’s one of us,” he promised. “On our side too.”
“What are you doing?”
“Reading you,” Donna replied with a shudder. “What happened?”
“Oh, impending doom the usual,” Mike responded before he glanced into the office and found that Harvey was indeed there with his eyes trained on him, looking none too pleased. “Can I go in?”
“What are you going to do?” Donna asked.
“If I were smart I’d use my powers,” Mike replied, Donna arched an eyebrow and he shook his head. “But I won’t. I just…I’m going to-”
“You’re leaving,” she stated. “Quitting.”
“I have to,” Mike replied. “What’s going on is serious and they need me more than Harvey does.”
“They do?” Donna looked at the others who stiffened next to him.
“Fate of the world and the future trumps lawyers,” Peter responded, Donna’s lips quirked.
“Maybe it does,” Donna responded before her gaze shifted back to Mike. “This is really what you want?”
“Its home,” he responded. “In a way this place never will be. I don’t hide there.”
“Go on in.”
“We’ll stay out here with…”
“Donna. And I’m intrigued, not every day I get to meet other mutants.”
Mike shook his head and left them to talk as he headed into Harvey’s office and closed the door behind him. Harvey made no move to get up from his desk and greet him. Mike winced, though he guessed he deserved it as he stood there and tried to figure out what to say.
“You disappeared yesterday,” Harvey spoke. “Disappeared and haven’t made any form of contact. You’re cell phone was off. It’s never off. And…where were you? Why did I have to listen to Louis and Donna, Louis of all people defend you?”
“I can’t tell you where I was,” Mike replied. “You shouldn’t have tried looking for me Harvey.”
“You left after dropping a pretty fucking big bombshell,” Harvey informed him. “I wanted to know why but couldn’t because apparently have some very powerful friends that I also didn’t know about. So you have five minutes to explain what the hell is going on.”
“So much,” Mike responded. “So much that I can’t tell you. I just…I came to tell you goodbye.”
There was silence in the room as Harvey raised an eyebrow at him. Mike met his stare with one of his own. He would normally crumble under that look but right now he wasn’t just Mike and this wasn’t about his job. He was Wise Man and the whole fucking world was at stake.
“So you’re tapping out?” Harvey stood and approached him. Mike steeled himself for the lecture that was coming. “I thought you wanted to be better.”
“I do, and I am, I will be,” Mike nodded. “Just not here anymore. It’s….this has been amazing Harvey but we can’t do this anymore.”
“Is it because you’re a mutant?” Harvey’s voice was quiet. “Do you think that I’ll…Mike no one has to know. No one will know. You can hide it. I mean…I can’t even tell…what can you do?”
Mike felt himself stiffen.
“Think about it and you’ll figure it out,” he responded. “And I…the only reason I hid it around here was because it was safer here. I know people would use it against me and I’m not looking to go insane anytime soon. I’m not ashamed.”
“I never said you were and it doesn’t matter to me,” Harvey informed him. “But you kept it from me and now you show up with an entourage to tell me you’re quitting. What the hell is going on rookie?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“Why not?”
“Mutant business.”
“There’s no such thing as…”
“Harvey you’re the best closer in the city, you are ridiculously smart but I promise that there are things that even you don’t understand,” Mike chuckled as Harvey’s eyes narrowed. “All you need to know is that the world’s a pretty scary place right now.”
“So you’re running away?”
Mike snorted.
“No, more like running towards it,” he replied.
“And what about your grandmother? She still needs you.”
“She does and she’s being taken care of,” Mike replied.
“How? You’re her sole source of support.”
“Believe it or not Harvey I have other friends besides you,” Mike replied. “She’s being well cared for at a safe location. Look,” he chanced a glance outside and found everyone hunched over Donna’s desk with her, and yep they were definitely listening in. The all looked up and sent him sympathetic looks. “This has been the best opportunity and I am forever grateful for everything you’ve done for me-”
“Then why are you leaving?” Harvey asked. “You can do something with yourself here Mike. Something safe.”
Mike smiled.
“Safe really isn’t part of the game with me anymore, I’m….I’m going to go home,” Mike told him quietly. “You’ve become one of my best friends but I’m so tired of playing the games that comes with what we’re doing. It gets to you after a while.”
“Mike…no,” Harvey put a hand on his shoulder.
“I promise that after this is over. If I’m…if it works, then I’ll come over and explain some things,” Mike told him. “Until then please stop looking for me.”
“That a threat?”
“I can make it one,” Mike replied simply. “I don’t want to though. Just…you’re putting me at risk.”
“Mike.”
He stepped away from Harvey.
“I need to go now, thank you,” he emphasized the last words and tried to smile again. This was harder than he thought it would be but when he thought about it, safer. So much safer and right. He was tired of pretending, he’d always planned on going back to the mansion, but his grandmother had come first.
“Just…we shredded things this morning,” Harvey responded and he sounded confused. “I expect an explanation soon.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
He breathed as he left Harvey’s office and was embraced by Kitty and fist bumped Bobby, Piotr, and Rogue. He buried his head against her shoulder when she pressed a kiss to his cheek.
“You did the right thing Wise Man,” she murmured.
“God I hope so,” he mumbled.
“Wise Man?” Donna snorted as Mike and Kitty separated and turned to look at her. “That’s what you go by?”
“Donna…” he walked over to her desk, she frowned.
“I know why you’re going, I know that you have to, though I never quite expected to find out you were a superhero,” she told him. “But don’t say goodbye alright? That means I won’t see you again.”
“Do you know something I don’t?”
“No,” she shook her head. “The future is fickle. I see blurry lines right now. It’s…different.”
“We’ll take blurry over nothing,” Bobby offered as the rest of them nodded. .
“I will kill you if you ever repeat this to anyone but…be safe alright? Don’t do anything too dumb,” Donna warned.
“I’ll try,” Mike chanced it and leaned down to give her a hug. He was surprised when she returned it. “This could be bad for all of us,” he murmured in her ear. “You know you can come to the mansion right?”
“I know,” she whispered. “But for now I’ll stick around here. If I…If I get anything I’ll let you know alright?”
“Deal,” he pulled away and then glanced back at Harvey’s office where the other man was staring at them. “Think he’ll keep trying to find me?”
“I don’t…possible we both know that whole I don’t care thing is bullshit,” she told him. Mike was about to say something when Rogue’s communicator went off. He turned to watch as she answered and stepped away to talk into it.
“Everything alright?” Piotr asked when she came back. She nodded.
“Just checking in,” she responded.
“Go on,” Donna nodded towards the hall. “Go save the world.”
“It’s what we do,” Mike saluted before he headed back down the hall and to the elevators. Donna waited until she was sure the group of young mutants were gone before she went into Harvey’s office, where he had migrated to the couch.
“He’s a superhero?”
“I should have known you’d be listening,” she sighed as she took a seat beside him. Harvey looked at her.
“He’s a superhero,” he repeated, Donna nodded. “And there’s something bad happening in the mutant world?”
“Bad, catastrophic, going to destroy the fabric of our universe,” Donna replied, Harvey dropped his head back onto the couch and groaned.
“He’s going to try and stop it?”
“He’s part of the team who will,” she patted his knee. “You’re going to worry, I’m going to worry, but we need to back off because he needs us to. He needs to focus on this.”
“How is he a superhero?”
“That’s a story for Mike to tell you.”
“What if…what if he doesn’t…”
“Well then we’ll all be dead and it won’t matter.”
“Donna you really know how to comfort a man.”
“It’s what they pay me the big bucks for.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Part Nine: Forging Paths
He stared at the map on the screen before him and grinned as he turned to look at Nike.
“You’ve outdone yourself Auntie,” he gestured to the figures and projections lighting it up.
“It was nothing really, just going back and fine tuning what Sebastian had planned,” she replied.
“Did he do something wrong?” Jupiter asked, she shook her head.
“Your father was perfect Jupiter,” she smiled. “Perfect in every way like you are. I just had to update it for the time period. Technology is more advanced now for everyone.”
“I want Xavier and Lensherr for myself,” he warned. “I won’t be denied my kill.”
“You’ll have them, they won’t be able to stop pursuing us,” she promised. “Until then we continue on with our plans.”
“Either way we have blood to shed.”
-
“You’re slower than you used to be,” Logan remarked with a frown as he helped Mike up from the ground.
“Not really a lot of time to practice self-defense as a first year associate,” Mike remarked as he stretched his arms out and wipe his sweaty forehead on the sleeve of his t-shirt. “I’ll be ready to fight if the need arises.”
“When this is over we’ll step up your training,” Logan told him. “Get you back to where you were when you left.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Mike nodded. “Are we done for the day? Hank wanted to go over some flight schematics with me.”
“Go on,” Logan nodded towards the door. “We’ll pick up again later tonight.”
Mike jogged out of room, grabbed a towel and bottle of water, he chugged it as he walked towards the hanger bay. He paused outside of the room when he saw that it was filled with Hank, Alex, and Sean.
“This is weird,” Sean said. “All we need is Moira and it’s like we’re back in the sixties.”
“Not exactly,” Alex muttered. “I still can’t believe that Emma called Mystique.”
“It’s not exactly a shock,” Hank told the both of them. “She got us good intelligence.”
“Spend a late night with her Beast?” Alex teased, Hank’s fur turned purple, Alex and Sean gaped.
“No, you and…what?” Sean asked.
“We didn’t do anything like that,” Beast growled. “But I had to work with her in order to decipher what she’d brought. We talked.”
“And?”
“She seemed sincere about wanting to help, shocked like the rest of us.”
“Where is she now?” Sean looked around.
“Spending time with Charles,” Hank replied. “She’s missed him.”
“We’ve all missed him,” Alex sighed.
“Both of them, we’ve missed both of them, at least…this Erik. The one before it all went to shit,” Sean remarked. “I’d forgotten how…I’d just forgotten so much.”
“Same,” Alex sighed. “I keep wondering what if things had…just they know about Shaw now. Think that will change anything?”
“It’s possible,” Hank replied. “We’ll address that when we come to it.”
The silence in the room and Mike took that as his cue to enter.
“Hank you said you wanted to talk to me?”
All three men looked up at his entrance and immediately shook themselves.
“Yes please come in, I thought we’d take the jet up today, get you over water again.”
“Water?” Mike asked.
“Jupiter really wants to be like his dad,” Sean told him. “Has a nice shiny submarine like Shaw’s that’s on its way to Russia as far as we can tell.”
“I thought we were friends with them now?” Alex asked. Sean shrugged.
“Depends on who you ask. I think they’re using Russia as a base to get to the really good stuff.”
“And then if it all goes south no blame falls on them,” Alex nodded. “Of course.”
“Guys?” Mike asked, Hank grinned.
“Come on, get changed into your suit and we’ll take it up. We want to be good for this mission as soon as possible.”
“I’m going to call Darwin, give him an update,” Alex nodded.
“Tell him we say hi.”
-
“You won’t tell me what’s happened will you?” Charles asked as he and Raven walked along the garden. She had donned clothes at Storm’s request but remained blue, her yellow eyes sad as she shook her head.
“It’s too much of a story Charles,” she responded. “But they have every right not to trust me. If I were them I wouldn’t trust me.”
“For every good thing I see in this time, in this world, it seems there’s something bad to accompany it,” he said. “I’ve established this school, it’s filled with children that need help controlling their abilities but neither you or Erik are here to run it with me. Half of our family is missing. How is that right?”
“Charles I wish I could tell you-there’s so much I want to tell you but-,” Raven told him.
“But they won’t let you tell me, they won’t even let me in,” Charles grumbled.
“You can’t break through Emma’s defenses?” Raven asked. He shook his head.
“I could but I don’t trust myself to do it without seriously damaging her,” he sighed. “I won’t risk that.”
“I’ve missed that attitude,” Raven smiled.
Charles was about to say something to that but paused when they walked past the railing in the garden and saw Erik standing there, staring at the satellite dish in the distance.
“Go to him,” Raven said, Charles looked at her in surprise.
“I’m walking with you.”
“He needs you more than I do right now,” she said. “And you’ve always needed each other. Go. We’ll talk later,” she pressed a kiss to his cheek before she took off towards the house. Charles decided to take her advice and approached Erik, said nothing to him as he leaned on the railing next to him. They were silent for a time.
“I think,” Erik began. “I think that I’ve figured out why we are not together in this time.”
“Erik,” Charles tried to speak but Erik shook his head.
“It must be because of Shaw. Because I killed him,” Erik told him. “And you do not want that end.”
“I do not believe that killing him will bring you the peace you so desire,” Charles told him.
“It’s never been about peace Charles; it’s always been about avenging my mother and what was done to me but it seems that that will cost me you,” Erik remarked, Charles reached out and shook his head.
“Haven’t we been through this Erik? There is more to you than rage my friend,” Charles murmured. “So much more.”
“I was built to be a monster.”
“Monsters don’t have hearts,” Charles told him. “And the fact that you are so concerned about losing me shows that you have one.”
“I’m not sure,” Erik grumbled even as Charles inched closer so they were touching, slid his hand to rest against Erik’s heart.
“You do,” Charles reassured him as Erik’s hand came up to cover Charles, a smile on his face at the wave of affection flowed through them both. “I feel it beating right there. Strong and sure, it is because of this that I know we can find a way to deal with Shaw together. You’re never going to be alone Erik.”
“I’m not?”
“No, I refuse to let you because that means that I am alone.”
“You have this,” Erik gestured to the school. “To look forward to.”
“I do, but what about my heart? No one knows me like you.”
"That’s because no one could put up with you as I do,” Erik teased, Charles rolled his eyes. “I still want Shaw dead Charles. Nothing will change that desire. I don’t think…I don’t think I can be at peace in a world where I know he still walks.”
“I’ve thought about it,” Charles sighed. “No one will be able to hold him unless I’m there and he has that damn helmet off.”
“So are we in agreement about him?”
“No, not yet,” Charles responded, Erik frowned. “Let us worry about one monster at a time. We need to focus on Jupiter and getting home and then we can change the future.”
“Change it how?”
“Do you want me by your side?”
“Always, we’re in this together you and I,” Erik told him. Charles nodded.
“Then we’ll forge a path a together.”
“Charles! Erik!”
Both men broke away from their talk, turned and found Sean peeking his head out of the window.
“Yes Sean?” Charles asked.
“Sorry to interrupt you two lovebirds but you need to see this.”
The two exchanged a look, nodded, and then jogged to the back door that Sean was now holding open for them. He looked nonplussed with the glare Erik shot his way.
“You secretly love me,” he assured Erik who snorted.
“I tolerate you.”
“Uh huh,” Sean pointed to the main room. “Everyone’s in there.”
The three walked into the room to find every member of the team crowded around the television, watching the news broadcast with alert eyes and frowns on their face.
“We can confirm at this time that Russia munitions factories have been stockpiling and moving their contents to a remote island in the pacific. At this time the Russian government refuses to acknowledge that it is happening or comment on the suspicious behavior. The President has announced that the United States will be sending ships to investigate.”
“Son of a bitch,” Alex swore. “It’s happening all over again.”
“I thought they’d go for somewhere in the Middle East,” Hank said. “That seemed far more likely.”
“He really wants to be like his father doesn’t he?” Sean asked.
“We must act,” Erik told them all. “Quickly and decisively. I would recommend we leave tomorrow.”
“I agree,” Storm informed everyone. “If we get there before the ships do chances are we can stop a nuclear war.”
“Everyone take the rest of the day,” Charles stepped forward. “Do what needs to be done to secure the school. Tomorrow we go.”
There was silence as everyone looked at Charles and then each other.
“I’m going to check the jet over, Raven,” Hank looked at her. “Come with me?”
“Of course,” she responded. “Whatever you need.”
“We’ll go inform the older students,” Piotr nodded to Kitty.
“I’m going to call Da-our associates,” Alex said.
“Come Erik, we’ll walk some more,” Charles told him calmly. Erik nodded and they left the room again.
“Interrupted them did you?” Alex asked. Sean nodded.
“Interrupted what?” Storm asked.
“The Professor and Erik, they had a thing back in the day,” Sean responded casually, Logan and Storm stopped and stared at them.
“I’m sorry? Chuck and Magneto used to…”
“Make with the horizontal tango?” Raven supplied as she stood with Beast and grinned. “Oh yes. Remember when they thought they were being subtle?”
“Oh yeah, except they definitely weren’t,” Alex chuckled. “Everyone heard them sneaking into one another’s room.”
“And saw those hickies that one time,” Hank pointed out.
“Worst kept secret ever,” Sean added.
“You know I thought I smelled them all over each other the first time they tried to recruit me,” Logan mused and them shrugged.
“Good to know my senses weren’t wrong.”
“And with that I’m traumatized for life,” Mike said.
“Same.”
“Me too.”
“Did not need that image in my head.”
“I need a drink.”
“Can we make that ten?”
“I’m going to check on security for the mansion before this gets any weirder,” Bobby announced. “Mike you in?”
“Oh dear god yes,” he stood up and went to the door with Bobby.
-
“Do you think it’ll be different?”
Mike turned his head on the pillow to look at Kitty, who had herself sprawled against Piotr’s chest, Rogue and Bobby were in a similar position on the other side of them. The five of them had managed to fit on one bed together, snug but comfortable, reminiscent of days spent in each other’s rooms when they had been students.
“Will what be different?”
“Everything,” Kitty replied. “Now that Charles and Erik know about Shaw, about what’s going to happen to them.”
“It is tragic,” Rogue told them all. “Like I said, Erik’s greatest regret was how things ended between the two of them.”
“But not enough to change it before it got too bad,” Bobby pointed out.
“I don’t know if change was an option,” Mike replied. “We may not know much about Cuba but we know about Sebastian Shaw and what he did to Erik. If we were in his position what would we do?”
“We have no way of knowing what will happen,” Piotr shrugged. “If they change it we can only hope it will be for the better.”
“And we’ll still be together? All of us?” Kitty asked.
“I think we were meant to find each other,” Piotr told her. “There is no life where we are not friends.”
“Speaking of life,” Rogue pointed at Mike. “What was up with you and your boss?”
“Nothing,” Mike replied. Kitty and Rogue narrowed their eyes. “Seriously it’s nothing.”
“Are you sure? Because it looked like something,” Kitty informed him.
“Harvey is-he’s become a friend,” Mike sighed. “He was there when I needed someone to kick my ass.”
All four of his friends turned to narrow their eyes at him.
“We would have been there had you told us what was happening,” Bobby grumbled.
“I know,” Mike placated. “And I’m sorry for that. Not exactly some of my best moments.”
He settled back on the bed with a sigh. Harvey had become an important part of his life, had been there when he had been floundering. He had provided him with a direction and a purpose and somewhere along the way he had become a friend.
“Can I ask why you haven’t slept with him by now?” Rogue asked. “Because if I were you’d I’d be all over that.”
Bobby eyed her.
“Something you want to tell me.”
Rogue patted his chest.
“Too shark-like for me but Mike on the other hand,” she grinned. “I think you’d have fun trying to tame that beast.”
“He was pretty, smart too,” Kitty pointed out. “You like smart.”
“I do,” Mike mused. “But there are a number of reasons that I did not get all over that. Point one, he’s my boss, point two, he likes women and only does one night stands. Point three, Jenny and I started dating.”
“And how did that work out?” Piotr asked. Mike winced.
“Dumped me for being a workaholic,” he replied.
“You know he’s not your boss anymore,” Bobby grinned. “So you could definitely-”
“Did we forget the part where I said he liked women?” Mike asked.
“Never hurts to try and he looked like he wanted to try with you,” Kitty patted his chest. “And what better time than now?”
Her questions caused them all to quiet down. Tomorrow was the day that could quite possibly end them or change the world as they knew it. Everything was riding on them winning, and Mike knew that it was going to be hard to do it. Jupiter was someone driven by revenge and pure hatred. Their battles with Magneto had always revolved around more than that. Not to mention that was his first big mission with the team.
“This might be bad,” Bobby said after a minute.
“Very probably will be,” Piotr added. “We know next to nothing about Jupiter.”
“We know he’s crazy,” Kitty muttered.
“He never had a chance not to be,” Mike pointed out.
“We still need to stop him,” Rogue pointed out. “Or die trying.”
Or die trying. The words lingered in Mike’s mind. That was a very real possibility tomorrow and there were only two things that were worrying him; his grandmother being left alone and the fact that he might not get a chance to explain things to Harvey. He’d spoken to gram earlier and she’d just told him to be safe, he knew she’d be looked after in the event of things taking a turn for the worse that was at least mildly comforting. But Harvey, he’d be left in the dark about everything. That thought didn’t sit too well with Mike because his former boss was also a good friend.
“If I go into the city tonight-” Mike sucked in a breath as a cell phone was tossed onto his chest, he looked at Kitty and found her grinning.
“Call Kurt, he’ll take you,” she instructed. “Bring the phone with you when you want to come back.”
“Be back by five,” Bobby told him. “And get some sleep.”
“We need you on form tomorrow,” Piotr added. “Especially if you’re driving the jet.”
“And good luck,” Rogue smiled. “We want details.”
Mike grinned as he sat up and pressed the necessary numbers, brought the phone to his ear and waited until he heard the familiar accent on the other end.
“Hey Kurt I need a favor.”
XXXXXXXXXX
Link to Part 5: http://engimaforum.livejournal.com/4585.html#cutid1