PARIS WAS MAGICAL.

Its beautiful and unique architecture and places stirred a lot of emotions within her. Eleanor admired the enchanting view outside her car window, her mouth hanging slightly in awe as they passed the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre Museum.

Eleanor would've jumped out of the car and admire the city if only they weren't rushing to stop an assassination.

"You've been gawking for already half an hour, liebling." Erik smirked. "Haven't you had enough?"

The woman scowled and glared at the man beside her. Eleanor wanted to blast Charles for snatching the passenger seat away from her. Now, she had to endure being sat beside Erik who had been teasing her ever since they arrived at the airport. Valerie and Hank didn't do anything to stop him even though they were with them in the backseat.

She glared at him. "Fuck off."

Erik raised his hands in surrender.

Eleanor rolled her eyes and looked back at the next landmark they passed by. She smiled to herself. Paris was one of the cities she always wanted to visit, but she never had the time to do so. She badly wanted to see a lot of tourist attractions, but she'd have to do that another time. Their priority right now was stopping Raven from killing Trask.

They arrived at the Hotel Majestic, the place where the Peace Summit will be held. Two guards blocked them from entering the parking garage and Erik easily disposed of them with a flick of his hand. A metal grate crashed into them and knocked them senseless.

Eleanor rolled her eyes. "Show-off."

They all went out of their car and Eleanor manipulated all the people's minds to not see them. She listened for the voices in the hotel and quickly found the location of the summit meeting. "They're on the tenth floor, come on." She said, moving up the stairs together with them.

Several high-ranking officials dashed down the stairs just as they reached the floor. "In there. I can hear her." Eleanor pointed to the last door on their right. Charles and Erik immediately went ahead of her, rushing. They had little time left.

Entering the meeting room, Eleanor saw a blue-skinned woman with ginger hair aiming a gun at the man who she assumed was Bolivar Trask. "Raven!" called Charles, catching her attention.

Suddenly, a major shot his taser gun at her and she instantly fell on the table, writhing. "Raven! Raven!"

Without hesitation, Erik pulled the tasers off of Raven and threw it onto Stryker, electrocuting him. Charles and Valerie comforted Raven as she recovered from the taser shot. They brushed her hair back, greatly concerned over her current well-being.

"Raven?"

"Charles?"

"We've come for you, Erik, Valerie and I, together." Charles began, his voice wavering.

"I never thought I... I'd see you all again." Raven said and glanced at Eleanor. "Eleanor? What are you doing here?"

Eleanor swallowed. She almost didn't recognize her. She knew about Raven's shapeshifting abilily, but she didn't know about her natural form. She was kind of amazed to see it. "Uh, same with them. I came here for you."

And then at that exact moment, Eleanor felt a powerful tug in her mind and turned to look at Logan who was leaning against the wall, his eyes wide and frantic. Her mind was suddenly filled with images of his future sufferings. "Logan," she breathed, putting up a barrier to block herself from seeing his memories. "Keep it together." She went up to him, attempting to calm him.

The sudden sound of a gun clicking caught Eleanor's attention and she glanced at Erik whose expression changed like a switch had just turned off. He aimed his gun at Raven's head, determined and certain.

"Erik?"

Eleanor stepped away from Logan, slowly coming to his side. A small twirl of her hand and she conjured an energy ball in case something went wrong. "Erik, what are you doing?" And then she read his mind and her chest tightened. "If you kill her -- "

"We'll secure our future. Forgive me, Mystique. As long as you're out there, we'll never be safe."

"Erik, we're already with her. She's safe, we're all going to be safe now! She won't fall into their hands!" Valerie reasoned out, but Erik still directed her gun at Raven. His lips were tightly pursed like he was making a decision.

"You're making a mistake here, Erik."

"Erik?" Hank warned.

"Use your powers, Charles, stop him."

"He can't."

With this, Erik turned his gaze towards Eleanor. She could almost see his resolve waver until he shut his eyes and mouthed the words, "I'm sorry."

And Eleanor knew she lost him again.

"Raven, run!"

The next set of events were too fast that Eleanor almost didn't catch up. Hank tackled Erik to the floor, knocking the gun out of his hands, but he used his power to fire it. Two bullets whizzed past Charles and followed Raven who jumped out of the window. One of the bullets was blocked by Valerie's forcefield, yet the other still went down to its target. Charles then threw a punch at Erik, but the latter easily subdued him.

Eleanor then watched Valerie float down to Raven who was limping, a bullet lodged in her leg. She immediately went in front of the window, blocking Erik from passing through to finish his work. She conjured two energy balls in both her hands, ready to blast him.

"Erik, I suggest you think this through first."

"I already did."

He swiped his hand to the right, but Eleanor still stood in front of him, smirking. Thank goodness she decided to wear a dress. Raising her eyebrow, Eleanor then blasted him to the floor and kept him glued to the floor. She watched him struggle and fight back with all his strength. The floor beneath them cracked as they tried to overpower one another. She narrowed her eyes at him as she gritted her teeth. Eleanor was more than willing to send them both down the floor below if she had to.

Erik then closed his eyes and almost instantly, a thick metal cord wrapped itself tightly around her wrists and he pushed her gently away, sitting her down on one of the chairs. Another set of metal cords quickly entwined themselves around her whole body, trapping her there.

"You bastard!" yelled Eleanor, squirming around to get out of her restraints. It wasn't tight, but it wasn't letting go of her either. "Killing her isn't the solution to this all!"

Her words were ignored as Erik went out of the window and followed Raven. "Somebody get me the fuck out of here!" She screamed, trying to get up to no avail. She focused all her power on the cords around her and in a second, she ripped it apart, freeing herself. She was about to go after Erik when Charles called for her help.

"Eleanor! Let Hank and Valerie handle him! I need your help with Logan!"

She turned around and gasped when she saw a blue-skinned furry man behind her. "Excuse me," Eleanor recognized Hank's voice and her eyes widened in surprise. She immediately stepped away and let him through. Roaring, he jumped down and attacked Erik.

"Eleanor!"

Charles' voice pulled her back from her awe and she shook her head, running towards Charles and Logan. Eleanor raised her hand and directed her psionic energy to Logan, calming him. "Come back to us, Logan."

She delved inside his mind and winced at his memories. "Oh, my god." mumbled the woman as she brought the future Logan back to their time. Her lips trembled and she held her head as it pounded madly.

"Just hold on tight, we'll get through this together." Charles soothed and with one last tug inside Logan's mind, Eleanor brought him back.

"Mrs. Xavier? Professor?"

Charles let out a sigh of relief. "What happened to you?"

"I just saw someone who's going to bring me a lot of pain some day. Where's Raven?"

"Gone."

"What?"

Eleanor stepped back, drained. It was like all the strength in her body was taken away. She stumbled backwards, feeling dizzy. Charles swiftly caught her by her waist and shoulders. "Eleanor? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine." she snapped as she tried to regain her footing. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

Charles didn't remove his arm drom her waist and she scowled. "What are you doing?" She asked, jerking away from his grip.

"You need help."

"I don't need it. I can handle myself." She snarled as she walked out of the door, but a few steps later, her vision suddenly blurred and her head ached. Charles and Logan didn't say anything and instead waited for her. Eleanor sighed. They wouldn't be able to get out if she was like this.

She nodded at Charles and the man instantaneously wrapped his arm around her waist again, half-carrying her out of the building. Eleanor laid her head against his shoulder, trying to regain her breath. She could feel his stubble against the side of her head, but she didn't care. They needed to get out now.

Charles laid her gently inside the backseat and sat beside her. Eleanor, even in her hazy state, could feel his worry radiating out of him. "Eleanor, stay with me. You're going to be okay." He brushed her hair aside, now holding her in his arms.

"What happened with her?" Hank grunted as he jumped inside their car, slowly transforming back to his human self.

"She's just a little strained." Charles nodded, looking at her. She pushed herself away from her, now feeling a little better.

"Where's Valerie?" demanded Eleanor, feeling her strength coming back to her. It had been quite some time since she had used her powers strongly.

"She went with Raven."

"And Erik?"

"I don't know. I'm assuming he pursued them." Hank answered her question, swallowing.

"Fucking asshole!" snarled the woman. "Why did we even think of freeing him? He was never going to change!"

Eleanor clenched her fist as she remembered how Erik betrayed them. They never should've freed him. They never should've let him join their mission. She already felt it deep in her gut that he would never easily give up his goals, but she still hoped he would change. She now knew she was wrong to believe in such a fantasy. Why did she ever trusted him again? She rubbed her face in irritation as Logan drove out of the hotel.

"Why do you always have to turn the other way, Erik?" she softly questioned, putting her head in her hands.

━━━━━━━

THEY ARRIVED IN Charles' mansion a few hours later. They were all silent as they took in the events that happened just earlier. Eleanor still couldn't believe it all happened. She thought they finally had Erik on their side, but of course, he had to find a reason to achieve his goals.

Eleanor looked around the dilapidated mansion. Vines and plants heavily surrounded the building like it was not taken care of for years. She didn't know why, but her heart broke when she saw it. This was the school that Logan described as a safe haven for mutants, a place where they were accepted and taught. A place where she and Charles gave the most human power to their kind: Hope.

She felt utterly familiar with the halls like she was home. Something in it made her feel warm and welcomed. Eleanor touched the door, feeling it smoothness. "So, this is what it is like." She mumbled under her breath.

At the very moment she stepped in, she saw Charles crash to the ground, writhing in pain. He clutched his legs and groaned loudly. "Charles!" She rushed to his side. He was trembling badly and Eleanor didn't have to read his mind to know he needed his treatment.

"What happened?" Logan rushed to the former professor's side, troubled. "Come on, up." Hank pulled Charles up and led him to the nearby wall, steadying him.

"Why can't he walk?"

"He needs his treatment." replied Hank just as Charles groaned once again, the pain was becoming unbearable. Eleanor knew it wasn't just the physical type, but it was his emotional. His telepathic power was coming back and it was overwhelming him.

"It's okay, I'll make it stop. I'll get it."

"Go, Hank. I'll take care of him." assured Eleanor and the man ran up the stairs to get the injection. Charles looked at her in deep distress, but said nothing. She continued to hold him up, but she could feel his telepathy coming back. It was also affecting her because it was too strong.

"Hey, hey, pull yourself together. It's not over yet." Logan said.

Charles pressed two of his fingers to his temple and Eleanor knew he read Logan's mind just as she did. "You don't believe that." He voiced out and it was true. She herself heard Logan's uncertain thoughts. He was now doubting his mission. He believed he failed.

"How do you know?"

The man pointed to his legs as he almost slipped if not for Eleanor's intervention. "As these go..." he breathed, trembling. His shaky fingers went back to his head. He shut his eyes, grimacing. "...this comes back. They all come back!" He put his hands on his ears, trying to block out the voices he hears.

Eleanor's heart broke as she watched him struggle. He was suffering and all he wanted was to not hear them all. He felt broken beyond repair, he felt hopeless. She then remembered how Logan described them both. Charles wasn't supposed to be like this. How would he even help their fellow mutants if he was like this?

She didn't know what she was doing. She knew nothing of this man in front of her. He only felt familiar, but that was it. She didn't know him like she knew Erik. She didn't know what compelled her to do her next actions. All she knew was that she needed him to hope again for everyone. She had to give him a reason to hope again. She had to give him a purpose, but what would that be?

"Hey, look at me." She mumbled, placing his hands on his face. "You're going to get through this, Charles. You can do it. I'll help you. You just have to let them in."

"I don't want to."

"But, you have to."

"You don't understand, Eleanor. I already lost so much and then hearing them? Their pain too? I-I can't. I can't do that. I can't bear it."

"Charles, your sister still needs you. There are a lot of us who'll need you in the future. Do it for her and them."

"I'm falling apart. I can barely hold myself together." A lone tear escaped his eye and Eleanor couldn't stop her urge to wipe it away. She followed it and let her thumb touch his cheek.

"Then, fall apart. So, you can rebuild yourself again." She said to him, softly. "Sometimes, we all have to fall apart so we can be put back together again right."

Eleanor stared right through his eyes, diving deep into the very depths of his soul. Everyone he cared about left him all alone. Everything seemed so far away from him. Closing her eyes, she searched for a distant memory of his and found one, immediately taking it to the surface of his mind. It was a memory of him bringing his very first students to his school years ago. He was full of hope, joy, and compassion. This was the Charles they needed.

"Look, I'm... I'm still here. She's still out there. But we need your help, Charles. Not like this, I need you. We can't find Raven, not without your powers." Logan uttered behind them, his tone soft and desperate.

Hank finally came back with the injection. Eleanor stepped away from him, ending the memory. "I added a little extra cause you missed a dose." He handed it to Charles.

"Charles."

Charles looked at Logan, trying to make a decision. The needle was now etched in his skin, all he had to do was push it in. He turned to stare at Eleanor, uncertain of what he should do. He was pleading for her to help him.

She faintly smiled. "It's in your hands now. What will you choose?"

Charles gazed back at the syringe in his skin. He shut his eyes for a moment and just as he was about to inject himself with it, he placed it down much to everyone's surprise. With a sigh, he turned back to Eleanor. "You're going to be alright." She soothed, comforting him.

He swallowed. "Hank, do me a favor. Would you help me to my study, please?"

"Alright." Hank easily lifted him to his study and let him lean against a chair as he opened the closet door. "Are you sure about this?" He asked, gesturing to the wheelchair inside.

"Absolutely not." replied Charles, earnestly. Eleanor felt his great reluctance with his decision and within that moment, she took a step forward. She placed her hand on his shoulder, making sure he knew she was there for him.

"I'll be with you every step of the way, Charles. I'll always be."