Hope
Charles would love to say that after that day he handled it better but that would be a tremendous lie.
He took the children to the mansion and left them in Raven’s care begging his sister for assistance, he knew that she was not motherly but she could keep them safe for just some time, he promised her that he needed just a couple of days to get back on his feet.
Days turned into weeks that turned into months.
Charles spends his time going to see Erik and coming to the mansion just to get drunk enough to blackout his room.
He doesn't sleep well in the aftermath, every time he closes his eyes all he can see is the sand with blood, and he has many nightmares of Erik dying. All the telepath wants to do is have a drink to drown all the pain in his heart, most days he doesn't want to get out of bed, he feels too tired to face the world outside.
If only Erik would wake up, Charles would do anything, he could accommodate Erik's views and could find a way to find balance. Together, they could make it work, what would Charles do to have him by his side again?
Charles spends a lot of time with Erik in the hospital sitting by his side, reading college papers on brain injuries, the possible outcomes, and the care that Erik will needs once he is out of the coma, the physical therapy after being still, keeping track of any change in his condition.
Charles did not take the kids to visit their father, he knew Erik would never want them to come to a government building and to associate any connections with him. The man even made sure that he and the twins had different last names just so no one could associate the kids with him.
Charles has no experience taking care of children, especially ones so young as the twins, the team is still licking their wounds dealing with the aftermath of the events of Cuba, Hank closed himself in his lab, Alex is isolated in his room and Sean it's not a better babysitter then Raven but he tries the most to help her around.
Charles is not a parent, just a broken man.
He avoids the twins at any chance he gets, not wanting to face their disappointment in him.
Taking care of young kids dealing with the loss of a parent it's hard, and it is even harder when the kids have powers like the twins.
Wanda used to be the quiet sweet child turned into an angry girl, yelling at and towing fits. Pietro used to be an energetic, excited boy and now was quiet and sad, the boy asks at every chance he gets when his father is coming back.
There’s no ‘if he will wake up’, ’just a fact to them, the sky is blue, the water is wet and their dad loves them and will always come back, is just a matter of when to the boy.
Wanda's tantrums are especially dangerous, explosions of antique vases and fires, Charles can't put down what her powers are, they seem so random . Raven tells him of telekinesis, it is not just telekinesis there's something more to te red energy that flares in her hands
While Wanda is dangerous to other people, Pietro it's a danger to himself. When the boy is not moping he is using his gifts, he has little control over it, keeps speeding into walls, tripping on his legs, he has a lot of scratches and bruises all over him. Raven put a helmet on the boy's head, the silver-haired boy hates it.
Charles can't stop staring at the calendar, it has been 92 days since Cuba, it doesn't feel that way, most of the time it was like yesterday, his pain is still aching in his heart and head, but that last one maybe can be blamed on his activities the night before, the empty bottles are still on the floor.
There is a loud knock on the door that breaks his staring contest with the calendar, and without his permission, his sister enters his room.
Rude.
She looks around at the state of the room and Charles can feel his nausea getting worse as her eyes gaze at the empty bottle of alcohol that decorates the floor, he is not ready to hear a speech on his habits.
“You look like shit,” Raven says in a cheerful voice, he knows the tone is just to annoy him.
“Good Morning to you too my darling sister” Charles moves to grab one of the bottles he is sure to have just enough to have a sip, a little drink to keep the hangover away. Before he can put his mouth on the bottle Raven takes it from his hands
“Stop it, Charles, you can't keep doing this”
“It's just a sip, Raven. Give it back,” Charles tries to reach for the bottle, only for Raven to smack his hands away.
“No, you need to sober up, go downstairs, and get some caffeine, you had enough” Raven says looking pointedly at the empty bottles.
“I'm sorry Raven, I have a killer headache today, i'm just going to lay down for a bit more” Chales moves to go back to his messy bed. He lays and puts blankets over his body covering his head from the light and the judgment.
“Of course you have, that's a hangover you are drinking yourself to sleep every day for weeks”Raven grabs the blanket and throws it on the floor. Uncovering Charles.
“I just need another day” Charles tries to reason with her.
“No Charles, there is no other day. You took these kids in, the least you could do is be a sober responsible adult around them.” Raven says in an angry tone.
Please…” Chales pleads, he is so tired.
“No, I’m not going to let you drown in your sorrows like this anymore, I saw you getting hammered for weeks now. You are not your mother and I won't let you become her” Raven snaps at him.
That comparison hits him like a slap in the face.
Rave must see the hurt on his face because her face has a soft caring voice and she holds his hands.
“
“You can't push everyone away Charles” She looks into his eyes and he sees bags under her eyes that he has never seen before”, I’ve been taking care of everything for weeks, I'm exhausted, I need some time for myself, I'm going out, you look after the kid. Do better for them”
“Raven, I can't…”
“Charles you are the most powerful telepath, with a PhD, with too much money to count, you can keep them alive for a few hours.”
Raven leaves the room without saying anymore words.Leaving Charles lost on what to do, goes to the bathroom and stares at the man in the mirror, he cant recognize his reflection. He can see why Raven would do such a hurtful comparison.
For the first time in weeks he shaves.
He looks at the bottle Raven left and throws it out, he needs some coffee if he is going to be the one in charge today.
The telepath goes straight to the kitchen Thankfully someone has left the coffee pot full, Charles there is a note stuck in it, it's from Sean, the boy and Alex are going on a road trip to visit Alex’s family. That leaves the population in the mansion smaller, now there is just him, Hank, and the twins.
“Morning Uncle Charles” Pietro yahawns still sleepy. Wanda comes to sit beside her brother, not bothering to greet Charles.
“Good morning kids, Raven left to get something in town.
“She is coming back right?”
“Of course, she is going to be back in a few”
“Uncle Charles I’m hungry” Pietro whines.
Charles took the cereal out of the cabinet, a sugar monstrosity.
“Aunty Raven doesn't give us that one”Wanda complains, arms crossed and staring at him. He looks away to not meet her eyes.
“Well this is the one we got, eat away” Charles pours the cereal into the bowls and goes to
make a pot of coffee, maybe it will help with his headache.
It turns out to be a bad idea to give the kids very sugary treats, Pietro keeps running around causing a mess and Wanda goes along with her brother to cause a mess.
By the end of the day Chales is exhausted, there is a drawing in red crayon on the living room and they broke 1 plate and 3 very ugly vases that Charles couldn't care less.
After Charles improvises dinner he takes the twins to have a bath before bedtime. Pietro runs away when he turns his back but Wanda stays in her stopt. Wanda’s hair is a mess, he doesn't remember when the last time he was brushed, he calls her to take care of the mess in her hair, not giving her a chance to run like Pietro.
“NO!”
“Darling, please, I need to brush it”
“NO, THAT’S NOT HOW MY DADDY DOES MY HAIR”Wanda screams at him
“I know darling, but-”
“ NO”She screams louder,
“HE IS NOT HERE”Screams back. Immediately he regrets it.
“Dad-dyI w-want my Daddy, I want my Vati-i” Wanda's sobs grow larger shaking her body and sending red spark out of her fingers.Pietro must had heard the commotion because he is right back her her side in a blink.
Charles feels as small as her, just hugs her tight and cries alongside her, he wants Erik back too.
“I want him here too, ‘i’m sorry, so sorry”
“Uncle Charles Why won't he wake up” Pietro asked in a small voice, tears streaming down
his face.
Charles has been so blind to their needs, that he was selfish to think he was the only one hurting. For the first time in weeks, Charles thinks of what Erik would do to comfort the twins.
He would be strong, be the rock that they need him to be, so the telepath would do it, be strong for them, for that is what Erik would want.
“He will, we must not give up on the hope that he will come back to us. He would be very sad to wake up to see us in a bad way, we must take care of ourselves and each other, that's what he would want “ Charles holds them both in his arms, and he stays there for a while just embracing them.
He had been so lost in his grief that he was blind to the needs of the young children.
Children need love and stability, he will not let Erik down anymore.
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It takes two more months for the doctors to clear Erik healthy enough to relocate him to the mansion. Hank reassured him that he could take care of all Erik's medical needs.
The room that Hank prepares is much better than the hospital, there is natural lighting in the room with fresh air coming from the window, Charles lets Wanda and Pietro decorate the space by drawing little cards and pictures that they made. Erik would feel much more comfortable waking up like this.
Wanda reads to Erik a children's book, she is not a very good reader but that can be excused by her young age, half of the time she is just making up the story from the pictures. Pietro lies beside Erik listening to his twin and for once the boy is still, not wanting to move from his spot.
He is getting better, Hank said, maybe he will wake up soon.
Charles will hold on to that hope. He needs to grab that hope, for them.