Authors Note:

Because I love to mess with canon and time-lines. What fanfic author doesn't?

Warnings: Eventual Erik/Charles. Rated M for a reason, eventual adult content and violence.

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men or any of the characters borrowed for creative purposes contained within. The story and the situations are mine.

Prologue:

To everyone else, it was just another day in the park. To those same people who were blind inside their little bubbles, he was just another elderly man sitting at a chess set. Waiting for a friend who would never come. He guessed that they were right on the second half of that assumption. His oldest friend had been taken in a war that still raged around them. His life snuffed out by the student that he had done everything to protect. Charles was always drawing the short end of the stick. What else could he have lost over this time? Those stupid so called X-men never did realize just how tired their great leader was. Tired by loss and circumstance; of realizing that neither side was right, but refusing to back down from his ideals, a true warrior. Reaching out, Erik let his fingers trace over the chess pieces that had been left out on the table for random passerby's to indulge themselves in a game of thought, of strategy. There would be no more of that for him, with his powers gone and with this so called 'cure' that was now being used against mutants against their wills. Half of him was almost glad to know that Charles would never see this, would never see the end of their kind rising up to meet them.

"Mind if I take a seat?" An unfamiliar voice cut through his inner musings and he looked up to see a young man point to the spot across from him. Erik motioned for him to go ahead.

"I was just leaving, you can have it."

"Actually, I was hoping to play a game against you, if you don't mind?" Erik just let out a tired sigh, before nodding and adjusting himself in the seat to be more comfortable.

"Which color would you like to be?" He asked and the person across from him pointed to the white. They both divvied out the pawns and pieces, setting up the board before making several cursory moves. After a few moments of silence, the young man spoke.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" Erik captured one of his knights.

"You may." The man reached across the board, moving his bishop to a far corner.

"If you could change one thing, change the outcome of one moment in time, what would you change?" A slightly bitter chuckle came out from between Erik's lips.

"Oh, that's a dangerous question." He looked up at the man from beneath his wide brimmed hat. "Why do you ask?" The other shrugged one shoulder.

"Just wondering. Do you know? What you would change."

"My dear boy, there is a lot that I would change if I were given the chance."

"You know, depending on what was changed, fate and history would be altered. Who knows if those other mistakes would still be made if one was corrected at the beginning." Erik regarded the man before him, an unease slowly setting in.

"Why do you wish to know?" He asked, completing his turn and the other looked up at him.

"Because, I want to know if you know when it all went wrong Erik." Erik's whole body tensed as he realized that without his powers, he was nothing more than a frail old man who wouldn't stand a chance in a fight right now.

"Who are you?" The other shrugged, looking nonchalant.

"Don't be afraid Erik. I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to help."

"And why would you want to help me?" The other just moved their next piece.

"I have my reasons."

"Which are?"

"Does it really matter?" Erik wondered that himself, he doubted that it really did, after all what on earth could this person possibly do to help him? He was a bitter old man who was all alone.

"I guess not." The other nodded.

"So, can you tell me?" Erik chuckled.

"What in my life hasn't gone wrong?"

"True, but is there any moment that you wish you could change your decision? Change the path you took?"

"There are too many times to pinpoint just one."

"Alright, then I have a different question for you."

"And what is that?"

"If I gave you a chance, to change everything. The entire course your life has taken, would you take it?" Erik didn't even need to pause.

"Of course."

"Are you sure?" Erik regarded the young man.

"What is your gift?" The other smiled.

"You'll find out, all you have to say is 'yes'." Relatively certain that he should take more time to consider whatever it was that this mutant, after all this man was obviously a mutant, was offering; Erik decided to just throw caution to the wind.

"Yes." The other looked up, making eye contact with Erik before smirking.

"Very well."

-xXx-

The light was momentarily blinding. He could feel the grip that he had on something, something he was sending a specific way, but his mind wasn't catching up. It felt like the stirrings from a dream, a deep grogginess that was reluctant to release its hold. What was going on? What was he doing? A force hitting the side of his helmet caught his attention, and he registered a bullet being ricocheted off of it. Quickly turning his attention to who was shooting it, he saw a woman holding a gun that was pointed at him, her finger pulling the trigger again and he reacted to swat it away. Why did she look familiar to him? Why hadn't his mind caught up with what was going on? A second bullet came his way, and slowly his mind started catching up with the scene playing out before him. He was on the beach again; debris from the crash and the submarine lay scattered around them. The woman- Moira MacTaggert- was shooting at him to stop him from sending the rockets back onto the ships filled with American and Russian soldiers. He remembered this, he remembered what happened next.

It seemed to happen too late, the bullet that was reflected and instantly all of his power went to try and stop it. He remembered this; he remembered making a grievous mistake this day. An accident that an old friend had never blamed him for, but something he never let himself forget, and he could never forgive himself for. He had tried to grab it, tried to stop it and he watched in horror as yet again, the youthful features of Charles Xavier contorted in pain as he let forth a pained cry as the bullet tore into his flesh.

"No!" Erik could feel the word torn out of his throat as his feet were already well on the way to his friends side. Rushing to help him, gently rolling him onto his side and forcing the bullet to exit in the exact path that it had entered. Rolling the young man to rest on his knees, Erik braced his body, attempting to keep him from moving too much, least he cause any more damage. Or in hopes that something could be saved. "I'm so sorry Charles, I'm so sorry." He could hear the words coming out of his mouth and he watched as Charles fought back the pain, trying to keep a neutral face and failing horribly. He saw the others on the beach rushing to their fallen leader's side and he growled low in his throat, the arm that was underneath Charles shoulders curling him closer to him, into his protective embrace as his other hand shot out, grabbing the metal on their uniforms and throwing them away from them. "Get back!" He sent a glare in the female agent's direction, his gaze warning her of what he would do to her if she took another step. Satisfied that she wouldn't be approaching, Erik looked down at Charles. "Don't move, don't move Charles. We're going to get you to a hospital. I'm so sorry; I tried to stop it, you should have stayed down." Charles shook his head slightly.

"Couldn't…Couldn't let you go through with it Erik. Please, please spare them." Erik was flabbergasted. Here he was, lying in his arms bleeding and quite possibly paralyzed yet again, and all he cared about were the soldiers on the ships who had caused this entire situation. He wanted to yell at Charles, to pull his hair out but he couldn't find it in himself to be mad at this young man. He could be furious with everyone else, but Charles had never deserved that treatment. Charles never deserved a lot of what had happened to him at the hands of his companions. It was a few minutes before he was able to push back the rage and the anger at reliving this situation again. He noticed that Charles seemed to be searching his face, for an answer to his request. Slowly, Erik nodded.

"I won't harm the humans my friend. Don't concern yourself with that, don't try to move. I'm going to get you help." He looked up at his old colleague, a mutant who he had done plenty of damage with, and motioned him over. "Azazel, come." His tone left no room for argument, and the red demon like mutant stepped forward coming over to Charles other side. "Get us to a hospital. One far from here." Azazel nodded once, placing a hand on both mens' shoulders before Erik felt the familiar feeling of vertigo as the beach once again disappeared from his view, and instead the stark white halls of a hospital met his gaze. Looking at Azazel he spoke again. "Go get the others, return them to the headquarters; and Azazel, don't get any bright ideas or I will make you regret it." The deadly edge to his tone must have registered on the other mutant's survival mode because instantly he was gone and Erik was certain that his order was being carried out. Looking down at the young man in his arms, he gave a gentle squeeze to his shoulders. "Somebody! Help! Please help me!" He yelled at the top of his lungs, watching as nurses and doctors started rushing over. He watched as they grabbed a gurney and gently extracted Charles from his embrace. Blood had started to seep through Charles's outfit, staining the entire front of his uniform from his waist down. He watched as Charles seemed to try and keep eye contact with him, his mouth moving to form words that never reached fruition as blue eyes fluttered closed and the oxygen mask was placed over his face as he was wheeled down the hallway and out of sight.

Authors Note:

So this is the first part in a new story, I promise I haven't forgotten 'Residing in Shades of Grey' both stories will be updated.

Once again, still beta-less. Please be kind and review! No flames.