X-Men First Class:

The Winds of Change

By Ldynwaitin

Chapter Forty Five

The Winds of Change

Once they landed, Benny and Nelson approached Charles. "We wanted to ask you something," Nelson said.

Charles secretly smiled. Nelson was no longer the shy young man he met days ago. What he went through the past two days had changed him, made him into a stronger more confident man. "What did you want?" Charles asked, really knowing what the question would be.

Nelson draped his arm on his sister's shoulder. "Benny, she was wondering if you could help her."

"You know," Benny said. "With my…" she hesitated. Her head dropped down and she suddenly found her fingers fascinating.

"Your gift," Charles finished for her.

Benny lifted her head, "Yes, my uh, gift."

Charles reached up and took her hands. "Benny, you must know that you are very special. There are not many mutants that have a positive power. As you've seen most of our powers are very destructive. But you, ah Benny, you can heal, you should be proud of your gift." He grasped her hands tighter, "I am so very happy that you've accepted your power and asked to join my school. I promise you that I will do all that I can to help you accept your gift."

Benny laughed and rubbed her backside, "I think I felt my dad kicking me."

"Benny," Charles said. "Your father loved you very much. The fear I felt from him was deep. Now I know where it came from, it was the fear of losing his daughter. As we grow up, our lives, our personalities are molded by those around us. I believe your father did a splendid job, don't you think?"

Wiping a tear from her eye, Benny silently nodded her head. "Good," Charles said. "Then it's settled. You can take your time, when you're ready the school will be waiting for you. Because of my deal with Erik, I may not be there all the time. But I promise you, that I will do my best to help you become the best YOU, that you can be. I don't have to give you instructions on how to get there, do I?" he winked at her.

"I think I know the way," Benny said. Her smile faded as she looked at Nelson. He was the only family she had left, she hated to leave him.

Charles sat back. "You know, I really need someone that has a good knowledge of weapons, for the school. Know anyone that might help?"

Nelson stood at attention, "Got your man right here, sir."

"Splendid," Charles said. "I'll see you soon then."

Nelson shook Charles hand, Benny bend down and gave him a hug. "Thank you," she whispered. "For what?" Charles asked her.

Standing up she said, "For being you."

Charles proudly watched them walk away. He now had a healer added to his little group. He had no idea how his deal with Erik would change things, but no matter how much time he spent helping him, he would never allow the school to close down.

He saw Erik leaning against the plane. He had Alessia move towards him. "You look as bad as I feel," he told him.

Erik looked a mess. His eyes were blood red, his face pale. He had rips and tears in his clothes. Erik shook his head, "Then I must look terrible."

"Why don't you stay by my place for a week, you can recuperate. All of you are welcomed."

"Can you manage to have us there for a week?"

"After risking all of your lives to get me out of that hell hole, well, it's the least I can do."

Erik nodded his head, "A week then, I definitely could use the rest."

After half an hour of driving, they arrived at Charles school. The sun was high in the sky. Its bright light glaringly showed Charles the damage incurred from the attack. Charles felt his heart sink. He could not believe the devastation inflicted on his school. Alessia slowly brought him though what was left of the hallway. He saw that the walls were blackened and cracked, the smell of burnt damp wood filled the house. Hearing a commotion, he saw Mystique and Riptide quickly leaving carrying someone wrapped up in a blanket. He would find out later that Mystique had killed one of the men that attacked the school, just before they left to search for him.

Beast stood by his side. Only now was he truly looking at the destruction that took place that night. "Sorry, Professor, the place really took a beating."

"Yes," Charles said. "But she's a sturdy old girl. We'll get her back in shape. Until then, we can sleep in the guesthouse. It will take weeks for the main house to be habitable."

Fortunately, the guesthouse was large enough to accommodate everyone. They would stay here long enough for their wounds to heal, physical and mental. It was a week later that Charles was sitting on the patio that overlooked a beautiful garden. He saw Erik walking out of the guesthouse. His helmet was firmly planted on his head. Pulling up a chair, he sat down next to Charles. It was early morning. The sun was just rising on the horizon. Beads of morning dew clung to everything.

Charles took in a deep breath. "I love that smell, the cool dirt, wet grass. I even like the smell of rotted leaves."

Erik leaned his head back, he took in a deep breath. "Yes, that morning breeze is refreshing. That week was relaxing, I really needed it, thank you, Charles."

"Not a problem" Charles replied. They sat there for several minutes, not saying a word, just drinking in the great feeling of being alive.

Leaning his head back Charles said, "I shall miss it."

Erik moved forward, he rested his elbows on his knees. "There are heavy winds blowing, Charles."

Charles searched into the skies, "I don't see any clouds, it's a beautiful day."

"I feel it Charles, so do you, the strong winds of change."

"Yes my friend, you and I felt it when we first met." He moved Alessia to sit in front of him. "We used to be on the opposite ends of those winds. But that was in the past. We're on the same side now."
"No," Erik said. "Charles, you and I know you will never change the way you feel about humans. You have a gentle and giving soul, I can't and don't want to change that."

"Erik, I gave you my word. You stopped those missiles from launching. I will fight by your side now. We were quite a team, weren't we."

"Yes," Erik said. He had to admit, when they were together, they were unstoppable. If it were not for Charles he and the others would never had gotten out of that Facility alive.

"Don't worry," Charles said. "I promise you that I will not slack on my end."

"Yes, you are a man of your word.

"It's settled then. I'll get ready to go with you." Charles was about to leave when Erik grabbed Alessia.

"Charles, wait. I need to tell you something. Before Peter died, he gave me a message, sent it to me. He wanted you to hear it."

Erik slowly reached up and took off his helmet. Charles frowned, he gingerly touched Erik's mind. Immediately he heard Peter's voice.

"We wanted to say our goodbyes and thanks. You showed us tenderness where we only knew pain. Love where we only felt hate. Do not feel sad for us. For just a fleeting moment, we burned brighter than any life on this planet. Thank you for my name. I was a number, and you made me a 'somebody'."

"You took nobodies and made us all into somebody's. We will never forget what you have done for us. Goodbye my friend, and most of all, thank you for showing me what it was like to be a friend of Charles Xavier."

Charles wiped a tear from his eye. Erik placed the helmet back on his head. "I think it's time for me to go."

Charles took in a deep breath, "I'm ready."

Erik stood up and shook his head. "No, you aren't Charles. In the Facility you treated Peter and his kind as equals. Where I treated them, well in the past week I realized now that I thought of them the same way humans think of us."

He stared out at the horizon. "Sinister brought into this world a new life, one different from humans, and mutants. You embraced them, I treated them just as bad as their creator."

Erik looked seriously at Charles. "The path I now walk on was paved with the horrors, pain and atrocities I lived with in my past. They molded me, made me what I am today. We both lived very different lives, Charles. It's a wonder how different we are, yet have become such close friends."

"I like to think it's those differences that helped to cement that friendship."

Stepping back, Erik gently smiled. "Charles, your quest in life has always been to show the world that mutants and Humans can live together, in harmony. And you're willing to risk your life to achieve that goal. You saw a new life form, and you accepted it. I on the other hand stepped on it, pushed it away." He shoved his chair towards the table. "Yes Charles, the Winds of Change are coming. But not where I thought they would blow."

"Stay here with your school, and your students, Charles. Keep on with your quest. Your road may be different, but it's heading in the same direction. Albeit mine way may be a bit more violent, but we still have the same goal, protecting mutant kind. Charles, you don't have to come with me."

"But I made a promise," Charles protested.

"Which I didn't keep," Magneto countered. "I didn't stop all the rockets, I only helped with two of them. Cyclops actually had a hand in destroying most of them."

"No Charles, our deal is broken. You need to stay here, you have so much work to do. A noble cause, for a noble man." He stuck out his hand, Charles reached up and shook it. Magneto leaned over. "Just tell me this, where am I going to find a good chess player?"

Charles laughed, "There's always the post."

Magneto stood up, he nodded his head. "I like that." Winking at him he said, "Queens Knight to Queen's bishop three."

"Always liked using your knights," Charles said.

"Yes, I did." Smiling at him, he sighed. "Take care, Charles."

Charles smiled brightly, "I will."

Erik spun on his heels and walked around the house. He saw Mystique, Angel and Riptide standing in front of a car. Mystique looked behind him.

"Where's Charles?" she asked him.

"He's not coming," Magneto briskly replied.

"But I thought…" Mystique began to say, until Magneto cut her off with a look. "I did not fulfill on our pact. He's staying, we're leaving. Do you have a problem with that?"

Mystique shrugged her shoulders, "Not at all. I was just wondering."

Angel and Riptide knew better than to say anything, they quickly piled into the back of the car. Mystique took the wheel. Magneto sat next to her. As they drove away she saw Magneto staring at the rear view mirror. He did not stop looking until the Mansion was no longer in sight.

She had no idea what happened back there, but she knew that the friendship that Magneto had for Charles was still just as strong. Later she would ask what happened. But for now, she was satisfied that he still allowed her to stay with him.

"You did good back there," Magneto told her.

Taking a quick glance at him, she saw him smile. "Thanks," she replied.

The entire drive back home, she never stopped smiling. She showed him, she showed everyone that she was no longer little Raven, but Mystique.

Minutes after Magneto left Hank, Scott, Alex, and Sean came out of the house.

"Magneto just left," Hank said, "Without you."

Charles cleared his throat. "Yes, apparently he did not fulfill on our deal. In fact he pointed out how Scott actually destroyed most of the missiles." Charles smiled with pride at Scott. "I saw in you something, Scott, something special. I knew you would make an excellent leader. You far surpassed my expectations."

Scott actually blushed. "Thanks, Professor."

"Thank god," Hank breathed. "Now I can concentrate on my experiments. I didn't like being in charge."

"Who said I was in charge?" Scott countered.

"Who said you wasn't, Bro?" Alex said.

"Thanks for trusting me to be the leader."

"Hey, I didn't say I would listen," Alex said, with a chuckle.

Charles clapped his hands. "Gentlemen we have a school to get in order. There are many mutants out there that need our help. We already have a new student coming, Benny. And Nelson will be our new firearms expert."

"Great," Sean said. "I say the first thing we need to do is get better uniforms. I mean navy blue and yellow? We look like hornets."

"Hornets are black and yellow," Hank barked. "And I made those uniforms."

"Need I say more?" Sean said, before quickly running into the house.

"You'd better run," Hank warned him. He rushed in after him.

"Excuse us, Professor," Scott said. "When you have time, Alex and I wanted you to help us try to unlock more memories that Sinister hid from us."

"Then some of them are coming back?" Charles hopefully asked him.

"A few, but there is so much more that escape me."

"Me too," Alex said. "I faintly remember a woman that could be my mother. Can you help us? We'd like to get in touch with family."

Scott grinned, "Family, sounds good, brother."

Charles sat up straight, "I shall try my best. Perhaps later on this afternoon?"

"It's a date, thanks, professor," Scott said. He patted Alex on the back, they slowly walked into the house, talking about searching for their family.

Charles sat back on Alessia. Hank had her fully charged now. He felt the joy and happiness in the minds of his students. Once the main building was repaired, there was still much for him to do. So many mutants needed his help, and there was the unending battle to convince humans that they could live in harmony with mutants.

Feeling a cold breeze flow across his face, he heard a clinking sound. Looking down at the table, he had to blink to make sure he was seeing right. He reached over and picked up a round metal object. He traced his fingers on three numbers deeply etched in the medallion, the numbers 955.

"Peter," he sighed. The last time he saw the medallion was around Peter's neck. He heard a soft whisper in his mind. The words he heard brought him hope for a bright future. Closing his eyes he said, "Yes Peter, I will always be your friend too." He felt a strong breeze blowing in from the north.

"You were right, Erik. The winds of change are coming. And we'll both be here to fight for that change, be it good or bad."

Charles moved into the mansion. He had a school to run. He was proud of his students. They had gone through hell and came back men.

They were his, X-men.

The End

I want to thank all of you that took their time to read my story. I hope that you all enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it. And thank you Mr. McAvoy and Fassbender. Your passionate interpretations of the characters made it so easy to bring them to life on…Monitor? LOL, take care everyone, and take care of yourselves.