Charles isn't very good at using company time for company things. I'm honestly surprised he hasn't been fired.

Erik has no idea what the accident triggered, but yes, it does tie into his parents. Something like that has never happened to him before (or if it has, he hasn't registered it/wasn't conscious of it). It was really meant more as a dissociative flashback, but his brain isn't making the connection yet, so it just seemed like an odd incident he could totally brush aside.

And of course it's real. stlkrchck is very thorough in her research.