Alarms started going off. I did whatever I could to help Hank get in control of the plane. We were heading towards the beach where the sub hand hit.

"Everyone, hold on!" I shouted.

I could hear the team screaming as the plane flipped multiple times before landing upside down. I looked behind me and saw Charles freeing Moira. Slowly, everyone peeled out of their seats. Hank helped me out of mine. I nodded to him in thanks.

"I read the teleporter's mind," Charles said. "Shaw is drawing all the power out of his sub. He's turning himself into some kind of nuclear bomb."

Charles quickly gave out the orders. Hank, Alex, and Erik left the ship while Raven and I stayed to guard Charles and Moira.

"Charles," I thought to him. "I can help them."

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea, (y/n). You are connected to each mutant you meet. You can feel their pain. Anything pain they get out there, you will feel. It won't be safe."

I nodded, knowing he was right. I walked to the end of the plane and sat down. I suddenly felt like I had been blasted in the gut. I groaned quietly. I felt more pain in the next few moments. I tried to ignore it by listening to Moira try to contact the American ships. I gasped when I felt something fall on top of one of Shaw's men. I could hear Charles giving instructions to Erik from the other part of the plane. I looked up to see him looking at me. His eyes seemed to ask if I was alright. I nodded slightly and waved him off.

"Erik, you're there," Charles said. "You've reached the void." He paused a moment. "What? He's got to be there! He has to be! There's no where else he can be. Keep looking!" He took another pause. "Erik? Erik?"

I looked at him.

"What happened?" I asked.

"Erik's not responding." He froze. "He's gone."

"What?" Moira said.

"He's gone into the void! I can't communicate with him there!"

I closed my eyes.

"Erik? Where are you? What are you doing?"

I clenched my fist when I couldn't feel his presence. I suddenly felt like someone had punched me in the face. Charles looked at me.

"(y/n)?" he asked.

"I think Erik found Shaw," I muttered rubbing my jaw. I felt myself get thrown back into glass. "Yeah, he found Shaw."

"He's back!" Charles exclaimed. "Erik, whatever you're doing, keep doing it. It's starting to work." There was a pause. "It's working. I'm starting to see him, but I can't yet touch his mind."

I gasped. Angel's wing just got burnt. I felt the burn rush through my back.

"I am so glad I don't personally get these injuries," I muttered. "Otherwise, I'd probably be dead by now."

I felt Hank knock Azazel to the ground, winding me. I also felt like I had a beam pressing against my chest. I reached for Erik's mind.

"Erik, listen to me," I thought. "Shaw's helmet is preventing Charles from reaching him. You have to get it off Shaw's head."

"Got it."

I heard Charles gasp.

"Are you okay?" Moira asked him.

"Moira, be quiet," he replied. "I can only control this man for so long." He didn't speak for a minute. "Erik, please! Be the better man! You have it in you! Erik, there will be no turning back! No!" He started banging on the plane wall. "Don't do this, Erik!"

"What happened?" I asked.

"Erik put on Shaw's helmet," he told me. "I can't reach his mind."

"Oh my gosh," I muttered.

Charles walked through the plane.

"No, please, Erik," he said. "No." I stared at Charles, wondering what was going on. He started shaking and looked like he was sweating. "Please, Erik."

He began breathing hard. I stood up and slowly started towards him. His breathing became harder.

"Charles?" I asked.

Suddenly, a sharp pain entered my head. I screamed as the pain grew stronger. It felt like something was being pushed through my skull. Charles began to scream as well. I grabbed my head and collapsed to my knees. My scream grew louder and louder as I felt a small object float through my entire skull. The pain stopped a moment later, but I felt limp. There was a pain in my chest and tears rolling down my face.

"(y/n)," Charles said, running to me. I didn't respond so he grabbed my face to make me look at him. "(y/n), talk to me. Come on, (y/n)."

I looked at him, tears in my eyes.

"Shaw's dead," I whispered. "Erik killed him. I felt it, Charles."

"I know. I did, too." He slowly pulled me up. "Let's go outside."

I nodded and followed him and Moira outside. I froze when I saw Erik float out of the sub with a dead Shaw floating in front of him.

"Today our fighting stops!" Erik said. He lowered his hand and Shaw dropped to the ground. Azazel stepped forward to look at his dead leader. Erik floated to the ground, looking at us. "Take off your blinders, brothers and sisters. The real enemy is out there." He pointed to the ships. "I feel their guns moving in the water. Their metal, targeting us. Americans, Soviets, humans. United in their fear of the unknown. The Neanderthal is running scared, my fellow mutants!" He looked at Charles as he walked forward. "Go ahead, Charles. Tell me I'm wrong."

Charles raised his hand to his temple. After a moment, he looked at Moira and nodded. She ran off back towards the plane. Not a minute later, the ships fired. Every one of them shot missiles in our direction. As they drew closer, Erik raised his hand, stopping them. I stared as he turned the missiles around.

"Erik," Charles said. "You said yourself, we're the better men. This is the time to prove it. There are thousands of men on those ships. Good, honest, innocent men. They're just following orders."

"I've been at the mercy of men just following orders." He looked at Charles. "Never again."

Erik sent the missiles flying back towards the ships.

"Erik, release them!" Charles shouted.

Erik ignored him. The telepath charged at Erik and knocked him to the ground. Erik lost his concentration. I raised my hands and focused, making a few missiles explode. I gasped when I felt Erik elbow Charles in the face. I lost my control for a moment, but it was enough for Erik to send Hank, Alex, and Sean several yards back and regain control of the missiles. I gasped again when Erik punched Charles. Several more missiles exploded.

Erik stood up and forced the missiles farther towards the ships. I saw Moira come up behind Erik and she began shooting at him. I made more missiles explode as Erik deflected the bullets. Suddenly, a sharp pain entered my lower back. I gasped and fell to my knees. I looked up and saw Charles falling to the ground. Erik ran to his side and pulled the bullet out of his back. I glanced up at the missiles and made the rest explode before they hit the ships.

"I'm so sorry," Erik said to Charles. He looked up as everyone started towards them. "I said back off!" He looked at Moira. "You. You did this."

He raised his hands and caused Moira's dogtags to tighten around her neck. I stared as she gasped for breath.

"Erik, release her!" I shouted.

"She didn't do this, Erik," Charles said. "You did."

Erik looked down at Charles and let Moira go. I got to my feet and ran to her side, checking on her.

"You okay?" I whispered.

"Yeah," she gasped.

"Us turning on each other," Erik said, making me look at him and Charles. "It's what they want. I tried to warn you, Charles. I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I. All of us, together. Protecting each other. We want the same thing."

"My friend," Charles replied. "I'm sorry, but we do not."

The two stared at each other for a minute before Erik motioned for Moira to come forward. She ran to his side, apologizing.

"The society won't accept us," Erik said to the mutants on the beach. "We form our own. The humans have played their hand. Now we get ready to play ours. Who's with me?" No one moved for a minute. We just looked at one another, unsure. Erik reached out his hand. "No more hiding."

Raven started forward with a small limp. She walked to Charles's side and knelt beside Moira. I looked away from the two, letting them speak to one another. I looked at Erik. He was staring at me, his eyes asking his question again. I shook my head.

How could I join someone who would willingly kill people? I'd be no better than Shaw. I can't join him, no matter how much I've grown to like him.

Raven stood up and joined Erik's side. Azazel, Angel, and the last mutant joined them.

"And Beast!" Raven said. Hank looked at her. "Never forget: mutant and proud!"

A moment later, the group disappeared. I slowly got to my feet and went to Charles' side, along with the others. Charles cried out when we tried to move him.

"Charles," Hank said. "Don't move, okay?"

"I won't," he replied. "Actually, I can... I can't feel my legs."

"What?" Moira said.

"I can't feel my legs."

I looked at Hank.

"He was shot in the spine, Hank. We have to get him to a hospital, now."