Chapter 6
It felt silly to be nervous. He worked with Charles daily and argued with him at least once a week at board meetings. But something about going to the man's home intimidated him in a way he wasn't prepared for. He had compiled a folder with printed copies of various cases related to mutant rights, as well as children's rights to equal education. It sat on his desk as he taught throughout the day.
They were discussing the life cycle when the boy Hank raised his hand timidly, "Mr.Lehnsherr, if things don't die until they're old, why do babies die?"
Safe to say it was a question that caught him off guard. He cleared his throat and spoke, "It isn't pertinent to the lesson, we are talking about insects." He turned back to the chalkboard, making a diagram of the phases of the life cycle of a butterfly. The boy didn't stop.
"But it's safe to think that if a human baby can die, that a baby insect can die too right? Why does it happen?" Erik knew Hank was a clever boy, but he desperately wanted to get through the lesson without scaring the rest of the children.
He realized it was too late when Jonny loudly exclaimed, "Wait, kids can die? What!" His control over the classroom rapidly deteriorated after that, with children looking wildly from one to another.
"Listen, everyone quiet!" He tried to calmly get control back, but the kids were too far gone. It was almost lunchtime, a notoriously difficult time to hold their attention, and now they were worried about dying. Hank had slumped down into his seat, looking embarrassed by what he had brought on.
It wasn't until Jean Grey slammed her hands down onto the desk that everyone went quiet, "Stop it!" Her freckled face was scrunched up, eyes tightly shut, "sometimes babies die. Everyone dies. Stop talking about it!" All eyes were on her balled-up fists, Erik walked towards her desk and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Jean is right," the kids stared at him, eyes wide, such sheltered youth, "sometimes people, children, babies, they die. It is rare when it happens, and it is tragic. But we cannot sit here worrying about it." He glanced at the clock, ten minutes to lunch, "Let's have some reading time before lunch. We're going to read chapters six and seven, anything you don't finish here will be homework." There were mumbles of disapproval, but Erik was more concerned with Jean, who hadn't opened her eyes or unclenched her fists. She was breathing in short breaths, her face red.
"Ms.Grey, let's talk outside for a moment okay?" He was gentle when he spoke, giving her time to respond. She simply nodded her head. Exiting the classroom, he watched as she fiddled with the inhibitor bracelet on her arm. "can you talk to me about what just happened?"
She took two deep breaths, eyes still closed, "They're all stupid, they don't know what they're talking about." She sounded so young, her voice shaking, she hugged herself tightly, "Babies die all the time and they're all acting scared but they never even had to see it, it isn't fair". Her voice cracked on her last word, tears finally running down her face.
They never had to see it, Erik remembered that Jean had been in a car crash. He never asked about who else was there. "Have you? Buried someone you loved? I know it is a very difficult thing to do." She was pulling on the sleeves of her shirt, nodding as she cried. "I am very, very sorry you had to go through that Jean. It wasn't your fault." He hoped to God it was the right thing to say. The poor girl had been through enough.
When she launched herself towards him, wrapping her arms around his torso in a hug, he figured he had done okay. He patted her on the back, unused to being hugged by students. Pulling away she wiped her eyes with her sleeves, "Can I have my lunch with Mr.Charlie please?"
He blinked, remembering that the girl was under the care of his workplace nemesis, and nodded.
No questions about the life cycle on next week's test. He decided to himself.
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Charles had been surprised when Jean came to eat lunch with him but gave her plenty of space to talk about her grief surrounding her baby sister. By the end of their time together, she was less upset and more embarrassed about yelling in class.
"Everyone is going to think I'm a freakazoid." She grumbled into her chips.
Charles sighed, "They can think what they want, you aren't a freakazoid and I will be speaking to Raven about teaching you silly words like that." She giggled at the way he said the word.
"At least Mr.Lehnsherr was nice, he didn't yell at me or anything. He is a good teacher I think. And he's a mutant too, so he gets it." She was done with her food, now playing with the crusts of her sandwich.
He hummed in agreement, Lehnsherr was a good teacher. A hard-headed, loud, persistent, annoying good teacher. "He will be coming by the house after school today, we are having a meeting to talk about some school things."
She looked quizzically at him, "Is it about me?" a ripple of nervousness came off of her, which Charles quickly shooed away.
"No, just some things for the school board, you can watch TV while we figure some things out. We are going to be having some meetings with some of your classmates' parents soon." He sent waves of calm in her direction, and she relaxed. "But it looks like it's time for you to get back to class, we don't want to keep Mr.Lehnsherr waiting!" He escorted her back to the steps, letting her go from there.
He hoped she wouldn't eavesdrop on the meeting, or she would find out how much it was about her. They had to convince parents that it was safe to have students like her alongside their children. And she just shouted at their kids today. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, he hoped that they would understand. She was a grieving little girl, who happened to be very powerful.
But she was a telekinetic telepath. He could fight for her now, but she would always be facing the same fight.
No one trusts the telepath.
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Erik knew on some level that Xavier had money. He sponsored children for field trips frequently, he made donations for the school sports uniforms every year, he always paid for school lunches for students in need. Erik had noticed it, but he didn't think much of it.
Until he stood at the front door of a mansion. When he knocked on the door, part of him expected a butler to open it.
He was slightly relieved to see young Jean Grey's bright head of red hair on the other side of the door.
She smiled as him and shouted, "Mr.Charlie! Mr.Lehnsherr is here for you." As she went marching into the
house, Eric followed her.
Let's get this over with.