[Fic] Beneath the Surface - (3/?) Charles/Erik
Title: Beneath the Surface (3/?), Chapter 1, Chapter 2
Fandom: X-Men: First Class, Charles/Erik
Genre: AU; Drama/Romance
Rating: PG-13 for this chapter, possibly up to NC-17 later.
Word Count: ~4800
Summary: Charles is a young marine biologist and activist that, one day, makes the find of his lifetime. Inspired by this fanart
Author's Note: Still un-beta'ed. Thank you all for the lovely comments. I had promised to update every 2-3 days, but a rather busy weekend got in the way and I didn't have enough time and peace to edit the next chapter. So, I hope every 2-4 days is still frequent enough :)
Shaw looked at Charles with a faint smirk on his features. There had been an undertone of knowing when he had introduced himself, and Charles had to gulp down the knot in his throat that had formed there quite suddenly.
"Well, yes. Who hasn't?"
"I don't mean to intrude, but there is something I'd like to discuss with you, Mr. Xavier. I have a proposition to make. Could we sit down somewhere?" Shaw's voice was as cool as the stare of his eyes, and Charles felt heat rise in the back of his neck, an unpleasant shiver of foreboding. He debated with himself whether he should just send him away, whether this was mere coincidence and Shaw's visit had nothing to do with Erik. But if that was the case then there was no harm in inviting him. And if it wasn't… Charles somehow doubted the man would so easily give up if he simply asked him to leave.
"By all means, Mr. Shaw. Be my guest," Charles decided then and raised his hand in an inviting gesture for Shaw to step in. In the car, a sleek black Jaguar, he saw another man, the very same that had been on the yacht with Shaw yesterday, his short, dark-brown hair covered by a chauffeur's hat. His eyes stared fixedly at Charles before he closed the front door.
"Please, sit down," Charles said as he led Shaw into the seating area with view to the kitchen. Raven shot him a startled look, but Charles merely shook his head for a fraction before he smiled politely again, facing Shaw as they both sat down on two adjacent arm chairs.
"How can I help you?"
Shaw crooked his head and smirked for a second. "Well, I would say the question is how I can help you," he said cryptically. "It has come to my attention that you are a highly accomplished marine scientist?"
"I'm not so sure about highly accomplished, but I am a marine biologist, yes," Charles replied. He felt his heart beat a little faster in his chest, his palms getting slightly moist from nerves. Even though they had exchanged nothing but pleasantries so far, Shaw had something very intimidating about him.
"Oh, don't be so modest. I'm a bit of a fan, I must confess," Shaw went on. "You are probably aware that I'm always looking into new fields of investment. And so far, the oceans have always found my greatest interest."
Nervousness turned into anger, and Charles noticed that he wasn't quite able to stop his eyes from narrowing and a deep breath being sucked in through his nostrils as he mentally bit his tongue not to retort that he very well knew what kinds of 'interests' Shaw had. "I'm not really sure I understand how I could be of any help."
"But of course not." Shaw let out a humorless laugh as he leaned back comfortably in the armchair, his hands outstretched. "That's why I'm here, am I not? Why don't we make the best of it and have a drink first? I always find it more pleasant to do business while sharing a beverage. It would be a little early for Scotch or Champagne but some tea would do. You're British, right?"
"Yes, half," Charles replied as politely as before and then turned towards Raven, who had started busying herself with packing away some of the breakfast leftovers. "Raven, would you please bring us two cups? Just re-fill mine, please."
His sister nodded and smiled very briefly at them, but Charles could clearly notice that she was greatly concerned by Shaw's presence.
The unwanted guest suddenly looked back at Charles, his eyes wider - a facial expression that was clearly an act. "I'm sorry, have I interrupted something? I see you have a guest."
Shock cursed through Charles' veins, and for a tiny moment he wondered whether Erik had come back down the stairs and stood right behind him. Then, however, he saw Shaw's gaze drift back to the breakfast table and the three cups standing on it. "Oh, no, no you haven't. My sister made me something that I didn't like. I went back to tea after that."
"Ah. Of course," Shaw smiled with faked relief. "Do you and your sister spend the entire summer here in the Hamptons?"
"No, not always at least. I've spend a few years abroad."
"Ah yes, Oxford. Oh, thank you sweetheart," Shaw said to Raven as she put the tea cups, sugar and a pot of milk on the table. She mumbled a quick 'you're welcome' and then went back into the kitchen, continuing to clean up, but at the same time, as Charles knew, hanging to every word they said.
"Oxford is lovely, especially in summer. But I don't much care for making business with the British. Too many regulations and protocol. I'm a man who keeps his word and prefers sealing a deal with a handshake. But don't take that as an offense. In your case I'd be willing to make a few exceptions."
"Well then, why don't you get to the point, Mr. Shaw?" Charles said a little impatiently, not feeling like he could continue playing this game of pointless small talk much longer.
"Fair enough." Shaw smiled his cool, unfriendly smile and took all his time taking a large sip of his tea and placing it back onto the coffee table before he leaned back again.
"I said I have a proposition for you. A proposition of a professional nature. You see, I am currently developing a new research facility in the field of marine genetics, and I am in need for a head scientist for the program."
"What kind of program would that be, precisely?" Charles could not picture the man suddenly having gone into research, a branch that hardly offered any options for something other than non-profit organizations.
"It's a program that focuses on sharks, which you are an expert on, I believe."
"I'm not sure if I qualify as expert. They have always fascinated me, yes, and I've been part of a few research expeditions and took an internship in a tagging program once, but I'm sure there are more experienced marine biologist out there that have specialized and worked in this field for years."
"Ah, you really don't have to be so humble, Mr. Xavier. You may not possess the same kind of experience as others, but I'm sure you have the intelligence it takes and a few other strengths that I am looking for. Now, let me tell you more about the program," Shaw continued with feigned politeness, yet giving Charles the feeling that any form of protest would not be tolerated.
"You are aware that the populations are declining every year."
Charles could simply not contain the laugh of disbelief that came over his lips at hearing these words, and he shook his head in sheer frustration.
"Please let me finish," Shaw cut in, before Charles could have said anything. "I may have had some part in the commercial fishing of sharks in the past, but I am willing to shift my fields of interest in favor of my vision. You may also know that the reputation of sharks is not the very best. They are often depicted and seen as mindless killing machines. But let me tell you, Mr. Xavier, they are not."
"You would know, you hunt them." The words slipped from Charles' lips before he could have called himself to reason, and he met Shaw's eyes without blinking or shying away from the cool stare.
"I hunt them because I wish to study them. And with that I do nothing else than any other scientist that has captured and tracked sharks, facing the risk that a few of the animals may unfortunately die in the process. That's a price one always has to be willing to pay for the greater good, you cannot deny that."
He had a point, to some extent, but somehow Charles was certain Shaw could not be put into the same category as scientists that tried everything in their might to preserve the oceans' health, often risking their own lives, with someone that had an infamous reputation for being ruthless and profit-hungry. "I'm not sure I agree. In fact, I don't."
"Ah, but you still haven't heard everything I have to say. Mr. Xavier. Charles. May I call you Charles?"
He was inclined to say no but simply nodded his head.
"Well then, Charles. You do know that there are new species that still lurk in our oceans undiscovered, right? What if there was a new species of shark out there that only waited for you, us, to be discovered and researched? I have reason to believe there is one, and it would surpass all your wildest dreams."
Charles froze inwardly. What had been hinted at, what he had already suspected but then thought too unlikely yesterday turned out to be true after all. Shaw knew what Erik was, knew of the existence of this magical species. And he knew Charles knew as well. Possibly even that Erik was here, right at this moment, with them. Dread and fear ran through his veins as he tried desperately not to let it surface, to keep a straight, unimpressed face. "I'm still not sure I understand or if such a species even exists," he said, feeling his throat constrict and having to clear it with a cough. "Surely, the discovery of the six-gill shark was quite ground-breaking back then, but as far as I recall it brought nobody to fame and fortune. And forgive me for being so blunt, Mr. Shaw, but that is what you are looking for, or not?"
Shaw chuckled softly and let out a long, low sigh, smiling as he looked straight at Charles. "You know me well then, my young friend. Now what if I told you, that I know for a fact, that there is a discovery to be made that would bring more profit than all the shark finning in the world? So much profit, even, that I could easily donate the majority of it to charitable organizations, of your choosing if you please, and put a stop to many of the wrongs you are trying to fight with meager measures?"
Charles had to take a deep breath, trying to hide it by letting it slowly seep through his nostrils as he leaned forward and moistened his dry lips with the warm tea. "Why me, though? You still haven't told me what is so special about me that you came here and approached me instead of any other equally accomplished scientist."
"First of, because you're an idealist. And second… Because I think you know exactly what I am talking about."
The dread Charles was feeling amplified, and he could even hear a faint gasp coming from the kitchen. Shaw did not give him the opportunity to react, however.
"Now, I'm going to put a number on this sheet of paper," he said, pulling out a pen and paper from the inner pocket of his jacket. "And I will show you the number, the sum that will be completely and without condition free to your disposal to do with it as you please."
"I have money, Mr. Shaw. I don't need yours," Charles said as he watched Shaw scribble something on the sheet.
"Do you? As far as I know you have some property, a trust fund. But little liquid assets. Here, how's this?"
Face down, Shaw pushed the paper towards the other edge of the table, and even though Charles was sure he would not accept, no matter how high the sum, he picked up the paper and had a look.
He gasped.
"Now you understand why I couldn't give up so easily. Surely such a sum is too impressive to turn it down," Shaw said completely sure of himself.
Charles' eyes darkened. "Mr. Shaw. This is indeed a very generous offer, and I appreciate your efforts, but I cannot accept this."
The polite yet fake smile completely vanished from Shaw's features then. His pale blue eyes grew even colder and his otherwise pleasant voice dropped to a low and threatening tone. "I would really consider this carefully, if I were you. I am offering you my friendship and support, Charles."
"Mr. Shaw," Charles said with emphasis on the formal address. "I am sure you are not trying to threaten me, so it remains my choice and my responsibility to decline your offer. I am certain you can find someone else interested, but I am quite fond of my current job." He stood up, one hand balled to a fist beside his thigh, out of Shaw's view, hoping his guest would take it as indicator to leave. Quietly.
"No, of course I'm not threatening you." The words sounded hardly convincing, but Shaw got up. "It's a shame, really. Together, we could have accomplished extraordinary things, but it seems like you are content with settling for the ordinary. I guess I was wrong about you after all."
"Yeah. Looks like it."
"Well then, as we have nothing further to discuss…" Shaw took up his jacket and made his way for the door. When Charles opened it for him, he turned around once more. "Thank you for your hospitality. Enjoy the sunny day. And… I hope you won't regret this."
"Thank you, but I'm sure I won't. Good day, Mr. Shaw."
And as soon as Charles had closed the door, he breathed out and sunk against the wooden surface.
Raven was at his side in an instant, but she did not yet speak, with eyes peaking out of the small window beside the front door and waiting until the car had driven out towards the main road.
"My God," she moaned then and, same as he, took a deep, deep breath of relief. "Does he know?"
"I think so, yes." Charles' throat felt dry and tight, and he ran a sweaty hand over his face.
"H - how much did he offer you?"
"One hundred," Charles replied. "One hundred million dollars." Money that, indeed, surpassed all of his riches by a multiple, and money he could have put to good use. He would not sell out another, innocent person for all the money in the world, though.
As his gaze drifted from Raven's shocked face towards the living room, he spotted Erik standing on the second-lowest stair, looking at him with a mix of fear and confusion.
"I have to leave."
* Conveniently, you can study marine science and biology, in combination with evolutionary biology in Harvard and Oxford. I suppose Oxford was where Charles also got his genetics degree.
~*~
Charles groaned and buried his head in his hands for a moment, his elbows resting on the hard wooden surface of his desk. The light streaming in through the windows had grown dimmer, the breeze coming in through the open patio door cooler. Almost the entire day had passed as if it had been barely more than an hour.
“I made you a sandwich.” The familiar voice shook him out of his brief lethargy, and he raised his head to look up into Raven's smiling face - a smile that spoke more of concern and sympathy than anything, and he was thankful to have her here, more than ever.
“Thanks Raven,” he said and looked at the plate, forcing himself not to glance back at his laptop where he had spent endless hours writing emails, researching information that was available to the public and trying to find out... something that could help them. At times, he hadn't even known where to start.
“You didn't have anything since breakfast. So you better eat now,” his sister added, still smiling but with emphasis as she pulled another chair over and sat down beside him. “Any luck?”
Charles had taken a first reluctant bite of the sandwich Raven had prepared with cream cheese and some vegetables - one of his favorites - but despite the slight growling of his stomach his appetite was not very strong. “Not really. I've emailed Moira and Larry, gone through old newspaper articles. But so far there's no chance to find out where this research facility is, and if it even is anything illegal. And you know Shaw always managed to escape legal persecution for all his dodgy business.” Too many loopholes he'd taken advantage of and lack of evidence had always kept Shaw on the legal side of his transactions, although it was clear he had purchased illegally obtained shark fins and exported them to China in millions. He had shares in a company dedicated to whale hunting in Japan, but that in itself wasn't illegal either. And the list went on and on. Old news and information that would get them nowhere, especially not anywhere near getting a restraining order or putting the man behind bars.
“I've talked to Irene again”, Raven started then, obviously wanting to change the topic and let Charles eat. “She wants to come up to Westchester. But we don't have to drive through Manhattan to pick her up. She'll come by bus. But maybe we could arrange to pick her up in White Plains. If that's alright with you.”
“Sure,” Charles replied after he swallowed his next bite and rinsed it down with a gulp of water. “Doesn't she have to work, though?”
“Nah, she can take some time off. She doesn't have many patients right now anyway because of the school holidays, and she said Alice can take over for a week or two.” Irene, a twenty-six year old woman that had been dating Raven for almost four years now, was working as a councelor and therapist for mainly blind but also otherwise handicapped children. “And well...”
“You miss her?” Charles completed his sister's sentence, finding a small smile on his lips.
“I know, it's pathetic after only eight days, but yeah,” Raven replied with a faint chuckle.
“No, it's not. It's quite adorable actually.”
Raven's chuckle turned into a wide smile, and she averted her eyes for a moment, almost shy, before her gaze darkened a little and her brow furrowed. “It's just gonna be a little difficult with...”
“Yes. We probably shouldn't...”
“No. Not right away anyway. I told her he's a friend of yours and also an ocean expert. That wasn't even a lie.”
Charles let out a breath through his nostrils, a tiny smirk on his lips around the next bite of his sandwich he'd taken, but Raven's gaze remained contemplative.
“It took quite some convincing there, huh?”
“I know, but Erik understands that he can't leave now. Not with Shaw looking for him. Luckily he trusts us enough and knows he'll be safe. I cannot begin to imagine what could happen if he had left this morning.”
After Shaw's departure, Erik had been determined to leave the house, to go back into the ocean, basing it on the fact that there he could just get lost in the depths, swim away to never be found, but Charles could not let that happen. Erik was still weakened, although his wound was healing nicely. The stitches would probably just fall off after a while if they weren't taken out, but there was a risk. And somehow, Charles simply didn't trust Erik to stay away from Shaw for good. He knew but fragments of Erik's past, but one thing had been clear to him from the beginning and reaffirmed again this morning: Erik was out for vengeance. Understandably so, but it might all go very, very wrong.
“Charles, I... don't get this the wrong way,” Raven started and stared at her hands, and Charles could already imagine where this was heading. “But why are you doing this? I mean, no, not why. You've always been like this. But are you sure we're doing the right thing here? I mean I don't even know what exactly we're doing.”
Neither did Charles, if he was quite frank. From the moment they had found the injured stranger he had not questioned helping him, trying all he could to save Erik's life, but maybe - as his sister would say always - he was a little too idealistic and optimistic. He would not give up trying, however.
“We'll figure it out,” he said then, quite assured of that fact. “Maybe we can convince Erik to go somewhere else and really stay away from Shaw in the future. Something tells me he needs time to realize that. And I also think he could use a friend. I'm not sure what his life has been like in the past, but... he's not mentioned anyone, only his dead parents. Imagine what it had been like for you if you hadn't been adopted, and you would've had to make it through life all by yourself.”
There was something warm in her gray eyes now, no smile on her lips but still a look of affection towards Charles, confirmed by her reaching out for his hand and squeezing it in hers. “I know. And I'm really glad things turned out as they did for me. I'm just not sure if the same thing will work for Erik. He's not a puppy that you rescue and can keep as a pet. You realize that, right? You know this is not about becoming friends with him and having him in your life or anything. He's a grown man and, well, a wild creature. He's got to go back one day, and there will always be dangers out there for him. You just can't protect and save everyone, Charles.”
Silence fell between them for a few moments after, and Charles shoved the last remaining piece of his sandwich around on its plate, not quite knowing what to reply. Raven knew him better than any other person in his life, and during his teen years she had even known him better than his parents. That she mentioned this aspect now, knowing of his thoughts and feelings even before he, himself, had fully noticed them, confirmed that fact once again.
“I know,” he said, feeling a bit like a little boy whose unrealistic dreams of having a shark friend and exploring the oceans had been crushed. The last bite of the sandwich tasted rather stale in his mouth.
“You're an amazing person, you know that?” Raven leaned in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, her chin next to his cheek. “Maybe you should consider posting the footage anyway. Send it to the press. You could cut it a little and take out the odd bits and just show what you had planned to get from the beginning. And maybe you can contact your Greenpeace friends again. Have them tail him and find out where his research facility is. Maybe that would get us a bit farther.”
Charles turned his head and, smiling at her with gratitude, placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “What would I do without you?”
“Despair,” she laughed and drew back from the embrace, one hand lingering on his shoulder for a little longer.
“Probably,” Charles replied. “Thanks for the sandwich. Did you -“
“Yes. He apparently also likes chicken breast,” Raven interrupted him and shook her head softly. “I'm just happy we don't have to give him live fish to eat whole. Imagine that.”
“That's not funny,” Charles scolded her as she started giggling, suppressing his own smirk, but he couldn't deny that he'd had similar images in mind already.
“Sorry, but it is.”
“I'll better go check on him,” Charles said then and got up, placing another kiss on Raven's blonde head as he passed her and made his way up the stairs.
Reaching the door of the guestroom, he found it ajar, knocked twice to announce his presence and entered. Erik stood directly in front of the large window, looking out, and he barely turned his head to acknowledge Charles being here. With a few slow steps, Charles was at his side, feeling the atmosphere in the room rather heavy and dim. It wasn't difficult to imagine why.
The waves on the ocean had gotten stronger that afternoon, a fresh breeze coming from south-west. The sun had set behind them already, and there was only little daylight left, making the ocean look almost black already.
“You miss it.” It wasn't really a question, and Erik remained still for a few more seconds before he slowly inclined his head in a half-nod.
“Erik, I promise you we'll figure something out so you can return as soon as possible,” Charles said, the heaviness in the room engulfing his heart. “How about that: I know it's not the same, but we have a large indoor pool at home,” Charles offered a little helplessly and briefly considered adding sea salt to the water but realized it would take at least a truck load to imitate the salinity of the ocean.
“I would not transform completely in something with such limited proportions,” Erik said, his gaze now drifting to Charles for the length of their conversation.
“Can't or...”
“I could, technically. Though the lack of salt would be problematic,” Erik explained, making Charles wonder how he even knew that. Had he tried it before? Or had he swam into brackish water once to find out that it had a negative effect on him? “The space would be much too constricted for that.”
“So you can control how far you transform then?” Charles asked, and Erik nodded.
“Partially at least. Fresh water has little effect, but in sea water my lower body turns very quickly. My upper body I can transform at will, but I haven't done so for a long time.”
As with every other little detail Charles learned about this mystical creature, he felt a sense of 'wow' spreading from the pit of his stomach through his lungs and throat, fascination and wonder as he'd never experienced it before. The scientist in him really would like to study this creature, find out everything there was to unravel, but the man in him was grateful for every tiny thing he got. No matter how things turned out in the end, if what Raven had just said would come to pass and it would only remain a brief encounter, he already knew now that Erik was a person he would never forget.
“Well, you... um, you're most welcome to use the pool any time you like, my friend. Maybe you'll like it more than the shower.”
Charles was pleased to see one of those minuscule smiles twitch around the right corner of Erik's mouth. “Thank you.”
“Oh and there's one more thing. Irene, that's Raven's girlfriend...” Charles wondered whether he should elaborate a bit more, not sure if Erik could picture such concepts, terms coined by humans for bonds that needed no definitions in the wild. The words 'girl' and 'friend' might very well just indicate a friend that was a girl for Erik. “Her lover and mate,” he added then and saw Erik's brow briefly furrow but received no question. “She's coming up to our house as well, but we haven't told her anything about you, and we won't unless you want us to. She's blind, so even if she went down to the pool while you're there she wouldn't see anything... unusual.”
Erik nodded and looked back out towards the sea, the faint glimmer of the rising moon the only thing illuminating the near-darkness of the water now. “I am not ashamed of what I am.”
“Oh Erik, no, that's not what I meant to imply,” Charles explained quickly, his heart sinking. And he fought the urge to lay his hand on Erik's arm in reassurance. “It's just that you might... Well, we'd understand if you found it hard to trust people you don't know yet. And you're no curious discovery to us that we want to present to people.”
“Not like Shaw.” Erik's voice usually had a rather soft ring to it, pleasant to the ear with a warm, gentle roughness to it. Now, however, it had turned hard and cold with unmistakable loathing, and Charles couldn't blame him in the slightest.
“No. Nothing like him.”
“But not everybody is like you and your sister? I was taught from the beginning not to trust the land-walkers. To us... to me, your kind is not known for kindness and compassion.”
“Oh.” What has happened to you in your life, Charles wanted to ask, but didn't. “Oh, my friend. Yes, there are people, land-walkers, that are malicious and greedy, but there are many, many others that are good and kind, who devote their lives to helping others, humans and animals alike. You must not think my sister and I are a rare exception.”
Erik did not reply anything to that, only looked at Charles with a long and rather piercing but soft stare that turned into a longing, melancholy expression as he directed it back at the ocean. Charles did not know what else to say, and so they just stood in silent company for a good while longer, watching the moon rise over the sea.
~ TBC ~
AN: If you have any comments and questions please feel free. Since I don't have a beta-reader it's possible I overlook stuff, so I'd actually be grateful for constructive criticism.
And no cliffhanger this time. I was briefly considering it but that would have been mean ^^
Chapter 4
Fandom: X-Men: First Class, Charles/Erik
Genre: AU; Drama/Romance
Rating: PG-13 for this chapter, possibly up to NC-17 later.
Word Count: ~4800
Summary: Charles is a young marine biologist and activist that, one day, makes the find of his lifetime. Inspired by this fanart
Author's Note: Still un-beta'ed. Thank you all for the lovely comments. I had promised to update every 2-3 days, but a rather busy weekend got in the way and I didn't have enough time and peace to edit the next chapter. So, I hope every 2-4 days is still frequent enough :)
Shaw looked at Charles with a faint smirk on his features. There had been an undertone of knowing when he had introduced himself, and Charles had to gulp down the knot in his throat that had formed there quite suddenly.
"Well, yes. Who hasn't?"
"I don't mean to intrude, but there is something I'd like to discuss with you, Mr. Xavier. I have a proposition to make. Could we sit down somewhere?" Shaw's voice was as cool as the stare of his eyes, and Charles felt heat rise in the back of his neck, an unpleasant shiver of foreboding. He debated with himself whether he should just send him away, whether this was mere coincidence and Shaw's visit had nothing to do with Erik. But if that was the case then there was no harm in inviting him. And if it wasn't… Charles somehow doubted the man would so easily give up if he simply asked him to leave.
"By all means, Mr. Shaw. Be my guest," Charles decided then and raised his hand in an inviting gesture for Shaw to step in. In the car, a sleek black Jaguar, he saw another man, the very same that had been on the yacht with Shaw yesterday, his short, dark-brown hair covered by a chauffeur's hat. His eyes stared fixedly at Charles before he closed the front door.
"Please, sit down," Charles said as he led Shaw into the seating area with view to the kitchen. Raven shot him a startled look, but Charles merely shook his head for a fraction before he smiled politely again, facing Shaw as they both sat down on two adjacent arm chairs.
"How can I help you?"
Shaw crooked his head and smirked for a second. "Well, I would say the question is how I can help you," he said cryptically. "It has come to my attention that you are a highly accomplished marine scientist?"
"I'm not so sure about highly accomplished, but I am a marine biologist, yes," Charles replied. He felt his heart beat a little faster in his chest, his palms getting slightly moist from nerves. Even though they had exchanged nothing but pleasantries so far, Shaw had something very intimidating about him.
"Oh, don't be so modest. I'm a bit of a fan, I must confess," Shaw went on. "You are probably aware that I'm always looking into new fields of investment. And so far, the oceans have always found my greatest interest."
Nervousness turned into anger, and Charles noticed that he wasn't quite able to stop his eyes from narrowing and a deep breath being sucked in through his nostrils as he mentally bit his tongue not to retort that he very well knew what kinds of 'interests' Shaw had. "I'm not really sure I understand how I could be of any help."
"But of course not." Shaw let out a humorless laugh as he leaned back comfortably in the armchair, his hands outstretched. "That's why I'm here, am I not? Why don't we make the best of it and have a drink first? I always find it more pleasant to do business while sharing a beverage. It would be a little early for Scotch or Champagne but some tea would do. You're British, right?"
"Yes, half," Charles replied as politely as before and then turned towards Raven, who had started busying herself with packing away some of the breakfast leftovers. "Raven, would you please bring us two cups? Just re-fill mine, please."
His sister nodded and smiled very briefly at them, but Charles could clearly notice that she was greatly concerned by Shaw's presence.
The unwanted guest suddenly looked back at Charles, his eyes wider - a facial expression that was clearly an act. "I'm sorry, have I interrupted something? I see you have a guest."
Shock cursed through Charles' veins, and for a tiny moment he wondered whether Erik had come back down the stairs and stood right behind him. Then, however, he saw Shaw's gaze drift back to the breakfast table and the three cups standing on it. "Oh, no, no you haven't. My sister made me something that I didn't like. I went back to tea after that."
"Ah. Of course," Shaw smiled with faked relief. "Do you and your sister spend the entire summer here in the Hamptons?"
"No, not always at least. I've spend a few years abroad."
"Ah yes, Oxford. Oh, thank you sweetheart," Shaw said to Raven as she put the tea cups, sugar and a pot of milk on the table. She mumbled a quick 'you're welcome' and then went back into the kitchen, continuing to clean up, but at the same time, as Charles knew, hanging to every word they said.
"Oxford is lovely, especially in summer. But I don't much care for making business with the British. Too many regulations and protocol. I'm a man who keeps his word and prefers sealing a deal with a handshake. But don't take that as an offense. In your case I'd be willing to make a few exceptions."
"Well then, why don't you get to the point, Mr. Shaw?" Charles said a little impatiently, not feeling like he could continue playing this game of pointless small talk much longer.
"Fair enough." Shaw smiled his cool, unfriendly smile and took all his time taking a large sip of his tea and placing it back onto the coffee table before he leaned back again.
"I said I have a proposition for you. A proposition of a professional nature. You see, I am currently developing a new research facility in the field of marine genetics, and I am in need for a head scientist for the program."
"What kind of program would that be, precisely?" Charles could not picture the man suddenly having gone into research, a branch that hardly offered any options for something other than non-profit organizations.
"It's a program that focuses on sharks, which you are an expert on, I believe."
"I'm not sure if I qualify as expert. They have always fascinated me, yes, and I've been part of a few research expeditions and took an internship in a tagging program once, but I'm sure there are more experienced marine biologist out there that have specialized and worked in this field for years."
"Ah, you really don't have to be so humble, Mr. Xavier. You may not possess the same kind of experience as others, but I'm sure you have the intelligence it takes and a few other strengths that I am looking for. Now, let me tell you more about the program," Shaw continued with feigned politeness, yet giving Charles the feeling that any form of protest would not be tolerated.
"You are aware that the populations are declining every year."
Charles could simply not contain the laugh of disbelief that came over his lips at hearing these words, and he shook his head in sheer frustration.
"Please let me finish," Shaw cut in, before Charles could have said anything. "I may have had some part in the commercial fishing of sharks in the past, but I am willing to shift my fields of interest in favor of my vision. You may also know that the reputation of sharks is not the very best. They are often depicted and seen as mindless killing machines. But let me tell you, Mr. Xavier, they are not."
"You would know, you hunt them." The words slipped from Charles' lips before he could have called himself to reason, and he met Shaw's eyes without blinking or shying away from the cool stare.
"I hunt them because I wish to study them. And with that I do nothing else than any other scientist that has captured and tracked sharks, facing the risk that a few of the animals may unfortunately die in the process. That's a price one always has to be willing to pay for the greater good, you cannot deny that."
He had a point, to some extent, but somehow Charles was certain Shaw could not be put into the same category as scientists that tried everything in their might to preserve the oceans' health, often risking their own lives, with someone that had an infamous reputation for being ruthless and profit-hungry. "I'm not sure I agree. In fact, I don't."
"Ah, but you still haven't heard everything I have to say. Mr. Xavier. Charles. May I call you Charles?"
He was inclined to say no but simply nodded his head.
"Well then, Charles. You do know that there are new species that still lurk in our oceans undiscovered, right? What if there was a new species of shark out there that only waited for you, us, to be discovered and researched? I have reason to believe there is one, and it would surpass all your wildest dreams."
Charles froze inwardly. What had been hinted at, what he had already suspected but then thought too unlikely yesterday turned out to be true after all. Shaw knew what Erik was, knew of the existence of this magical species. And he knew Charles knew as well. Possibly even that Erik was here, right at this moment, with them. Dread and fear ran through his veins as he tried desperately not to let it surface, to keep a straight, unimpressed face. "I'm still not sure I understand or if such a species even exists," he said, feeling his throat constrict and having to clear it with a cough. "Surely, the discovery of the six-gill shark was quite ground-breaking back then, but as far as I recall it brought nobody to fame and fortune. And forgive me for being so blunt, Mr. Shaw, but that is what you are looking for, or not?"
Shaw chuckled softly and let out a long, low sigh, smiling as he looked straight at Charles. "You know me well then, my young friend. Now what if I told you, that I know for a fact, that there is a discovery to be made that would bring more profit than all the shark finning in the world? So much profit, even, that I could easily donate the majority of it to charitable organizations, of your choosing if you please, and put a stop to many of the wrongs you are trying to fight with meager measures?"
Charles had to take a deep breath, trying to hide it by letting it slowly seep through his nostrils as he leaned forward and moistened his dry lips with the warm tea. "Why me, though? You still haven't told me what is so special about me that you came here and approached me instead of any other equally accomplished scientist."
"First of, because you're an idealist. And second… Because I think you know exactly what I am talking about."
The dread Charles was feeling amplified, and he could even hear a faint gasp coming from the kitchen. Shaw did not give him the opportunity to react, however.
"Now, I'm going to put a number on this sheet of paper," he said, pulling out a pen and paper from the inner pocket of his jacket. "And I will show you the number, the sum that will be completely and without condition free to your disposal to do with it as you please."
"I have money, Mr. Shaw. I don't need yours," Charles said as he watched Shaw scribble something on the sheet.
"Do you? As far as I know you have some property, a trust fund. But little liquid assets. Here, how's this?"
Face down, Shaw pushed the paper towards the other edge of the table, and even though Charles was sure he would not accept, no matter how high the sum, he picked up the paper and had a look.
He gasped.
"Now you understand why I couldn't give up so easily. Surely such a sum is too impressive to turn it down," Shaw said completely sure of himself.
Charles' eyes darkened. "Mr. Shaw. This is indeed a very generous offer, and I appreciate your efforts, but I cannot accept this."
The polite yet fake smile completely vanished from Shaw's features then. His pale blue eyes grew even colder and his otherwise pleasant voice dropped to a low and threatening tone. "I would really consider this carefully, if I were you. I am offering you my friendship and support, Charles."
"Mr. Shaw," Charles said with emphasis on the formal address. "I am sure you are not trying to threaten me, so it remains my choice and my responsibility to decline your offer. I am certain you can find someone else interested, but I am quite fond of my current job." He stood up, one hand balled to a fist beside his thigh, out of Shaw's view, hoping his guest would take it as indicator to leave. Quietly.
"No, of course I'm not threatening you." The words sounded hardly convincing, but Shaw got up. "It's a shame, really. Together, we could have accomplished extraordinary things, but it seems like you are content with settling for the ordinary. I guess I was wrong about you after all."
"Yeah. Looks like it."
"Well then, as we have nothing further to discuss…" Shaw took up his jacket and made his way for the door. When Charles opened it for him, he turned around once more. "Thank you for your hospitality. Enjoy the sunny day. And… I hope you won't regret this."
"Thank you, but I'm sure I won't. Good day, Mr. Shaw."
And as soon as Charles had closed the door, he breathed out and sunk against the wooden surface.
Raven was at his side in an instant, but she did not yet speak, with eyes peaking out of the small window beside the front door and waiting until the car had driven out towards the main road.
"My God," she moaned then and, same as he, took a deep, deep breath of relief. "Does he know?"
"I think so, yes." Charles' throat felt dry and tight, and he ran a sweaty hand over his face.
"H - how much did he offer you?"
"One hundred," Charles replied. "One hundred million dollars." Money that, indeed, surpassed all of his riches by a multiple, and money he could have put to good use. He would not sell out another, innocent person for all the money in the world, though.
As his gaze drifted from Raven's shocked face towards the living room, he spotted Erik standing on the second-lowest stair, looking at him with a mix of fear and confusion.
"I have to leave."
* Conveniently, you can study marine science and biology, in combination with evolutionary biology in Harvard and Oxford. I suppose Oxford was where Charles also got his genetics degree.
~*~
Charles groaned and buried his head in his hands for a moment, his elbows resting on the hard wooden surface of his desk. The light streaming in through the windows had grown dimmer, the breeze coming in through the open patio door cooler. Almost the entire day had passed as if it had been barely more than an hour.
“I made you a sandwich.” The familiar voice shook him out of his brief lethargy, and he raised his head to look up into Raven's smiling face - a smile that spoke more of concern and sympathy than anything, and he was thankful to have her here, more than ever.
“Thanks Raven,” he said and looked at the plate, forcing himself not to glance back at his laptop where he had spent endless hours writing emails, researching information that was available to the public and trying to find out... something that could help them. At times, he hadn't even known where to start.
“You didn't have anything since breakfast. So you better eat now,” his sister added, still smiling but with emphasis as she pulled another chair over and sat down beside him. “Any luck?”
Charles had taken a first reluctant bite of the sandwich Raven had prepared with cream cheese and some vegetables - one of his favorites - but despite the slight growling of his stomach his appetite was not very strong. “Not really. I've emailed Moira and Larry, gone through old newspaper articles. But so far there's no chance to find out where this research facility is, and if it even is anything illegal. And you know Shaw always managed to escape legal persecution for all his dodgy business.” Too many loopholes he'd taken advantage of and lack of evidence had always kept Shaw on the legal side of his transactions, although it was clear he had purchased illegally obtained shark fins and exported them to China in millions. He had shares in a company dedicated to whale hunting in Japan, but that in itself wasn't illegal either. And the list went on and on. Old news and information that would get them nowhere, especially not anywhere near getting a restraining order or putting the man behind bars.
“I've talked to Irene again”, Raven started then, obviously wanting to change the topic and let Charles eat. “She wants to come up to Westchester. But we don't have to drive through Manhattan to pick her up. She'll come by bus. But maybe we could arrange to pick her up in White Plains. If that's alright with you.”
“Sure,” Charles replied after he swallowed his next bite and rinsed it down with a gulp of water. “Doesn't she have to work, though?”
“Nah, she can take some time off. She doesn't have many patients right now anyway because of the school holidays, and she said Alice can take over for a week or two.” Irene, a twenty-six year old woman that had been dating Raven for almost four years now, was working as a councelor and therapist for mainly blind but also otherwise handicapped children. “And well...”
“You miss her?” Charles completed his sister's sentence, finding a small smile on his lips.
“I know, it's pathetic after only eight days, but yeah,” Raven replied with a faint chuckle.
“No, it's not. It's quite adorable actually.”
Raven's chuckle turned into a wide smile, and she averted her eyes for a moment, almost shy, before her gaze darkened a little and her brow furrowed. “It's just gonna be a little difficult with...”
“Yes. We probably shouldn't...”
“No. Not right away anyway. I told her he's a friend of yours and also an ocean expert. That wasn't even a lie.”
Charles let out a breath through his nostrils, a tiny smirk on his lips around the next bite of his sandwich he'd taken, but Raven's gaze remained contemplative.
“It took quite some convincing there, huh?”
“I know, but Erik understands that he can't leave now. Not with Shaw looking for him. Luckily he trusts us enough and knows he'll be safe. I cannot begin to imagine what could happen if he had left this morning.”
After Shaw's departure, Erik had been determined to leave the house, to go back into the ocean, basing it on the fact that there he could just get lost in the depths, swim away to never be found, but Charles could not let that happen. Erik was still weakened, although his wound was healing nicely. The stitches would probably just fall off after a while if they weren't taken out, but there was a risk. And somehow, Charles simply didn't trust Erik to stay away from Shaw for good. He knew but fragments of Erik's past, but one thing had been clear to him from the beginning and reaffirmed again this morning: Erik was out for vengeance. Understandably so, but it might all go very, very wrong.
“Charles, I... don't get this the wrong way,” Raven started and stared at her hands, and Charles could already imagine where this was heading. “But why are you doing this? I mean, no, not why. You've always been like this. But are you sure we're doing the right thing here? I mean I don't even know what exactly we're doing.”
Neither did Charles, if he was quite frank. From the moment they had found the injured stranger he had not questioned helping him, trying all he could to save Erik's life, but maybe - as his sister would say always - he was a little too idealistic and optimistic. He would not give up trying, however.
“We'll figure it out,” he said then, quite assured of that fact. “Maybe we can convince Erik to go somewhere else and really stay away from Shaw in the future. Something tells me he needs time to realize that. And I also think he could use a friend. I'm not sure what his life has been like in the past, but... he's not mentioned anyone, only his dead parents. Imagine what it had been like for you if you hadn't been adopted, and you would've had to make it through life all by yourself.”
There was something warm in her gray eyes now, no smile on her lips but still a look of affection towards Charles, confirmed by her reaching out for his hand and squeezing it in hers. “I know. And I'm really glad things turned out as they did for me. I'm just not sure if the same thing will work for Erik. He's not a puppy that you rescue and can keep as a pet. You realize that, right? You know this is not about becoming friends with him and having him in your life or anything. He's a grown man and, well, a wild creature. He's got to go back one day, and there will always be dangers out there for him. You just can't protect and save everyone, Charles.”
Silence fell between them for a few moments after, and Charles shoved the last remaining piece of his sandwich around on its plate, not quite knowing what to reply. Raven knew him better than any other person in his life, and during his teen years she had even known him better than his parents. That she mentioned this aspect now, knowing of his thoughts and feelings even before he, himself, had fully noticed them, confirmed that fact once again.
“I know,” he said, feeling a bit like a little boy whose unrealistic dreams of having a shark friend and exploring the oceans had been crushed. The last bite of the sandwich tasted rather stale in his mouth.
“You're an amazing person, you know that?” Raven leaned in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, her chin next to his cheek. “Maybe you should consider posting the footage anyway. Send it to the press. You could cut it a little and take out the odd bits and just show what you had planned to get from the beginning. And maybe you can contact your Greenpeace friends again. Have them tail him and find out where his research facility is. Maybe that would get us a bit farther.”
Charles turned his head and, smiling at her with gratitude, placed a soft kiss on her forehead. “What would I do without you?”
“Despair,” she laughed and drew back from the embrace, one hand lingering on his shoulder for a little longer.
“Probably,” Charles replied. “Thanks for the sandwich. Did you -“
“Yes. He apparently also likes chicken breast,” Raven interrupted him and shook her head softly. “I'm just happy we don't have to give him live fish to eat whole. Imagine that.”
“That's not funny,” Charles scolded her as she started giggling, suppressing his own smirk, but he couldn't deny that he'd had similar images in mind already.
“Sorry, but it is.”
“I'll better go check on him,” Charles said then and got up, placing another kiss on Raven's blonde head as he passed her and made his way up the stairs.
Reaching the door of the guestroom, he found it ajar, knocked twice to announce his presence and entered. Erik stood directly in front of the large window, looking out, and he barely turned his head to acknowledge Charles being here. With a few slow steps, Charles was at his side, feeling the atmosphere in the room rather heavy and dim. It wasn't difficult to imagine why.
The waves on the ocean had gotten stronger that afternoon, a fresh breeze coming from south-west. The sun had set behind them already, and there was only little daylight left, making the ocean look almost black already.
“You miss it.” It wasn't really a question, and Erik remained still for a few more seconds before he slowly inclined his head in a half-nod.
“Erik, I promise you we'll figure something out so you can return as soon as possible,” Charles said, the heaviness in the room engulfing his heart. “How about that: I know it's not the same, but we have a large indoor pool at home,” Charles offered a little helplessly and briefly considered adding sea salt to the water but realized it would take at least a truck load to imitate the salinity of the ocean.
“I would not transform completely in something with such limited proportions,” Erik said, his gaze now drifting to Charles for the length of their conversation.
“Can't or...”
“I could, technically. Though the lack of salt would be problematic,” Erik explained, making Charles wonder how he even knew that. Had he tried it before? Or had he swam into brackish water once to find out that it had a negative effect on him? “The space would be much too constricted for that.”
“So you can control how far you transform then?” Charles asked, and Erik nodded.
“Partially at least. Fresh water has little effect, but in sea water my lower body turns very quickly. My upper body I can transform at will, but I haven't done so for a long time.”
As with every other little detail Charles learned about this mystical creature, he felt a sense of 'wow' spreading from the pit of his stomach through his lungs and throat, fascination and wonder as he'd never experienced it before. The scientist in him really would like to study this creature, find out everything there was to unravel, but the man in him was grateful for every tiny thing he got. No matter how things turned out in the end, if what Raven had just said would come to pass and it would only remain a brief encounter, he already knew now that Erik was a person he would never forget.
“Well, you... um, you're most welcome to use the pool any time you like, my friend. Maybe you'll like it more than the shower.”
Charles was pleased to see one of those minuscule smiles twitch around the right corner of Erik's mouth. “Thank you.”
“Oh and there's one more thing. Irene, that's Raven's girlfriend...” Charles wondered whether he should elaborate a bit more, not sure if Erik could picture such concepts, terms coined by humans for bonds that needed no definitions in the wild. The words 'girl' and 'friend' might very well just indicate a friend that was a girl for Erik. “Her lover and mate,” he added then and saw Erik's brow briefly furrow but received no question. “She's coming up to our house as well, but we haven't told her anything about you, and we won't unless you want us to. She's blind, so even if she went down to the pool while you're there she wouldn't see anything... unusual.”
Erik nodded and looked back out towards the sea, the faint glimmer of the rising moon the only thing illuminating the near-darkness of the water now. “I am not ashamed of what I am.”
“Oh Erik, no, that's not what I meant to imply,” Charles explained quickly, his heart sinking. And he fought the urge to lay his hand on Erik's arm in reassurance. “It's just that you might... Well, we'd understand if you found it hard to trust people you don't know yet. And you're no curious discovery to us that we want to present to people.”
“Not like Shaw.” Erik's voice usually had a rather soft ring to it, pleasant to the ear with a warm, gentle roughness to it. Now, however, it had turned hard and cold with unmistakable loathing, and Charles couldn't blame him in the slightest.
“No. Nothing like him.”
“But not everybody is like you and your sister? I was taught from the beginning not to trust the land-walkers. To us... to me, your kind is not known for kindness and compassion.”
“Oh.” What has happened to you in your life, Charles wanted to ask, but didn't. “Oh, my friend. Yes, there are people, land-walkers, that are malicious and greedy, but there are many, many others that are good and kind, who devote their lives to helping others, humans and animals alike. You must not think my sister and I are a rare exception.”
Erik did not reply anything to that, only looked at Charles with a long and rather piercing but soft stare that turned into a longing, melancholy expression as he directed it back at the ocean. Charles did not know what else to say, and so they just stood in silent company for a good while longer, watching the moon rise over the sea.
~ TBC ~
AN: If you have any comments and questions please feel free. Since I don't have a beta-reader it's possible I overlook stuff, so I'd actually be grateful for constructive criticism.
And no cliffhanger this time. I was briefly considering it but that would have been mean ^^
Chapter 4