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Chapters
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
 
 
 

Drawn to the Lodestone Rock - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by Dandelion
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 3

The woman who came into his room, was young and beautiful. She had a gentle demeanor and a ready, encouraging smile. Eric liked her immediately. He saw a nobility in her and an honesty that he instinctively admired. "Hello Eric. My name is Jean. A couple of friends and I are going for a walk outside, would you like to come?"

Of course, Eric knew it wasn't a real suggestion. He would either go with them or remain in his room. He, naturally opted for the walk.

"We're all friends here Eric. We all have powers beyond most humans. So we would like to help you as much as possible with yours."

He nodded silently. He had figured that Xavier had powers as well. His impassioned speeches about fighting for the cause he believed in led Eric to assume that he had people that agreed with him and fought for his vision too. They stepped outside of the mansion and Eric blinked in the sunlight. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. The fresh air was soothing and invigorating all at once. He suddenly became aware of eyes on him and looked about.

His eyes passed over the exotic Japanese woman to the strange sight next to her. A great big, furry...beast? He must have looked shocked because the blue-furred face broke into a good-natured and ironic smile. The eyes twinkled. "Lovely day for a walk isn't it Eric? My name is Hank. Hank McCoy. I see you have met Jean. Our lovely companion here is Betsy." He gestured to the other woman. "Perhaps you'd like to go the lake?"

Eric looked at the three of them. "You seem so familiar to me. We've met before haven't we?"

They exchanged glances. Jean nodded slowly. "Yes, Eric. We have. You have met everyone in this mansion at one time or another." She gestured toward a path in the forest. "The lake is that way."

"He's old." Remy noted. He was sitting on a thick sturdy tree bough. Logan was nearby. Together they watched the foursome start on their constitutional.

"Who you callin' old, boy?" came a gruff reply.

Gambit snickered to himself. He often forgot that Logan's healing factor made him seem much younger than he actually was. "He's in good shape though."

Logan only grunted an agreement. He knew what Gambit was referring to. Magneto and Rogue had shared some time together in the Savage Land a while back. Rogue had taken a leave of absence after a bad situation with Remy, but he still loved her and he was looking at past competition in a much different light. "He sure looks different when he doesn't realize how much power he has at his fingertips, don't he Cajun?"

Remy nodded in agreement. "Very diff'rent. Jus' looks like a guy now."

"That's all he ever was LeBeau." Logan growled. "He was always just a man."

"You don't believe dat any more than I do." Remy replied.

"No. I guess I don't. I knew him pretty well for a time, but he was always more than what he was."

"Wonder how he and Xavier could've ever been friends. Dey too diff'rent." Remy mused.

"It didn't last long. Friendship turned into rivalry into out and out opposition. Strange how things change." Logan shifted his weight watching Jean assist Eric as he seemed to weaken slightly.

"Strange how t'ings stay the same. Dey still at each others throat, and Magnus prob'ly don't even know why."

Logan barked a raspy laugh. "If I lost my mem'ries, I'd probably remember more'n I do now."

Remy found himself chuckling at Logan's rather dark humor. "I wish I could forget some of the t'ings I done." he said quietly.

"You n' me both, Cajun."

"Are you tired Eric? We could go back." Betsy held his arm to steady him.

He sagged slightly against her but then straightened up. "No, no. I'd rather not. I am tired, but I just would rather stay out in the sun. That room gets confining after a time. Could we just get to the lake and perhaps sit for a while?" He concentrated, his muscles felt heavy and cumbersome.

"Of course." Hank said brightly. "Nothing like watching the ripples on the water to relax oneself. We're almost there Eric. I wouldn't mind going for a swim myself." He grinned.

Betsy rolled her eyes. "Can we spare our guest the smell of wet fur for today?" her tone was teasing.

"Sure, sure, use Eric as an excuse." Hank grinned at Eric knowingly.

Eric found himself enthralled with the camaraderie that was apparent between the threesome, even strained as it was by his presence. There was genuine affection for each other there and Eric wished he could be that comfortable. He got the feeling he had never been that comfortable in his life. Another thought of alienation, Eric didn't like all these flashes. His life must have been rather tumultuous. I wished he knew for certain.

They came out of the woods and the lake greeted them with the bright reflections of the autumn sun from it's waters.

Eric smiled in spite of himself. This was beautiful, here he could forget all the dark flashes of memory. A willow tree near the shore beckoned to him and he moved towards it. The others hung back as he settled against the trunk of the tree.

<Look at him. I haven't seen him quite like this. He's so honest and kind. I wonder sometimes if it wouldn't be better if he never regained his memories.> Betsy psilinked with Jean.

<I know. But I will not hide his life from him. He remembers things, and it would be better if we were honest with him when he asks us about what we know about him. It may be very difficult for him, but I think he will be better off knowing.>

<I suppose. I agree, I had my own past taken away I wouldn't wish that on anyone else. I wish there was another way. I remember when he taught the New Mutants. I remember when he headed the X-men. He was really on our side. When he went back to the other side it felt terrible. I felt like a fool because I hadn't seen it coming. The telepath hadn't been able to sense the villain in our midst.> There was a pause. <It was only a few years later that I realized I wasn't able to sense the villain because there hadn't really been one.>

<He's always been a villain to me. I never believed that he had changed. He went against the Prfessor for one thing. And he was always so against humans. My family aren't mutants, does that mean I should destroy them? What about him? Was his family all mutants? Don't think so.>

<You didn't know him Jean. He wasn't always against humans you know. All he wanted was to protect mutants from those who would destroy us just because of the way we were born. You say you wouldn't destroy your family for being human. What about families destroying their children because they're mutants? His goal was true Jean. Just as ours in. And you bring up his family, his was completely dessimated.All that's left of the Lensherr line is Magnus, his children and his grandchild. Can you really blame the man for wanting to protect his people from something like the Nazi Final Solution? He wasn't able to before. Maybe he can do it now.>

<I can't believe that his is the right way. Humans and mutants can live in peace. I have to believe that.>

<Look around you Jean. We can't even get along with each other.>

<You know, I can see how Moira was tempted to alter his genetic structure when he was under her charge. I can understand the temptation it must have been to change him. Look at him, he doesn't remember the darkness. I'm certain that if he didn't remember all of the terrible things that happened to him he would believe in the Professor's way. He'd be a force for good. But to hide all of his life from him. It's wrong...it's just wrong!> Jean looked at her oldest foe sitting beneath a willow tree with Hank relating the movie "On Golden Pond" to him. She had never heard Magneto laugh before. She never thought he was capable of it. She always figured his life to be that of a humorless megalomaniac. His laugh was rich and true. Hank carried on with his imitations and descriptions.

"The loons Norman, the loons!"

 

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