Erika, Beast

[Erika]

Erika placed her head on Ben's shoulder. Feeling his mind in hers, she didn't speak.

Beast looked at Ben with an eyebrow raised. "Learned the hard way?" Shaking his head, he sniffed the air again. "Yes. Gunpowder."

Erika, shivered. 'I can sense him, daddy. The evil man from the hearing. He's here.' Erika tried to hide her face in Ben's shoulder, clearly frightened.

"Whoever shot at the branch, wanted her dead." Beast said, with a growl in his voice.

[evan..relic]

Glancing around, he could see some disruptions in the bushes, but those proved to only be small animals.

"Whoever it was is gone now." Even as he said that he couldn't shake the apprehensive feeling that something wasn't quite right.

[Erika]

Beast growled, dropped to all fours, and roared out a sound that mad the children scream in fright.

Erika whimpered, and jumped out of Ben's arms. Going to Beast she hugged him.

Beast fell silent as he felt Erika's arms around his neck. He growled a note, and pushed her to the ground.

Erika fell on her side, dragging Beast with her.

Beast went down, but then grabbed her, and in a protective, loving gesture licked her cheek.

Erika giggled, and calmed down from this attack. "Beast funny." She said out loud.

Beast growled a soft note, and replied, "No. Just protective of my little cub."

[evan..relic]

Ben walked over to Beast and Erika and placed a hand on Beast's shoulder and Erika's head, "Whatever it was, its gone now."

Mirriam quickly calmed down the children with a small light show and walked over to the three, "I did see something or someone moving around in the trees, I could have sworn I saw a rifle too."

Ben quickly gave Mirriam a hug, "Thanks. Go keep an eye on the kids." She nodded and returned to sustaining the light show. He turned to Beast, "You think you could go hunting?"

[Erika]

Beast nodded, and handed Erika over to Ben. "Understood." He took off running, to find out what had threatened his little cub.

Erika cuddled into Ben, she was still afraid.

[evan..relic]

Ben hugged Erika close to him, "It will all be fine. Beast will find whoever or whatever tried to hurt you."

He carried her over to a park bench and sat down still cuddling her.

[Erika]

Erika sniffled. 'Why does bad man not like me?' She asked.

[evan..relic]

'I don't know Eri. I don't know.'

Standing up, he called Mirriam over, "Mirriam, I'm going to take Erika home. If Beast comes around looking, just direct to my place."

She smiled, "Will do. And go ahead, she's had a rough day." She tousled Erika's hair.

[Erika]

Erika nuzzled into Ben's shoulder. She looked up at Mirriam, after having her hair ruffled. "Mommy." She said out loud, as she closed her eyes, ready for sleep.

Beast ran through the trees of the forest but found nothing. He continued to search, and tried to burn his anger away through exhaustion.

[evan..relic]

Ben chuckled and flushed slightly but didn't say anything, he simply walked out of the park and towards home.

What he hadn't realized was that Mirriam was blushing a furious red as well.

[Erika]

Erika fell asleep in Ben's arms, as he walked home.

Beast ran back to HQ, and climbed in through the window of Ben and Erika's apartment. He was worried for her. Not finding any trace of who had shot at Erika, was making him nervous.

[evan..relic]

Ben smiled as he shifted her slightly so that he could unlock the door to their apartment.

Opening the door, he entered and shut the door behind him. Turning around, he jumped and nearly yelled when he came face to face with Beast, "Beast, really? Couldn't you have waited outside the door?" He breathed heavily.

[Erika]

Beast growled at Ben. "No. I have some disturbing news." He said, his voice a dangerous growl.

Erika shifted in her sleep, and cried out a sound of pain. Giving a low moan, she sniffled, and was still.

Beast put his arms out, towards Erika. "I'll take her."

[evan..relic]

Handing Erika over to Beast, "What's up?"

[Erika]

Beast took Erika, and held her close. Looking at Ben, he growled. "Whoever it was left no sent, and no trail to follow. It's as iff he just disappeared into thin air."

Erika moaned, and started to make little whimpering noises.

Beast rubbed her back, and kissed her on the head.

[evan..relic]

"The hell? It's like they teleported, like Nightcrawler does..." Ben crossed his arms thinking carefully.

[Erika]

Beast layed Erika down in her crib, who immediately curled up into a ball.

Beast turned to Ben, and growled a note that he knew caused people fear. "Yes. And they left nothing. Not even a gun round." I'm concerned Ben, I don't know who is trying to harm her, or why."

[evan..relic]

Rubbing Erika's back to relax her, "It would have to be someone from her past is guess..."

[Erika]

Erika arched her back, and cried out a sound that could pierce the ear drums. The objects in the room started to shake, as her cry intensified.

Beast covered his ears, the sound affecting him. Roaring out a sound, he fell to his knees in pain.

[evan..relic]

Covering his ears, he mentally pierced through her mental barriers, 'Eri?! What's wrong?'

[Erika]

Erika sensed Ben in her mind, but she couldn't talk to him. Her mind was ablaze with the memories of her past. The man from the hearing, who was younger, was in the memory shaking hands with her father. Erika gave a shriek, as the room began to shake worse than before.

Beast lay crumpled on the ground, holding his ears, whimpering, and cringing from the pain.

[evan..relic]

'ERI! ENOUGH!' Enveloping her with his mind, he tried to shut out the memories that were affecting her.

[Erika]

Erika arched her back once more, then laid limp in her crib. The flow of memories stopped, the room stopped shaking, and the noise she had emmitted died.

Beast lay on the floor gasping for air, and still holding his ears. Slowly getting to his feet, he looked over to Ben and Erika. "What in the world was that?" He asked with a slight growl.

[evan..relic]

"Something was affecting her mentally, I've shut out some memories that seemed to be affecting her." Looking down at her, "Do you remember one man from the hearing, had a bit of a sour look on his face?"

[Erika]

Beast let out a breath. "You mean Magneto?" He stopped holding his ears, and went over to Erika, placing a paw on her hand, he frowned. "What has he got to do with anything?"

Erika gasped for air, and rolled over, she grabbed onto Beast's paw, and held onto it.

Beast smiled, and stroked her hair with his free paw.

[evan..relic]

"He was in the memories that were affecting her like that."

[Erika]

Beast looked at Ben, and roared. "WHAT!?"

Erika awoke, and started to cry.

Beast picked her up, and craddled her in his arms. "Hush my cub, I didn't mean to wake you. Hush now."

Erika quieted, stuck her thumb in her mouth, and fell back asleep in his arms.

Beast kissed her on the head, and continued to hold her.

[evan..relic]

"Exactly what I said." Ben said calmly.

[Erika]

Beast nodded. "How would he know her? Who else was in her memories?" He asked concerned.

Erika muttered something in her sleep, that sounded like, Grandfather.

Beast looked down at her and frowned, deep in thought.

[evan..relic]

Ben shook his head, "No one I could recognize, it was all blurry..."

He looked down at Erika and muttered, "There seems to be more to this one than meets the eye..."

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