Unspoken: Dear Marie

Dear Marie
by anonymous

Rating: PG

Summary: Magneto feels compelled to be honest.

Notes: Okayyyy, got the hang of this now. All I need to do to keep up with the RR is write a section that can be completely ignored! Chronologically I thought it would arrive sometime after Victoria's The Bargain. However the sender might not have sent this, or the recipient received it, or if she did, she could have torn it up the moment she realised who it was from. Of course, if anyone wants to take any ideas from here and run like a loon with them - feel free *g*

Date: October 11, 2001

Dear Marie,

I hope you'll forgive my presumption at using your first name, but I'm sure you'll agree that to be formal after such intimacy would have been hypocritical. It would also be hypocrisy to say that I am sorry, to say nothing of useless since you are completely aware that I had every intention of killing you. However you must also be aware of my regrets at the necessity, so you may not find it too difficult to believe that I was relieved to hear you had survived. My failure may have cost my brother mutants dearly, but you are unscathed, if not unmarked, by the experience.

If you have deigned to read this far you may be wondering why I chose to write to you but there is something almost seductive about being known so well. (It's what makes telepaths such attractive lovers - to be known and yet still loved is the greatest affirmation of worth one can find.) I feel our connection gives me a freedom to speak to you without artifice and that you will be able to recognise my honesty. Since you were otherwise distracted at the time of your rescue, and your friends may have avoided speaking of it to spare you distress, I thought you would appreciate a description of the proceedings.

I admit I underestimated the X-Men. I thought my compatriots would be able to defeat them or, at the very least, contain them to the lower levels until the machine had done its work. However they managed to battle their way to the torch leaving poor Mortimer and Mystique as casualties behind them. At that point I had to intercede and restrain Scott, Ororo and Wolverine with metal. I hope you will note, my dear, that I didn't kill them although this would have been the safest option. You have only to review my memories to know that I don't believe in needless deaths. I thought it wise to remove Scott's visor since I thought his desperation to reach his fiancée might cause him to be a little reckless. I must admit I hadn't anticipated Wolverine's eagerness to help someone he barely knew. Who would have thought him such a team member? But he and Sabertooth were evenly matched. (They are similar in so many ways; one might almost use the term brothers.) My plan might still have had time to succeed if it hadn't been for the intervention of the doctor. I presume she must be a new recruit since I was unaware of her existence. Probably she was brought along for her medical expertise and left behind on the jet but decided to follow the others. Although I didn't see exactly what happened next, Wolverine seems to have relieved Sabertooth of the visor and then directed Jeannie to use her telekinesis to float it in front of Scott's eyes. They must have worked together often for Scott to be able to trust her so implicitly.

Alas, Victor is invulnerable but not impervious to Scott's beams, so that was the turning point. They were able to free themselves while I was occupied. I was a little surprised that they chose Wolverine to rescue you rather than Scott. Please don't take that as a criticism of your fiancé, Marie, I'm sure he made what he thought was the best decision. After all, if Wolverine had not been the one closest to you, he would not have been able to give you his healing powers. As to why he was willing to risk death for you, well, you are in the best position to answer that. So you are now safe in the arms of your fiancé and I am safe in this plastic cage. The vagaries of fortune.

I hope this small note has made things a little clearer for you. Perhaps you might feel generous enough to reply to it, or even to visit me. I would ask you to pass on my love to Charles, but given the nature of your power I'm sure you have already. Hopefully not in front of the children.

Yours fraternally,

Erik Magnus Lensherr

~*~

Five Minutes by Shana

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