Liesel's ears were still ringing, she hadn't recovered from the gunshot which rung out through the quiet air mere moments ago; yet now she stood frozen looking down the barrel of a gun. Her eyes widened considerably as she stood rooted to the spot, it wasn't that she was unable to move, she would've if she was able, but she couldn't. Erik sent her a simple look while readjusting his aim and moving past her. He didn't get far though before a blue blurred form barrelled into him. 

With Erik's attention now elsewhere, it meant his focus had shifted and Liesel was able to move. She gasped from the constricting grip which had encased her, she honestly didn't know there was that much metal on her person; or rather she never realised he could manipulate it so much that it felt like she was drowning. She turned and watched the two males exchanging blows before her eyes darkened and looked down at the struggling form on the floor; Raven had been shot in the leg, and she was really having a hard time with standing up again. Noticing that she no longer had a gun aimed at her, she had tried her hardest to escape, only when she did manage to stagger to a stand, she came face to face with Liesel.

The morning had started off so well, yet it now seemed to be ending in a fist fight in a Parisian street. Much to everyone's surprise they had managed to infiltrate the meeting, needless to say Raven had beat them to it, and really if it wasn't for them all awkwardly crashing through the door then she was going to be in even worse trouble. Only with or without the people present, things still turned south with Erik realising that without Raven even being alive, they would never have to face an annihilation problem and had set out to play the part of mercenary and shoot her. 

Needless to say that didn't work, and with help from Hank she was able to escape the room via the window, yet even still with his aim shifted from the sudden hit Hank sent Erik's way, a bullet was still fired. With slight manipulation the bullet found its target, and had lodged in her calf. Logan had tripped out on something and Charles was seeing to him, and considering everyone else was out of the room, Charles had turned to her and asked her not to let Erik succeed, and to keep slight track of Hank.

Well, Hank was currently hitting Erik in the ribs, so he was fine, and as for Raven, she was standing looking both shocked and surprised. "I'm meant to make sure that Erik doesn't kill you." Liesel said simply while pulling her hands from her jacket pockets. She had attempted, she didn't have the luxury of being able to survive a drop from a high window. She had to run out of the building, and by the time she did she threw a shard of electricity in Erik's direction. 

He had faltered forwards and turned to her with a glare. They didn't exchange many words, but they did go through the actions of attempting to fight each other. Metal and electricity really clashed and they resulted in hurting each other, until Erik decided to just weigh her down to the point that she did feel like she was going to keel over. He didn't have to point a gun at her though, and she felt herself grow cold on the inside for that. She thought she had got past having that happen to her. Or rather Erik was the last person she ever thought who would aim a gun at her. 

Liesel looked to the side as metal barriers which were kept to keep the crowd away started to moved steadily forwards. Holding out an arm, she splayed her hand and sent a current through them. There was an agitated noise come from behind her followed by the sound of impact. "As well as Hank."

"Since when did you play bodyguard?"

"Since your brother asked me to." Liesel replied shortly. "Listen, personally, I don't care what happens to you. I'm sorry, but I don't. But it would be preferable for all parties if you didn't die like a dog in the streets, yes?" Liesel smiled and walked forwards. "You move, and you move now. Run, or hobble, or do whatever. Just get up and go." She said while steadying Raven, Liesel had a hold on her upper arm and looked at her seriously. She wasn't wholly serious, she couldn't be so heartless, her and Raven were friends once. Even if she did try and fight her, Liesel still wouldn't want to see Raven die in the streets, she'd seen too many people from when she was a child being beaten or killed in the streets for no reason.

Raven looked at her curiously, she eyed up the surrounding crowds which were still present, only now most were screaming and shouting with fear. Those who were with the press were still here, recording the whole moment. Liesel didn't seem to care, or pay any attention to them, her attention seemed to be solely on Raven, and Raven was too busy trying to piece everything together. "You're helping me?" She sounded so confused, her yellow eyes looking over Liesel, as if trying to figure out if she was being serious.

"I could knock you out, stop your heart, bring you back to life and present you to Charles, if you would prefer? All suggestions are fine with me. And let's be honest: you're a bit of an easy target right now, aren't you? I mean-" Liesel got cut off by something being thrown into her. She shouted out painfully and rolled to the side as Hank jumped away from her. He wrapped a hand around her arm and hauled her up. They stood side by side and watched as Erik easily walked over to them, or at least he seemed to be coming their way before stopping near Raven again. She turned and attempted to get away, only to be dragged backwards by the bullet in her leg.

Liesel frowned, clicking her fingers and vaulted forwards, Hank easily kept pace with her. Though he backed off as she shot her hands forwards and fired at Erik, as he staggered backwards, Hank took the moment to hand and jumped into him; successfully pushing him aside as the two skidded along the road. Making a thoughtful popping noise, Liesel turned back to Raven with a bland look. "Now leave. Or he will kill you." Liesel moved forwards and started to push her, "Leave! We will be fine, thanks for the concern..." She was being sarcastic, Raven shot her look yet was about to say something only for Liesel to fly backwards through the air.

Erik lowered his hand and had full intentions on going for Raven again, he didn't get so far before there was a wayward kick to the back of his legs. He turned and shot a look down at Liesel, she grinned and rolled backwards to crouch on the floor. "Stay down."

"Ah...no?" She sheepishly waved a hand at him and stood up only to run forwards and get stopped, charging enough electricity through her body she watched as it went back to him. Trying to manipulate any metal on her person would result in the same thing, over and over again. Yet it didn't stop the two from facing off, again. Liesel was quick, she always had been, even more so when she could use present electrical currents in the air. As such teleporting to the side to avoid a hit was easily done, in retort she'd reach out and simply tap Erik on the shoulder and he'd falter to the side as the current travelled through him.

He knew she was going easy on him, it was rather clear she didn't want to fight him. Sad enough to say though, if going through her meant getting to Raven, then so be it. He had already disposed of Hank, the poor guy right now was hanging pinned by metallic ornaments which were in the fountain, where Hank had just attempted to drown him. Hearing an angry growling noise, Liesel dodged out of the way and looked to Hank, Erik took the moment of distraction to his advantage and fisted his hand, pulling his arm back Liesel faltered backwards and before she could recover or retort to the attack; he hit her across the temple with the butt of the gun.

She crumpled to the floor, Erik looked down at her with a frown before turning and looking at the people gathered. He gritted his teeth and pushed his wet hair out of his face, looking down at Liesel, he pocketed the gun and reached down to pick her up. "You owe me." He muttered and easily managed to run off and to the side, people parted ways from him, not wishing to be the least bit close. Raven had gone, through the fighting she had taken the moment to make her escape. Erik couldn't see her, how could he? She could be anyone. Liesel however was unconscious, and he wasn't leaving her here in the open with all the people present. They'd take her, and he'd never see her again.

It didn't honestly take him long to find a less than respectable part of the city and more importantly: somewhere to lay low. Liesel still hadn't woken up, so of course he got some very odd looks sent his way. After all, he was bleeding from numerous small cuts, he was still drying off from his almost drowning, and Liesel was unconscious in his arms. Not exactly the most normal of things the receptionist got confronted with. But their appearances made it even easier to get a room, the man behind the counter more or less threw a key at Erik, and he easily managed to manipulate it so he caught it in the hand which supported Liesel's shoulders.

He didn't even spare any words for the man, he just gave him a withering look from the corner of his eyes before moving towards the room. Once inside he placed Liesel down on the bed and took a step back. With a wave of his hand the door shut and locked and he sat down slowly on the bed opposite to hers. Resting his forearms against his knees, he slowly tilted his head to the side. He grimaced slightly, there was definitely drying blood trickling down his neck from some wound. He could feel the warm substance stick and crack as he moved. Turning his hands over he inspected them for any injuries, he seemed okay, for the most part. Hearing a groan he looked up slowly at Liesel.

Her eyes opened groggily and she seemed at an utter loss. She eyed up the ceiling before looking slowly to the side at him. As soon as her eyes landed on him, did they light up to a very vibrant green and she made a move towards him. Erik held a hand up and stopped her easily. "Sit down, and shut up, Liesel. I'm really not in the mood." He released his hold, and she sat down slowly. With a sigh he stood slowly, shedding his coat as he went he moved towards the bathroom to see if there was anything which could be used for medical supplies. He doubted it, hugely, but it never hurt to look. "I wouldn't bother," he stopped in the doorway and turned and looked at Liesel as she had decided to try and creep over to the door.

"I don't want to be around you right now." She said, totally serious on the matter as she tentatively pressed a finger to her temple. She winced, there was definitely going to be a bruise there, thanks to Erik and that bloody gun.

"That's tough. We're together, and will be for a small while. Get used to it." Erik replied back bluntly, his head was really starting to hurt, and her giving him serious attitude was so not what he wanted or needed right now. 

Liesel sat down at the table in the room and took off her coat and placed her bag in front of her. She watched as Erik came back with a basin of water and some towels. He pushed the chair away from the table, and sat down. Reaching up, he took to simply unbuttoning his shirt, the shirt peeled away from his skin and not only because of it still being wet, but also because of the blood pooling around the neckline. He looked at it grimly before putting it to one side. Fidgeting slightly in his seat, he picked up one of the towels and put it in the water, placing it over his neck, he took to cleaning the blood away. From feels of things the injury which was the cause of this bleeding was on the back of his head somewhere.

Liesel just sat and watched him through narrowed eyes, likewise Erik just stared right back at her. "You aimed a gun at my face, and expect me to just freely accept being stuck in a locked room with you? You must have hit your head harder than you think." Although really, she knew his injury was from Hank smacking his head off of the fountain floor. She inwardly smiled, good going Hank, but she doubted it would've knocked sense into Erik. He did, after all, have an incredibly hard head.

"What?" Erik asked dryly while glancing at the blood stained towel before he dumped it on the table. He picked up another clean one and placed it over his shoulders to catch any blood which decided to trickle down. "Are you going to jump out of the window to escape?" That he wouldn't put past her, but he raised an eyebrow at his suggestion and watched as she glanced to the windows before looking back at him. Erik just crossed his arms loosely over his chest and waited for her to talk.

Liesel frowned and crossed her arms, mimicking his sitting position as she looked at him with hard, green eyes. "You know I'd die. Or seriously hurt myself. So you could just be nice, if you're able to, and open the door and let me go."

"Yeah, because a mutant walking around after a mutant crises is a good idea?" Erik shot her an idiotic look. He wasn't letting her go. It was dangerous out there, he knew what she was like for somehow finding trouble. Even if she wasn't looking for it. "Seriously, use your common sense, Liesel." He turned and looked at the television, Liesel reached out and pointed a finger its way. Being able to interfere with electrical things did have its uses. The news instantly came on, and they both fell silent and watched as there were reports of the mutant sightings of the day, and that blood had been found on the scene.

"So it failed, anyway? You know, I knew your loop hole would be dramatic, I just didn't know it'd be dramatic along with screwing us over. Oh no, what am I saying? I should've known that was going to happen! Seriously, the whole point of this was to change the future or something, was it not? You've gone and doomed it!" Liesel shouted, thank you very much Erik. They had a plan, there was nothing wrong with that plan. Yet Erik being Erik, clearly thought he knew better, like always, and look where that had wound them up. Stuck together, in a rubbish Paris hotel, him bleeding and Charles and the others who only knew where, and Raven was also out there too.

"I have a plan." Erik said, not taking the least bit notice of her hysterical tone. He pulled the gun out of his pocket, Liesel tensed and shifted in the seat. "Relax, it doesn't involve going out like cowards." He said dryly while unclipping it and pulling a bullet free. He definitely needed stitches, to do so he needed a needle. Shaping the bullet into a thin curved needle shape he looked around for some thread, hearing a sigh he looked up at Liesel.

She raided through her bag and pulled out a ribbon which was tied around a small roll of papers. Pulling pieces from it she handed it his way. Erik nodded his thanks and Liesel just shrugged before leaning her chin in her hands. She watched him do the stitches himself with a scrunched up nose. "That's so gross." It was, it made her slightly cringe to watch. Maybe she should move so she couldn't see him? Directly, that is.

"Would you like to do the honours then?" Erik asked while shooting a look her way. He couldn't really turn his head, he had just managed to find the cut, and he didn't want wonky stitches.

"If it means not having to watch this, then yeah." Liesel said while pushing herself out her chair and moving around to stand behind him.

"I'm not asking you to watch. You can go elsewhere, you're just opting to watch." Erik said and watched her intently, she just frowned at his words, even being childish enough to stick her tongue out at him before he lost sight when she stood behind him. He felt her move the towel slightly, her fingertips loosely skimming his skin had him shutting his eyes slightly. He had missed her, all of her, that he couldn't even lie.

"Let it go," Liesel said simply, her words had Erik opening his eyes. He relinquished his control on the needle, and it fell into her palm. Turning the thin object over, she parted his hair and winced. "I think I see your brain..." She trailed off, looking over the long, thin cut which was on the back of his head. Why was it always these types which bled a lot? His hair was easy to keep out the way, due to the brown locks still drying, but even still she had to keep one hand against them, while the other steadily pointed the needle down.

"Shut up." Erik grimaced, no, the needle didn't hurt, her pathetic joking did.

"Headache, by any chance?" Liesel asked and got a murmur as a reply. Erik was usually blunt, she had got used to that, but he was never like this. "There's painkillers in the small zip pocket of my bag." She said with a nod, her bag was within reach and Erik pulled it close. Opening up the pocket she mentioned, he pulled out a small brown bottle. "Your plan, what is it?" She asked while parting more of his hair and finishing up the stitches. "Can you transform this into a knife, or something? I really don't want to yank this thread..." As if on cue, the needle slipped from her fingers and did as she asked without her having to touch the suddenly deadly looking shard. Stepping around him, she sat back down and watched as Erik tapped out two pills from the bottle and looked around for something to take them with. Spotting a drink cabinet he walked over. "Erik...you're not meant to do that..." Liesel commented while hanging her head.

He shrugged and popped the pills into his mouth before downing the glass of whiskey he had quickly poured. Holding up another glass to her, he smirked when she gestured it over with a finger. Sitting down and putting the glasses down, he poured drink into both before hunting out the slides he had stolen from the meeting. "This," reaching to the side he moved the nearby lamp closer and tipped the shade. Opening his hands, he manipulated the slide reel into position, on the opposite walls the projections showed up.

Liesel stood slowly and walked over. "The complete plans..." Her eyes widened and she darted to her bag. Pulling out the previously rolled pieces of paper, she held them up and looked from them to the wall and then back again. She even walked slowly over to get a better inspection. "Pin," she held the paper in place and as if on cue the bullet, turned needle, turned shard was now split and a small section shot off and impacted in the wall above her finger. Stepping back she looked the plans over, she could see the differences they made, the smallest changes in the way the Sentinel's head was positioned, its arms and hands, even the chest cavity. They still looked terrifying, Liesel really didn't want to see the finished thing.

"I will turn their mutant hunter on themselves, and see how they like it." Erik said while standing up and walking over to stand behind her. The projection was shining brightly her way, even as she had her back to him, part of the Sentinel body was reflecting over her. He could see how her shoulders tensed, her hands fisted nervously by her sides, she was scared. Erik looked down at her, he was close enough to reach out slightly and grasp onto her hand, to pull her to him, but he didn't.

Liesel frowned and turned slowly, "And then what of the next mutant hunter? And the one after that? This doesn't end, Erik...there will always be hunters." She said, looking up at him with a worried expression. She meant it, it didn't end. There would always be these things for mutants to face against. She sighed, and didn't step back from him, he was close enough that she could feel the warmth which radiated off of him.

"That doesn't mean we freely accept being the hunted." He responded and watched as she looked sadly down at the ground. Reaching out at last, he placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head up. "It will teach them a lesson though, don't you think? That even the best thing they think they have created to date won't be enough to stop us. We will always be here, and we aren't going anywhere." He reached up and moved a piece of her hair away from her temple, he frowned. "Sit down, Liesel." 

She seemed ignorant to the injury she had, yet side stepped and sat down slowly. She looked at the plans though, she concentrated on them and ignored the fact that Erik was extremely close tending to the cut on her head. She only thought she had a bruise coming, completely unaware to the cut which the gun had made. Erik pulled the towel from his shoulders, it wasn't needed anymore and he pulled the chair around to sit beside her to deal with her injury.

"Plan?" She asked, trying to act normal, trying to ignore him so close and leaning closer to help her.

"Go to Trask Industries, tamper with their little machines, get out again." Erik said, using the towel which was around his neck to clean her up. He put the bloodied towel to one side, it wasn't a deep cut. She wouldn't need stitches like himself. She tore her eyes away from the wall and looked at him. She slowly frowned, he was still leaning close. "How much do you know about government lock-ups?" Erik asked, also trying not to note how close they still were. They both clearly cared for each other, their relationship wasn't so easily shirked, or forgotten. It could be put on the back burner, but that was it; as soon as they were together, these feelings would just appear again. Erik wanted her close, wanted to hold her, kiss her even...but right now, that would complicate matters.

Liesel smiled slowly, "Which one?"

Erik felt himself slowly smile in return. "Always were good at gathering information, doesn't surprise me you've got better." Liesel smiled and shrugged simply. Their moment got interrupted by a knock on the door, Erik frowned and put a hand on her shoulder, "Stay here." He stood and walked over, opening it he leaned against the door frame and exchanged very few words with the person on the other side, Liesel didn't know who was there but they left in a hurry. She guessed though having the door opened and revealing a man slightly bloodied, topless and really quite irritated looking was the last thing the person on the other side wanted, or expected. Erik turned and looked back at Liesel, "We're not safe here."

She inhaled and patted her knees, standing up she picked up her things and plucked the paper from the wall. "If we're leaving, you might want to put a shirt on." She smirked and shook her head slowly. In return, Erik just rolled his eyes and moved over to his abandoned clothes. He just looked at her knowingly, and she smiled. "You are a good looking man, Erik. But time and a place, darling. Here is not it." Liesel said while pushing her hair over her shoulder and heading to the door.

----

Edited: 14/June/2019

Reedited: 25/August/2021