1. Chapter 1

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summery: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done. Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)

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><p><strong>Raven POV<strong>

The house hadn't changed. It probably hadn't had any major changes made to it since it was built, whenever that was. There were a few additions here and there, the basketball courts, more parking spaces and the garage was bigger; of course she also knew there were many alterations below ground; catacombs containing Cerebro, the hanger bay and other such things to help the X-Men protect the humans.

Mystique…no Raven, she reminded herself, she was one of them now, her gifts, her powers stripped away from her, by the 'Cure,' leaving nothing but this weak, _human_ body, nothing to separate her from the rest of the flock, nothing in the eyes of the one man she thought understood her, loved her, the one man she had loved.

Anger surged through her, not for the first time, and she was certain not for the last. After everything they had been through together, everything she had done for the Mutant cause, for Him; and he just left her there without a second thought, without even looking back, only a muttered comment about how he would miss having his eye candy around.

She hadn't moved when Erik left her, abandoned her. It had not been long until troops had swarmed the area. They'd stopped short at finding a completely naked woman curled up in the fetal position lying on the floor of the truck. It hadn't even occurred to her to cover up, she hadn't worn real clothes in over twenty years, only those created by her mutation. She hadn't worn anything since she went with Erik and he convinced her that she was beautiful in her natural form and that it shouldn't be hidden or covered up, that she should be proud to be a mutant.

She pulled at the sleeve of the shirt she was wearing now. The soldiers had been quick to clothe her, removing their jackets to cover her nakedness. She had been clothed ever since but she still found them restrictive and tight, overbearing, smothering. Ever since that first disastrous battle she had allowed herself to stand out, to show the world her 'mutated' body, proud to be noticed, difference, no one had ever mistaken her for a human when she was in her true form. Now she had to cover, hide, blend in, and ironically it was so much easier without her gifts, she had not been given a second look since loosing them.

She had gone with the soldiers, allowed them to dress her and this time did not object or struggle when they imprisoned her, and once she had gotten over the shock of everything that had happened to her, she no longer refused to answer their questions. Every detail of every plan, the co-ordinates of every base of operation and every safe house, the strengths and weaknesses of each mutant in his army she had revealed to the military.

After all, as the saying goes, Hell hath no Fury.

They had held her in a high security bunker for several days; then with no explanation given she had been transfer to a women's prison to await trial. They had thought that now 'cured' a normal prison would hold her, it did, for all of two day. She had learnt many things under Erik's guidance not all of them relied on her mutation. As soon as she recovered from the shock of everything that had happened in a few short days and she tired of the prison she was gone.

She had simply wandered for days or at least it felt like she had. It wasn't until she looked up and saw a sign for Westchester that she realized her instincts had kicked in. She was going home.

There was never any doubt in her mind that her 'brother' would accept her back with open arms, well maybe for moment, he would probably question her extensively to make sure she didn't have any ulterior motives but no they had grown up together she would always find a home with Charles. The problem would come with the other occupants of the house, it wasn't like the old days after their parents died, or even with the first team of mutants to live and train at the mansion, many of the current occupants she had tried to kill in the past, the rest would have heard stories of her exploits with Magneto.

The other problem was her pride.

Could she bring herself down to the level of crawling back to where she started, could she bring herself to admit that Charles had been right all along, could she admit that she had been wrong? Charles had given her a choice all those years ago on that beach; he hadn't held her back, she wondered now if he had known this would happen. His telepathy had always made him seem all knowing and though she knew he wasn't, she still wondered sometimes.

In the end she had given into instinct and it had brought her to Xavier's School for Gifted Youngers, the last time she was here she had to break in, this time she would walk straight up to the front door…and hope.

She had no doubt that if Wolverine answered the door, he would recognize her for who she was and attack without question, part of her wanted him too, it would be better then continuing on as she was. Still another part of her, still held out hope that her mutation could be restored, that there would be a cure for the cure, that it wasn't as permanent as the scientists had boasted.

The bell rang signaling the end of class and the beginning of another. Raven melted back into the trees, waiting till the last child had disappeared back inside, then waited another few minutes just in case of stragglers. Finally sure that no one was around she left the safety of the trees and moved across the gardens towards death or sanctuary.

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><p><strong>Charles POV<strong>

He had felt her presence a few days before. Old habits die-hard and he automatically resisted the temptation to read her mind. Hank had told them of her brush with the cure and as much as he wanted to know how is little sister was coping with her change in circumstances he had made a promise to her all those years ago that he would never read her mind, if anything he was a man of his word, Charles would not go against Raven's wishes unless it would save lives, he wouldn't do it for his own curiosity.

He had always thought of her as Raven, even after she renounce the name and took Mystique as her new identity; but no matter what she believed she would always be his Raven, the little girl who impersonated his mother so poorly despite her amazing gift, and who showed him that he was not alone in the world that there were others like him.

It had hurt when she had left to go with Magneto but from the moment she had walk naked into the kitchen he had known that he couldn't give her what she wanted, they didn't have the same philosophies anymore and he couldn't, wouldn't force her to see things his way even though all it would take was a single thought. Had he done that he would have been as bad as Shaw and everything he was fighting against; to influence another's mind in such a way would prove the government right.

Truthfully he had expected Raven to pass through, to avoid him even though they both knew he was always accept her back, no matter what she had done in the past, despite her current condition; but she was proud, he had not expected her to be able to put aside her pride, to come to him when she needed help. He was delighted to be proven wrong.

As soon as he felt her presence he dismissed his class, pausing only to give out that nights homework assignment. The children had looked to each other in confusion, they were only a few minutes into the day's lesson, but children were never ones to look a gift horse in the mouth when cutting class was involved, within minutes his office was empty.

He made his way quickly to the elevator, checking as he went for the other adults in the building and their locations. Good, Wolverine was in the garage, tinkering with one of the many cars, it would not do for him to meet up with Mystique before the Professor.

The halls were empty and Charles was able to open the doors just before Raven reached the stoop. She stopped short and they simple studied each other for a moment. The Charles backed up. "Lets go upstairs," he headed back to the elevator trusting her to follow she wasn't far behind.

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><p><strong>Read &amp; Review please :P<strong>


	2. Chapter 2

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything  
><strong>**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summery: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)  
><strong>Authors note: <strong>I am trying to get a mix of Charles from First Class and Xavier from the other X-men movies, just so your forewarned he may seem OC to some.

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><p>Once in Charles' office, Raven closed the door behind her, Charles was already over at the mini bar that stood in one corner, he pulled a bottle of water from the fridge and grabbed a green apple from the bowl on top, then returned it and removed a red one instead. He tossed both to her, which she easily caught, one in each hand.<p>

"Do you still prefer the red ones?" He asked, gliding around behind his desk and motioning her towards a chair.

"You remembered," she focused on the apple, suddenly unable to look at her brother.

"Of course, a throwback from when you refused to eat anything that wasn't the same colour as your hair."

Raven couldn't hold back a snort, "Drove the housekeeper mad, I went a little nuts after I worked out that you were serious about always having food from then on."

Charles smiled, "Only a little. Eat, I know your hungry, being on the run can do that to a person."

She finally made eye contact at that, "Has it been on the news?" The cynical part of her believed that any moment now she would be kicked out of the mansion, she needed to be prepared.

"Yes, though it has calmed, you know have the news works, give it a day or two and no one is interested anymore."

"Good." She went back to staring at her apple, she studied the different patterns her bite marks left, Charles was right she was hungry.

"Why are you here Raven?" he asked when she didn't continue.

"Like you haven't read my mind already," she snapped back, finally looking up and holding his gaze, challenging him to deny it.

"I made a promise to you many years ago that I would not read your mind, I have honoured that promise when it hasn't endangered the lives of others. I am trusting right now that you are not here to hurt anyone within this school. If that is not the case then I will quite happily delve into the deepest areas of your mind to find the truth behind your visit here. Do I need to?"

Raven shuddered; she had no doubt that he would.

"I'm not here to hurt anyone, honestly I don't know why I came at all I should go, this was a bad idea." She stood and made for the door.

"Raven," she paused, "came back and sit down."

She could hear whirl of his chair as the motors turned and when she turned back he had moved around the huge desk and had stopped next to where she had been sitting.

She wasn't sure if he had been waiting to see if she was there to hurt him or if maybe he thought he could stop her leaving by moving closer, perhaps it had just been habit to sit behind the desk. Whatever the reason she felt better without the huge object between them and she moved back to sit.

Charles studied her again and despite the confining clothes she was forced to wear she felt exposed by his gaze, she pulled her legs up onto the chair and wrapped her arms around them. It didn't help much. Once again Charles seemed to read her easily without reading her mind, just as he always used too.

"What happened to you Raven?" he asked with gentle inquisition.

"Humans happened," She spat poisonously. "Humans and their cure. They've destroyed everything I am, all my power. I'm nothing now."

Charles shook his head, "No, I don't want to know what happen to Mystique, I wish to know what happened to Raven. What happened to the little girl who impersonated my mother to steal food, what happened to the girl who crawled into my bed after she had a nightmare, who held me when I lost control and it felt like the world was screaming in my head. What happened to the young women who encouraged me through my many thesis' and who would flop down on top of me when she thought I was working too hard. Where's my little sister Raven?"

She growled and shot out of the chair, wanting distance between them suddenly. He was just as frustrating as he'd always been. "That little girl died over forty years ago, humans tried to kill her on that beach and they succeeded."

"Then why are you here Mystique," he used her alias pointedly, "why have you come to Raven's childhood home if you are not her and she is dead?"

She let out a screaming groan of frustration and started pacing the room again, "I don't know, I've already told you that, why must you be so frustrating."

"Despite what you may think I am not purposely trying to frustrate you, I am trying to understand why you have come here of all places when in the time since you left you have tried repeatedly to tear this place and it's residence apart."

"You know why. You tried to help the humans, protect them, work with them; they have done everything in their power to tear us down, to destroy us. We offered to help them, we gave them the chance to live as equals to co-exist and they spat in our faces tried to lock us away, study us like animals. Yet you continually try to help them, nurture them into accepting us when they should worship us. They want to treat us like animals so why shouldn't we treat them like the lesser beings they are!"

All the while she ranted at him, Charles did not show any sign of frustration or anger, he kept the same expression listening but neither approving nor denying her allegations and opinions.

"You're one of them now, you're not a mutant anymore, you never will be."

The quiet, level statement, contrasted sharply with her angry tide leaving her breathless.

He continued, "From what we have been told of the cure, you are now and will forever be a human, you're one of _them_ there is no them and you, you are the same now, there is no difference anymore."

She stopped in front of the window and stared out at the world she was even more convince she was about to be thrown back into.

"Of all people I thought you would understand, that you would try to help me find a way to be me again." Her tone was angry still.

"I want to help you Raven, I want us to be a family again more then anything but I this point I do not know if I can trust you. I have over four hundred children in this school all relying on it to be a safe haven for them from humans and mutants alike. How can I let you stay when I can't trust you not to loose your temper over the slightest misdemeanour? I can not stand what Eric has done to you, you're so full of hate, so angry."

"Yes I'm angry, I'm furious. I spent over 40 years of my life doing everything and anything that man ever asked me to do, I have impersonated politicians, generals, janitors, men, women, children, humans and mutants, anyone he asked of me. I've broken into high security facilities to steal artefacts, technologies and national secrets. I've killed for him. I ever poisoned you, my own brother because he asked it of me." She gestured wildly as she paced the floor in front of him.

"And when that solider aimed at him, I stepped in front of what I thought was a bullet without so much as a thought," her pacing slowed to a stop in front of the window and she looked out at the children outside placing basketball without seeing them.

"He didn't even look back. He completely dismissed me as if everything I had ever done for him was worth nothing. He knew I'd saved him, said so him self, then left me there to rot. He didn't even attempt to help me, he left me there for the soldiers to find, abandoned me after all we'd been through, all I'd done for him. I loved him Charles, and I thought he loved me." She couldn't help the sob that broke through her hard exterior.

She glanced back at her adopted brother, a tear breaking free without her permission. Somewhere in her rant Charles had expertly moved himself out of the wheel chair that was his constant companion onto the more comfortable couch that he kept in his office for students and guests. Without really moving or saying a word he invited her to sit with him and she found she couldn't resist. Raven moved quickly over to curl up beside her brother, letting go of all the despair she'd been concealing since she'd been shot with the cure.

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><p><strong>Please Read and Review I really love to know what you think, <span>constructive<span> criticism very welcome :D**


	3. Chapter 3

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)  
><strong>Authors note: <strong>I am trying to get a mix of Charles from First Class and Xavier from the other X-men movies, just so your forewarned he may seem OC to some.

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><p>"Storm,"<p>

The woman in question looked up from packing up from her day's classes. Marie, formerly know as Rogue, was hovering in the doorway.

"Marie, how have you been?" She asked with a welcoming smile, "Sorry I haven't had much chance to talk to you since you got back."

Marie shrugged as she moved into the classroom. "That's alright we've all been busy trying to get everything back to normal."

"How have you been, no one has been giving you a hard time have they?" the teacher asked.

"Most everyone is pretty accepting, it was my choice after all, some act like I've betrayed them. The rest are just glad that touching me isn't going to get them killed."

Ororo stopped what she was doing and directed all her attention to her student. "Half of the student population here could kill another with a single touch or less, your mutation was nothing to be scared of. You would never have intentionally hurt anyone under this roof, I am sure of that, as are your friends. Anyone who thinks otherwise has not taken the time to get to know you. Do you need me to talk to them? I may not have been very supportive of your decision but at the end of the day it is your life and your choice."

"Thanks but that would probably cause more problems the it would solve."

Marie was grown woman now so Storm simply agreed for now though she wasn't happy with any of her students feeling uncomfortable in what was supposed to be a safe haven for all. "How can I help you then?" She asked changing the subject, though she planned to bring it up again at a later date perhaps with Charles.

"I was wondering if you knew what's wrong with the Professor?" Marie asked.

"Wrong?"

"Yeah, I was in study hall this afternoon and two different classes the Professor had scheduled came in saying he'd sent the away, I'm supposed to be in a class with him now but he sent us away too. Is there a mission I don't know about, has something happened?" She was worried about the Professor, but also a small part of her wondered if something was going on that she was not being told about now that she was no longer a mutant, was she no longer trusted in her human state.

Storm shook her head and frowned, "I haven't heard anything but it could be something he hasn't briefed us about yet. Let's go see if we can find out."

She left her previous task without second thought. The room wouldn't be used again until the next day, and she was a tidy person anyway, anyone who used the room in the meantime would have no problem working around her things. The professor was more important either way.

Most of her students she would have sent back to whatever they were supposed to be doing, but even without her abilities Rouge was still one of the X-Men and could be helpful if there was something more sinister going on.

They moved through the halls at a normal pace. No matter what was going on the Professor would not appreciate them disrupting and worrying the students by barreling through the hallways. They acted as if nothing was wrong and they were just teacher and student off to some appointment or another.

The same could not be said for Wolverine.

Logan stalked down the hallway at far from a sedate pace, sniffing the air and looking around as if searching for someone; a lot of the students were giving him weary looks, but they were use to his moods and knew to steer clear, many of the older students were encouraging their younger counterparts as far away from the animalistic mutant as possible.

"What has got you in such a state, Logan?" Storm asked with a sigh, she along with the students had gotten use to Wolverine's intricacies and mannerisms, "and must you trail such a mess through the school?" his muddy boots and greasy hands were leaving marks on the normally pristine surfaces of the mansion, no matter how many times she asked, that the Professor asked, there was just no changing Logan and sure enough he ignored her complaint.

"Mystique," he growled.

Both women's minds went immediately to protection of the students.

"Where?" Storm asked.

"I don't know I can smell her but I haven't found the end of the trail yet." He continued past them following the invisible trail.

"The Professor!" Rogue exclaimed; linking here earlier worries with this new information she shot off in their previous direction, now giving no regard to the other students and hiding her worry from them.

Wolverine easily snatched her back before she could get far. "Slow down, we don't want her to know we're on to her. Why do you think she's with the Professor?"

"He sent away every class he's had scheduled since just after fifth period." She explained, starting off again which Logan allowed but at a much slower pace.

"If she had the professor then why wouldn't he call us telepathically, she would never know," Storm questioned, she also started off in the direction of Xavier's office.

"If she's done something to him, or threatened the students he'd do just about anything she wanted." Rogue countered.

"Didn't she get hit by the cure?"

"I don't care if she is human, that woman's dangerous," Logan growled.

Just short of the Professors office, Storm broke off from the group, signally silently that she would go in from the outside, slipped into the closest room and climbed out the window, wind whipping through the heavy curtains as she disappeared from sight. Logan didn't even pause at the door, pushing Rogue behind him and throwing the doors to the office open, claws unsheathing as he entered.

It had taken about a half hour but Raven had eventually calmed enough to slip into a deep slumber. At this point she was curled up on the sofa with her head in Charles' lap with him carding his hand through her hair, it was almost as if the forty plus years they had been apart had never happened.

They had been in this position for just over an hour now, and he had sent yet another class off to study hall, his third in total for the day, it was only a matter of time before someone became suspicious but he wasn't willing to disturb Raven from her rest which she so obviously needed and so he put off contacting anyone for now, whoever he did contact would just want an explanation he couldn't give or would want to come and check on him.

Despite his independence, his disability meant the majority of his students had always became protective of him within a short period of time and that protectiveness only grew the longer they stayed at the school leaving students such as Ororo and Hank with an extreme overprotectiveness. Didn't matter that he could freeze or even kill just about any person who came within half-mile radius of him with a single thought.

He was so focus on Raven however that he didn't sense Logan until he burst through the doors, adamantium blades drawn, followed closely by Marie, then Ororo through the window, winds roaring.

He was quick to block the pathways between Raven's auditory nerve and her consciousness, leaving her blissfully unaware that anything was happening, the blanket he had pulled over her earlier thankfully shielding her from the gale-force winds.

The three X-Men took in the scene before them and the winds died down suddenly though claws remained. All three looked on in confusion at the dark haired woman out cold on the professor's lap.

"Good evening," Charles greeted calmly, "I'm sure you all have a perfectly good explanation as to why you have all barged in here and why the door was not a suitable entrance." He added to Ororo.

"Mystique," Logan growled, starting towards the professor and his charge.

"Touch my sister and it will be the last thing you do in this house."

Logan stopped short, normally threats the Professor made were in jest and fairly harmless. This one was deadly serious.

"Sister?" Marie asked puzzled, "Mystique is your sister?"

"Indeed she is, sadly her ideals leaned more towards Erik's point of view then mine. When I parted ways with Erik, she went with him."

"Then why the hell is she here now?" Logan demanded, if looks could kill Mystique would have been six feet under but he kept himself in check unsure if Xavier would follow through with his threat or not.

"She's a danger to the students Charles, a wanted fugitive." Ororo argued. "She can't stay here."

Charles turned his stern gaze to her, "This mansion has always been and will always be a sanctuary for mutants; she is no danger to any of us."

"She isn't a mutant any more, look at her," Ororo pointed out.

"Do you suggest that we should throw Marie out of the mansion too then?" Charles nodded towards the other 'cured' mutant in the room who was giving Storm a look that was a mix of anger, shock and sadness.

Storm immediately backpedalled, "no of course not, Rogu-Marie is one of us, an X-Men."

"As was Raven, actually you could say she was the first person I recruited to the X-Men."

"Marie hasn't tried to kill us on multiple occasions, Mystique has, she also poisoned you and helped to kidnap Marie. You can't in good conscience allow Mystique to stay in the mansion.

"All the crimes she has committed she has done on Magneto's orders and he betrayed her; if John decided that he had been wrong and that he wanted to return to us, would you turn him away?"

"No, of course not, but John is an easily influenced teenager who stupidly believed Magneto's spiel and who I highly doubt will ever see the error of his ways, just as I very much doubt that Mystique has seen the error in hers."

"You will forgive me if I do not share your opinion but at the end of the day I am the headmaster of this school and I say that she and any other mutant from the brotherhood that sees the error in their ways is welcome here, even if they are from Erik's inner circle; however I will not take the risk of endangering the students by allowing Mystique to roam the mansion freely; equally I will not kick my sister out of the only stable home she has ever had. I will not allow Mystique to stay, but Raven is more then welcome, and is my responsibility." The last part was in a tone that indicated its finality.

"They're the same person, Chuck," Logan pointed out in argument despite the tone.

"And you are an uncontrollable animal that is unsafe to be around children." Charles said bluntly.

Logan growled and Storm made to argue but he continued.

"In many ways our mutation define who we are and we are all extremely dangerous for children to be around but they do not define us in all ways. Yes Mystique has done many wrong and even evil things in her years with Erik, but I know that the woman I grew up with is still in her somewhere, I have seen some of that today and I know I can help her back on the right path." He continued to brush her scalp gently. "Though I regret it, I do acknowledge that it will be awhile before I can trust her to wander the mansion alone, she will remain supervised until then."

Though none of them were happy this time the uninvited group all assented grudgingly.

Seeing no more arguments he continued, "now if you don't mind I find it unlikely that Raven will respond to your presence very well, I would like to be alone with my sister. I will come and find you later in the evening to discuss this with you and the rest of the X-Men. Please keep this amongst yourselves for now."

With nods of assent from the women and a grunt from Logan, they all filed out of the room, through the door this time. Marie paused just before leaving.  
>"Is she alright?" she asked referring to the dried yet obvious tear tracks of the woman's pale face.<p>

"She has been hurt deeply but she will be."

Marie nodded and went to close the door behind her.

"Marie,"

She stopped,

"Thank you for caring, I know she has hurt you in the past but I hope you can look past that, she is going to need friends in the days to come."

Charles returned his attention back to Raven and Marie closed the door without reply.


	4. Chapter 4

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant) 

"Rogue."

Marie continued down the hall ignoring the call of her former alias.

"Rogue, please."

Marie spun around, her anger clear on her face, "It's Marie and though you obviously can't understand my decision to take the cure I would ask you to respect it. I may be human now but until the Professor says otherwise I'm not going anywhere and you need to get over yourself and accept that." She turned abruptly back in the direction she'd been heading.

Storm moved to follow but found her path blocked by Wolverine. He growled; stopping her in her tracks then followed the irate girl in her stead. When it came to Marie, Logan was like a momma bear protecting her cubs, no one hurt Marie and got away unscathed.

When Marie finally stopped it was in the rose gardens. Logan sat down beside her on the stone bench without saying a word and the young woman didn't hesitate to lean up against him. If there was one thing that Logan was good at knowing exactly what to do each time she was upset whether it was some good advice or just a comforting presence.

"She didn't mean to hurt you, ya know," he said after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

"Yeah I know but she makes me so angry; not an hour ago she was asking if she could help with some of the students who have been giving me a hard time. She just as bad as the rest of them." She snuggled in closer to the one constant she'd had since her mutation kicked it at puberty.

"Storm loves her mutation and she finds it very difficult to understand why anyone would want to be without theirs. She does respect you decision and she does want to help you in any way she can. What she doesn't want is for Mystique to be anywhere near this school or its students after all she has done, and I agree with her. She was angry and spoke without thinking first, at no point has kicking you out of the mansion crossed her mind."

Deep down Marie knew Logan was right, as usual, but at this point the desire to stay angry at Storm was stronger then logic. Logan understood how she felt somehow and they just sat for a while longer, until Logan gently shouldered her, "come on; by now Storm will have told everyone that Mystique is here. We need to work out what she's done to the Professor."

Sure enough, Storm had gathered everyone; they were all in one of the numerous lounges within the mansion. Kitty and Bobby were sitting on one of the couches; Peter and Warren were each in separate armchairs. Logan had no doubt that Hank had already been contacted, though he was probably off doing something or other for the UN. Ororo was pacing in front of the fireplace, all the while ranting about Mystique.

"What if she does something to one of the children! We have to work out what hold she has on the Professor, break it and get her out of here!"

"What could she have possibly done to the Professor?" Kitty asked, "she's human, she would have had to sneak into his room or office, he should have sensed her well before she reached him and he'd have been able to contact someone in the mansion as soon as he realised she was here."

"So why didn't he?" Bobby asked.

"Maybe she called him before coming and threatened him with something?"

"Like what? All the students are accounted for, I've just called Hank and he is perfectly fine." Ororo argued.

"Surely the Professor knows people outside of the school, previous students, old acquaintances, maybe she's kidnapped a distant relative?" Kitty continued.

"I've known the Professor for twenty years, no one from his family has ever visited, I'd know if he had any relatives."

"What like you knew he had a sister?" Peter cut in.

Storm shook her head and pointed in the general direction of the Mystiques last known location, "She is not his sister, she can't be, we would have known."

"Sorry, can I just interrupt for a moment?" Marie shouted over the din. "I know I'm just the human in the room," she knew it was petty but couldn't resist a snipe at Storm, "but have any of you considered that maybe she is? It would explain all of this. The government have confirmed that she was hit by the cure, even so there has never been any indication that Mystique could influence minds and I doubt there are many mind control drugs that could get past the professors mental defence short of Jason Striker who we know died at Alkali Lake." She glanced around the room taking in their reactions and making sure she made eye contact with everyone. "We don't know anything about Mystique between the time she ran away from an orphanage at eight and when she joined the brotherhood; and do we really know anything about the professors past other then growing up in this mansion, coming from a wealthy family and going to Oxford university. What if she is his sister and she is just looking to find a safe haven with her brother."

She took a deep breath before revealing something she had not shared with anyone since she took the cure. "None of you can possibly understand the huge impact the cure can make on a mutant, losing something that has become part of everyday of your life, even if it is an unwelcome part is traumatic to say the least; and even though I have a better understanding then the rest of you of what has happened to her, I made the choice to take the cure, I came to that decision. Mystique had that choice taken away from her. I can't imagine what it would have been like to loose my mutation against my will, how she must be feeling, but I'm pretty sure that I would want to find something stable and reliable after that experience and if Charles Xavier was my brother I would definitely find that in him."

Marie could see most of the X-Men considering her words as a possibility but there were still some who had obviously made up their minds and were not willing to consider any other possibility.

Storm finally decided to end the debate. "Perhaps it would be best if we waited for the professor, he did say that he would be down to talk to us."

"I also requested that you wait until I had spoken to you again before drawing the others into this conversation."

Everyone turned to see Xavier enter the lounge; Raven was nowhere to be seen.

Storm tensed visibly, "Where's Mystique?"

Charles glowered at her mistrust, "Raven is in the shower," he turned to Marie, "Could you possibly run upstairs bring Raven down when she's ready." _'I'm not sure I can trust Ororo or Kitty not to pick a fight. I am simply going to reiterate what I said upstairs so you won't miss anything.' _ He added telepathically.

"Sure Professor," Marie stood to leave.

"Is that the best idea Professor?" Storm interrupted, "maybe Logan or I should go?"

Charles turned on Ororo again, "As I just explained to Marie, I would not trust you not to pick a fight and while Logan might enjoy the view I don't think Raven would appreciate it, would you?"

"I'll be fine," Marie chimed in.

"Are you sure kid?" Logan asked. At least with Logan Marie knew he was genuinely concerned for her safety.

"Yeah I'm sure, besides the Professor trusts her, right Professor?"

"Indeed I do, and in the unlikely event that something does go wrong I will be listening," he tapped his temple.

Marie smiled and slipped out of the room, as soon as the door closed everyone started talking at once. She was almost glad she wasn't in there. Now she just needed to find the room housing a woman she'd formerly faced in battle.

'_She's in the room next door to mine.'_ Marie jumped.

'_Thanks Professor.'_

She headed back upstairs towards Xavier's suite of rooms. She had often wondered why he had kept the two rooms to himself when they were forever trying to make more space for their ever-growing student population.

Reaching the secondary room to the Professor's suite, which, as far as Marie knew, had been locked for years. She knocked but didn't get an answer, pushed the door open and peered inside, not seeing anyone she entered and shut the door gently behind her.

With the normal hum of noise from the rest of the school blocked out, she could now hear that the shower was running in the adjoining bathroom. Now sure of where Mystique was Marie took a few moments to study the room. The furniture was mostly covered by dustsheets, only one couch was uncovered, the sheet bundled up on top of it. The couch was well maintained but obviously old, the carpets and curtains were also getting on, unlike the rest of the mansion that gets recarpeted and reupholstered at regular intervals due to the increased wear and tear caused by being a school especially a school where things tend to float, fly and burst into flames more often then not.

On impulse Marie grabbed of the dust sheets overing a large cabinet, she figured that they were all need to be removed anyway, it wouldn't make that much difference. Within the cabinet was various ornaments and keepsakes, such as one collects as they grow up including an intricately detailed china doll with a lace dress alongside what looked like a hand crafted wooden horse, also perfectly detailed. Moving to another sheet she found a bookshelf and though there were a few books, 'Pride and Prejudice,' 'Jane Eyre,' and the like, mostly it had framed photos lining it's shelves, there was one of a group of girls in their high school graduation gowns, other of a mixed of men and women ranging from their late teens to thirties, some more were childhood photos of a boy and a girl always together but occasionally with two very stern looking adults she assumed where their parents.

The main photo to catch her eye though was of what looked like the same two children but in their twenties, the girl, now a woman, was hanging off the man's shoulders a huge smile on her face; the man was immaculately dress, looking back indulgently at the woman's antics also with a huge grin on his face.

"He was always so patient with me,"

Marie physically jumped; she hadn't heard a sound as Raven had approached her from behind.

"He was brought up to be so proper and I was only ever a street urchin in nice clothes." Raven continued, choosing not to acknowledge the fright she'd just given the rooms' other occupant.

"I bet he made a great big brother," Marie answered glad to let her brief lapse be ignored.

She returned the photo to its pride place and turned to Raven, who was completely naked while drying her hair with a towel.

"Um," Marie looked down the length of Raven's body as if see might have been wrong at first glance then quickly averted her eyes.

Raven was confused for a moment and looked down at herself, only to realise the problem. "Right sorry," she gave up on her hair and wrapped the towel around her. She moved quickly over to one of the sheet-covered furnishings and revealed a wardrobe underneath.

Marie returned her attention to the bookcase willing her face and neck from their current florescent red back to their normal colour, "well it's not like I haven't seen you with no clothes a hundred times before," she joked, trying to break the tension.

Raven made a grumbling noise, "yes well Erik had a thing for my natural form and you have no idea how convenient it was to not worry about my clothes staying the same when I changed so I just went with it. Charles flipped the first time he saw me like that as an adult."

"I think just about any man would 'flip' seeing his little sister in the buff." Though it was very strange joking with Mystique right now she was willing to go with anything but awkward silence.

"Everything in here is either moth eaten or hideous." Raven complained. "Why are you in here anyway?"

"The Professor asked me to come get you and bring you down stairs to meet the others."

"I figured as much. Why do you call him that?"

"What?"

"'The Professor,'" she said it in a really snooty voice.

"Cause he is, that's his title," Marie snapped back with some offense.

"But why not Professor Xavier or Charles even. He hasn't gotten too high and mighty has he?"

"No one really calls him Charles, well Storm might occasionally or some of his past students when they come to visit, but the rest of us are still students here and Professor Xavier is too long, Professor is easier."

Raven finally found something that didn't have a million moth holes in it, "Yeah I suppose that makes sense, just seems so formal. I suppose I'll always see him as my super-smart idiot brother." Raven grinned as she pulled on the outfit.

"I suppose you do have a different prospective." Marie admitted feeling her ire disappear, "If it helps Logan tends to call him 'Chuck', and on occasion 'Wheels.'"

"Wow how imaginative of him," Raven finished dressing and went to look in the mirror. "Where is the old furball I'm surprised he hasn't burst in here blades drawn." She brushed a hand over the three scars she had from one of her previous encounters with Wolverine.

"He definitely wants too, if not for the Professor's threats I'm sure he would be."

"I'm sure he would." She pause, "I can't believe I ever thought that this looked attractive."

Marie took this as a signal it was safe to turn around.

Raven was wearing yellow, beige and brown scarf covered in geometric shapes with red edging around her neck, a brown corduroy dress with huge white buttons on the shoulders, yellow stockings and beige knee-high boots. The whole outfit screamed sixties, "That's…"

"Hideous? Not been in fashion for over forty years? Yeah I realised," Raven looked her self up and down in the mirror and sighed, "I can't believe I ever left the house in this," she headed back towards the wardrobe. "It was the height of fashion at the time I assure you."

Marie suddenly got an image of Mystique, blue scales and all, in that outfit. It clashed horribly with her blue skin. "You didn't go out in that in your…" she paused, perhaps it wasn't the best question to ask so soon after Raven loosing her mutation.

"In my true form?" the other ex-mutant filled it. "Charles wouldn't let me out of the house unless I looked like that." She pointed back to the photo Marie had been looking at earlier, "and when I was younger I thought my mutation was something I had to hide, Erik taught me that I shouldn't be ashamed of who I was, that I could be so much more if I wasn't always concentrating of looking normal. It's what attracted me to Erik in the first place."

Marie nodded following Raven with her gaze back to the wardrobe, she now realise that the majority of the wardrobes contents was on the floor. Raven pulled out the last few articles of clothing and held them up to the light only for the many holes to show up in stark contrast to the rest of the garments, it seemed that the strong smell of mothballs in the room had done nothing to deter the moths themselves.

"Haven't you got a track suit or jeans maybe?"

Raven perked up a bit and moved over to another sheet, which covered a chest of draws. Opening one of the draws she pulled out a grey garment only to squeal in surprise as several mice came with it, what could have once been a tracksuit that she held in her hand was now far from being anything close to a garment at all.

"Well Charles may be a genius but he is far from being a housekeeper." Raven said with a sigh, finally admitting defeat.

Marie couldn't help but giggle, "I honestly don't think anyone has been in here for years." While Rogue would have been quite happy to leave Mystique in her ridiculous outfit circa 1960's, the Professor had asked her to help his sister and try to be a friend in her time of need. "Give me a few minutes I'm sure I can find something that will fit you."


	5. Chapter 5

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)  
><strong>Authors note: <strong>I am trying to get a mix of Charles from First Class and Xavier from the other X-men movies, just so your forewarned he may seem OC to some.

* * *

><p>When Marie and Raven eventually made it down to the lounge where the X-Men were meeting the discussion seemed to have gone nowhere, tempers were running high and it had turned into more of a shouting match then a discussion.<p>

Despite the almost comfortable interaction that the two women had reached in the last half hour as soon as Raven entered the lounge she surrounded herself with a confident, untouchable attitude, ignoring all the other X-men as she made a beeline for Charles and kissed him on the cheek.

"Are you feeling a bit more refreshed?" Charles asked, accepting the kiss without hesitation as if they'd never been parted.

"Yes I am, thank you, though your house keeping skills leave much to be desired. The only piece of clothing in there that hadn't been attacked by moths or rodents was that horrible corduroy dress I used to go clubbing in. You do know you're suppose to change those baits occasionally right?" she smiled so he knew she was joking.

Everyone had gone silent when they'd entered the room. Kitty and Bobby both looked mortified that she was even there as if they hadn't really believed to begin with. Warren looked slightly nervous and Peter just glared, neither of the latter two had really had much interaction with Mystique but they had both heard many a horror story. Logan and Storm were glaring daggers; neither was short on reasons to hate the woman.

"Marie was very helpful and let me borrow some clothes until I have a chance to get something more suitable."

True to her word, Marie had gone to her room and pulled out a t-shirt and jacket, she had rejected all her pants as they all would have ended well above Raven's ankles, instead she raided Logan's room and with much digging managed to find something that was clean. It was probably a good thing that Logan was mostly nomadic 'cause when he stopped he was beyond messy.

"Are they my pants?" Logan growled.

Marie put a hand on his shoulder to pushed him back into his seat, "yes none of my pants were going to fit her so I borrowed some of yours, you really need to clean up that pigsty you call a room."

"Thank you Marie," Charles cut in, he then turned back to Raven, "Raven I believe you've met everyone but since we are on more civil terms this time," he gave the X-men a pointed look at this, "I'll introduce you all again. Ororo Munro, Logan, Kitty Pryde, Bobby Drake, Peter Rasputin, Warren Worthington III, they are respectively Storm, Wolverine, Shadowcat, Iceman, Colossus and Angel. You've already met Marie D'Ancanto. Everyone this is my sister Raven Darkholm. Now I know that you have all had your differences in the past but if you could please try to get along, we have all needed a safe haven at one point or another, Raven is no different. She has however agreed to one of us accompanying her when she is not in her room and she will not be permitted into the catacombs until I say otherwise."

Raven didn't give any reaction to these terms, she had already given Charles her agreement, and she wasn't going to pander to the X-men's wants. Just about all of the group looked disgusted with her presence, Angel mostly looked uncertain of what to expect from her, they hadn't met before so he didn't seem to have built up a prejudice against her yet. Marie was the same, now that she was back amongst her friends she seem to have remembered that they weren't suppose to be friendly with each other, despite the easy conversation they had struck up on their own. The rest of the group were simply glaring at her but Storm was by far the worst. If Munroe had Cyclops abilities Raven was sure she would be dead by now. Raven challenged the stare with her own and felt of surge of victory when the other women tensed and intensified her glare.

Charles continued to talk to the group as a whole ignoring the glaring match the two women had started, though he was well aware of what was happening.

"Right, well it is almost dinner time and I'm sure the students are starting to wonder where we have all disappeared to." Charles rolled backwards ready to move out of the room, but stopped moments later when neither Raven or Ororo moved with him. The other occupants of the room stood but made no move to leave.

Thunder cracking outside finally made the telepath interfere. _'Both of you stop this instant.'_

Storm broke contact first, automatically obeying her mentors demand. Raven smirked in victory.

"Storm, if we could stick to the forecast weather please," the professor prompted, motioning to the still brewing thunderclouds outside.

With a final glare at Raven, Storm focused her mutation and moments later the clouds dissipated.

"Now, we are going to go down stairs and act like the civilized adult I know you all are."

With agreements from everyone, they made their way downstairs to the dining area where the rest of the students were slowly gathering ready for dinner. Half way down, Raven saw Charles pull Munroe aside for what looked like a scolding, which had Raven smirking again. The rest of the X-men had proceeded to ignore her existence; it seemed they couldn't be social and since they weren't to show their disgust at her presence they would instead pretend she wasn't there. Logan was the only acceptation; he stuck to her side like glue, apparently having taken on first babysitting duty.

"Just so ya aware, none of us are buying this sister bullshit, whatever it is you've done to the Professor we're going to figure it out and you'll be back in the slammer, rotting where you belong."

"Is the big bad Wolverine feeling threatened? I've done nothing to Charles; you'll work that out soon enough. In the mean time if you stay out of my way, I'll stay out of yours, unless you're looking for some more intimate company." Raven leered at him making no effort to hide her gaze as she dragged it up his form; he truly was a fine specimen of a man.

Wolverine growled and lunged at her.

"Logan." Despite being in a wheelchair Charles did have a very commanding presence and voice. Wolverine stopped mid motion then stormed off down the corridor.


	6. Chapter 6

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything  
><strong>

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)  
><strong>Authors Note:<strong> Very slight change to the last chapter, decided not tell the children about Mystique was going to be too complicated later in the story, didn't want the children not trusting Charles. Sorry for the wait, hope you enjoy.

* * *

><p>Dinner was a very noisy affair, as any event with hundreds of children and teenagers would be. The occupants of the mansion had increased exponentially since Raven had resided there with the first five mutants Charles had taken in. He really had created something here and even Erik appreciated what Charles had made, as did Raven. This was the one true sanctuary for all mutants.<p>

She saw herself in these children, many would have been kicked out of their homes when their mutation became apparent, others would have run away in fear of rejection and what they were capable of, and like those first five, Charles was helping these children to come to terms with and control their gifts in an environment where they were safe from prejudice and persecution.

Raven observed some of the students close to her. One boy had a look of strained concentration as he caused several potatoes to float out of their serving bowl and onto his plate, he jumped after they were settled and looked over to Charles, then beamed with pride; Raven guessed that Charles had praised his success. Another older boy further down the table reached two metres to grab a piece of steak; in sharp contrast Storm scolded the boy and told his to ask for them to be passed next time. All around the dining hall the next generation of mutants were learning to live together in harmony as they mastered their abilities. Raven almost wished she'd stayed, she could imagine herself in Storm's place, teaching classes and helping Charles with his dream of a safer future where human's and mutant lived in peace; but she still agreed with Erik in that regard, humans would never accept mutants fully, never accept anything that was different as superior. Charles had always been an optimist and a dreamer.

The X-men it seemed were in charge of supervising the other students and mingled through the masses as soon as they entered the dining room. Looking over the whole population of the school Raven realised that the faculty was rather small. There were a few other teachers milling around though she guessed they had chosen not to be members of the X-men, or perhaps their mutations were not very useful in a fight. With so few adults at the school it made sense that the older students who were within the team would help with some of the younger students.

"Haven't seen you around before?"

Raven turned her attention to the teen beside her; he was probably around seventeen or eighteen and was giving her a look that she guessed was his version of flirtatious.

"No you wouldn't have." She turned her attention back to the general population.

"You just passing through or will you be staying at our lovely school." He persisted.

"You realise I'm old enough to be your mother, your grandmother even."

"You don't look it. That's for sure." The last bit he said under his breath.

Out of the corner of her eye Raven could see him leaning back to stare at her backside. While Wolverine's pants were long enough for her they were designed for a man's hips and he had a much smaller backside then her, the material was tighter then she would have liked. First port of call was definitely to get some clothes that fit.

"You know most big brothers don't take well to guys hitting on their little sisters, and mine signs your report cards."

The kid gave her a confused look.

"James," the kid jumped as Charles rolled up beside them, "perhaps someone closer to your own age would be more appropriate."

"Yes Professor, sorry Professor," the kid couldn't have gotten away fast enough.

'_If I could get everybody's attention please.'_ A definite plus side of telepathy was that everyone heard immediately when you spoke; there was almost instant silence.

"Thank you, I'm sure rumours are running rampant tonight as to my missed classes today. I would like to introduce you all to the reason for my absence, this is my sister Raven." Charles reached up and squeezed her hand; "She made an unscheduled visit this afternoon and is going to be staying with us for the foreseeable future. However this is not as simple as a family visit. Until recently Raven was a member of the Brotherhood of Mutants." A shocked murmur went through the students, "As many of you know the human military used the cure as a weapon against the Brotherhood and Raven was the first to have the cure used against her, the majority of you will know he by the name Mystique." Charles didn't try to say anything else for a while as the students all voiced their outrage. The X-men and staff dispersed through the student body trying to calm them enough to let the Professor finish. Another telepathic message through everyone's minds settled them again though it took longer this time.

"I understand that you are all upset by this and it is understandable, however this school has always been a safe haven for mutants and the Brotherhood has made it very clear to Raven that now she is human she is no longer welcome in their ranks. With her previous life choices aside Raven is still my sister and a former student of this school, therefore I have welcomed her and I would like all of you to make her feels welcome and help her to readjust to life without her mutation. In saying that I am not simply going to give her free reign of the school, she will be accompanied at all times by a member of the X-men until such time as the _entire_ senior staff feel that she can be trusted."

He paused again allowing the students at absorb the new information, however reluctantly. "I would appreciate you all giving Raven a chance to prove herself, I'm sure you can all imagine how disconcerting it would be to loose ones mutation, Raven is here to heal and learn how to live without her mutation, not to be shunned or scorned. If anyone has any concerns about Raven being here I would like them to be addressed directly to me; as always my door is open to all. Now please enjoy your dinner and the weekend."

Of course everyone started talking again but many also turned to stare at one particular boy who had shrunk back into his seat, he looked particularly guilty and it made Raven wonder what he had done to act as such. Her interest only increase when Storm came up behind him squeezed his shoulder and lent down to talk in his ear. Only then did Raven realise that there was a larger gap between this boy and the kids either side of him; they weren't avoiding him completely but while other kids were squished up beside each other on the benches, this kid had more then enough elbow room.

"Charles, who is that kid,"

Charles looked over in the direction Raven indicated, "That is Jimmy, he's the mutant that was used to create the cure."

Seeing the boys' distress, Charles excused himself and joined Ororo, also reassuring the boy.

Though Raven had stolen information about the source of the cure for Magneto she hadn't had a chance to completely memorise the file before she was captured, she'd only really remembered where and what; seeing the boy now she felt sorry for him, if she'd been used against her fellow mutants she would have been devastated, well more likely furious but at Jimmy's age she would have been distraught. With that and seeing a chance to one up Storm, Raven followed Charles over to the boy.

"-You had no control over what Worthington labs was researching, none of what happened was your fault." Charles had to lean forward in his chair so that he could look up at the boys' face, which was studying the floor miserably; he was nodding at the correct intervals but didn't look like he really believed what was being said.

"Charles is right," she interrupted, making the boy start and look up, "you shouldn't let it get you down." Jimmy looked slightly better but still miserable.

"I'm really sorry Miss Xavier." He looked sincere, which in her experience with teenagers was rare.

"Look at it this way, you've made mutants like Marie very happy, given them a chance to live without fear of hurting other, and you've given me an excuse to come to visit brother dearest." She leaned down, wrapped an arm around Charles and kissed him on the cheek, surprising her brother and making Jimmy laugh.

"Go on and eat your dinner." She prompted when she saw him relax, "You shouldn't be worrying about anything except your next homework assignment."

Jimmie grinned now and turned back to his dinner and friends.

"And Jimmy," he glanced back, "it's Raven." He smiled again and went back to his meal.

Storm squeezed the kids shoulder again then went off to retrieve her own meal. Charles moved away towards the teacher's table, Raven followed.

"That meant a lot to Jimmy." He said as they went.

"It isn't his fault the humans took advantage of him," Raven said bitterly.

'_Raven, I know you have your beliefs and I respect that, you haven't been given much reason to believe otherwise, but please don't go expressing your views where the children can hear you. They are here to learn in peace without judgement not to prepare to go to war with the rest of the world.'_

Raven bristled at his rebuttal but grudgingly agreed.

She ate in relative silence while Charles chatted away about various changes to the mansion since the 1960's. Teaching had suited him well as she'd expected, he'd always loved to learn and equally loved passing that knowledge on to others, honestly how many guys use genetics as chat up lines.

She really hadn't realised until now how much she had missed him and his intricacies over the years. As she said to Jimmy she was going to enjoy catching up with her brother and maybe making up for some of the years they'd missed out on.


	7. Chapter 7

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)

* * *

><p>By the end of dinner Raven was completely over being whispered about and stared out. She was relieved when Charles finished his meal and motioned for her to follow. She willingly complied and almost laughed when Charles had to stop to tell Storm and Wolverine to stay put. Neither were happy with this and Raven was sure they would end up within earshot of wherever Charles was leading her.<p>

Raven couldn't blame them, neither knew her as she was before meeting Erik, as far as they were concerned she was the enemy and she hadn't done anything to convince them otherwise, she could live with that though, as long as Charles trusted her that was all she needed. Though she still wouldn't mind a romp with Wolverine if the opportunity presented itself, it wasn't something she was expecting to ever come about but it didn't stop a girl from fantasising.

Charles led the way through the mansion, on a route she recognised as leading to his rooms and hers. Half expecting him to see her to her rooms and leave her for the night, she was surprised when he entered his own rooms and invited her to follow.

Charles motioned her to have a seat and she collapsed on the bed, stretching out on her belly with her legs kicked up in the air. It was only when she was settled that she realised the position she had automatically adopted, one that she had used throughout her childhood when she'd come to spend time with her brother when they were children, and later when she came to annoy him until he stopped studying and agreed to take her out on the town.

She almost got up again but Charles just chuckled at how she had immediately relaxed into her default mode, so to speak, now she was back at the mansion.

"Comfortable?" he grinning his amusement.

She grinned back, "very," she stretched out onto her back like a cat then flipped back into her original position. It was easy to pretend nothing had changed when she was just with Charles, the last 40 years hadn't happened.

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and started moving around the room, collecting pyjamas from the draws and generally getting ready for the night. He was obviously an old hat at his routine now but she couldn't help but regret that she hadn't been there for him.

"How have you been Charlie?" she asked, reverting back to her childhood nickname for him, no one else had been allowed to call him that.

He barely paused as he moved back to the bed to drop what he'd collected there, "I've been well, this school has become everything I dreamed of and more, it…"

Raven interrupted, "No, I know all about the school and its happenings, I want to know how have you been." She couldn't help her eyes flickering to the chair.

Charles sighed as shook his head, "Raven it has been over 40 years since that day, I have made my peace with it and moved on with my life, this," he gestured to the chair, "is normal for me, I barely notice the difference anymore."

Raven turned her gaze to the bed cover, a simple navy cover with matching sheets and pillow cases, she picked at the cover a bit and frowned as if it was doing something that annoyed her. "I wish you had told me," she finally admitted, before looking up at his confused expression, "on the beach, I wish you had told me how bad it was. I thought it was just a simple bullet wound, a few weeks in the hospital and you'd be back to normal. You should have told me it was more serious."

He manoeuvred himself so that his chair was right up against the bed, directly in front of her and put his hands over hers effectively stopping her from picking at the bed clothes.

"What would that have achieved? Your being there wouldn't have allowed me to walk again."

"But I could have helped!" She retorted, "We could have gotten you to the hospital fasted, Azazl could have teleported you back to the US rather then you ending up in some Cuban Medical Centre. Maybe if you had had proper care."

He held up a hand in a gesture for silence then placed the hand under her chin when she looked away to gently make her meet his eye.

"There is nothing more that could have been done, even if it had happened with today's medical technology, my spinal cord for severed there was nothing anyone, including you could have done. You needed to do what you believed was right, that was going with Erik and creating the Brotherhood. As I said earlier you have your beliefs, I may not agree with them but that does not matter if that is what you believe is right. If you'd known, it would have influenced your decision. You would have regrated it in the end."

She leaned her head into the cradle of his hand but shook her head in the negative.

"What I regreted was finding out, that I had left my only brother lying on a beach paralysed when I could have helped."

He reached out and wiped away a tear that escaped from her eye.

"Even if I couldn't do anything to fix it, I could have helped you readjust, helped you when you got out of hospital."

Charles backed away from the bed and for a moment she thought she had offended him. Instead he repositioned the wheelchair and shifted himself up onto the bed. Only then did Raven notice that what had previously been a tall bed that she had struggled to climb as a child was now a good foot lower then it had been previously, allowing Charles to easily move on and off without assistance. Looking around the rest of the room she noticed other changes: once tall bookcases had been replaced by shorter wider versions which were perfectly levelled for Charles to be able to reach them all without difficulty, through the open door to the ensuite she could see handles attached to the walls like you find in disabled public toilets. Everything in the room had either been added, shortened or replaced to accommodate her brothers paralysis.

Raven sat up and turned her back in him, not wanting to watch her once able bodied brother manually moving his legs after he was perched securely on the bed. Even through she had known for many years that this was how Charles had to live his life now, she had always been able to distance herself from it; there had always been other things to worry about, physical distance between then or other people around her that she could focus on, this was the first time she had seen the reality right in front of her without anything to distract her from it.

"Raven, were you happy with Erik?"

Confused she turned slightly but didn't face him completely, "Of course, I wouldn't have stayed with him if I wasn't," she paused a moment then admitted, "I loved him."

"Though I admit I would have like to have you around more often and not been at odds with you, you were happy with Erik and that is all I would have wanted for you. You didn't need to be held back by a brother who should have been looking after you, not the other way around."

"I would have though," she finally turned to face him, he was stretched out beside her propped up on one elbow, "I would have looked after you, just like you looked after me when we were little." She swung back around and mirrored his position.

He gently moved a stray piece of hair off her face. "I know."

He lay down on against the pillows, which she mirrored again. They spent the rest of the night chatting about the past, their childhood and teenage years. They eventually fell asleep, still fully clothed and on top of the covers, both siblings acting like they hadn't been separated 44 years.


	8. Chapter 8

**_NOTE THIS ISN'T THE NEW CHAPTER, I ACCIDENTALLY MISSED A CHAPTER, GO BACK TO CHAPTER 7 TO SEE NEW CHAPTER, SET RIGHT AFTER DINNER. _**

**_SORRY FOR THE MIX UP. _**

**_BANT_**

**First and Foremost, Despite Everything**

**Author:** Jedi-Bant  
><strong>Rating:<strong> PG  
><strong>Summary: <strong>Raven always knew she had a home despite everything she'd done and Charles knew she was first and foremost his sister (AU X3 Xavier lived. First Class compliant)

* * *

><p>The next few days passed without incident, Raven stayed out of Storm's way and Storm stayed away from Raven. So far it seemed Charles wasn't willing to leave Storm on babysitting duty, he realised the potential explosion that would occur if he put the two strong-willed women were left together unsupervised. Either way she was spending most of her time with Charles or in the common areas; with the children out of classes for the weekend it was impossible to be alone anywhere except her room.<p>

Marie was the easiest to be around, they would chat away and pretend that they didn't have a history. In a way they had bonded over being the only two non-mutants in the mansion. It also helped that they could find many things to talk about that disregarded the goings on of the rest of the world and avoided the still raw subject of their lost mutations. Many of the younger students were fascinated with the cure, some because they were considering taking it to become 'normal' again, others in a morbid fascination like one asking what it's like to go to war. Needless to say neither mutant enjoyed these conversations and were happy to avoid the topic altogether, though Raven's history, which had spread like wildfire throughout the younger student population who hadn't heard of her, made it easier for her to scare off unwanted questions then it was for Marie.

On the Saturday after breakfast Marie had appeared for her babysitting duty, Raven couldn't think of it any other way, armed with a laptop, a tape measure and internet connection. They had spent the majority of the day perusing various online shopping sites in search of more acceptable clothing then men's tracksuit pants and shirts with too short sleaves. Marie had been to Charles earlier in the day and gotten a credit card for them to use with no limits. Everything was to be expressed posted and would arrive in the next few days, until then they'd continue to raid Marie's wardrobe and Logan's floor.

* * *

><p>Dr Hank McCoy had been perplexed and slightly worried when he'd received a phone call from Ororo Munroe with no explanation other then to ask if he was alright and to get to the mansion as soon as possible. He'd been on the other side of the country at the time in a series of very important meetings, which could not be postponed. He'd told her he would be there when he could but not to wait for him.<p>

It was not three days later and he had finally arrived in Westchester. Nothing looked out of sorts, the students were all outside and the older students didn't have the looks of worry that was the usually tell tale sign that the X-men were out on a mission. 'Perhaps,' he wondered, 'everything has been sorted and they forgot to inform me.' He hoped that was the case, as frustrating as a trip for nothing would be.

"Dr McCoy!" Jimmy called out, leaving his friends and running over to meet the politician. When the young boy had been taken from Alcatraz Island, Hank had been the first familiar face he'd come across in all the chaos; they'd gotten to know each other quite well in the days following.

"Jimmy how are you my boy?" Unlike the first time they met Hank did not hesitate in touching the boy and accepted the effects on his mutation and the weird and slightly uncomfortable feeling as his fur retreated back into his skin, claws disappeared and the bones in his feet realigned. He pulled the boy into a warm hug; a side effect of Jimmy's stay in the labs was a craving for contact and affection, Hank was more then happy to comply, the boy had wormed his way into the hearts of many in a very short period of time.

"Good," a typical adolescent answer if ever he heard one.

"How have you been? Enjoying your studies?" He asked keeping a hand on the boys' shoulder even as he pulled away, tucking the teen into his side. All the X-men and teachers at the school made a point to not pull away from Jimmy despite his effect on their mutations, they hoped it would boost Jimmy's confidence and the effects weren't permanent. Jimmy was finally getting to a stage where he didn't apologise every time his mutation striped the powers of another mutant.

"Good, some of the classes are really boring but mostly good," Jimmy beamed up at the doctor, then laughed, "you look weird without your fur."

Hank gave a short burst of surprised laughter, "do I now, well it's a good thing I don't have to stay like this then isn't it."

Jimmy grinned back cheekily.

"Excuse me can I help you?" Storm walked over from the basketball court, alert to the unknown man on the grounds.

"Good afternoon Ororo, how are you?"

It only took a moment for her to put the voice and contact with Jimmy together to realise who it was, "Oh Hank, I didn't recognise you in pink." She joked, making Jimmy laugh again.

"Oh so I'm pink and funny looking, I'm really feeling the love," he smiled back at them, rolling his eyes and giving a slight shake of his head, it really did feel weird not having fur rubbing against his clothes as he did so, he was definitely glad this wasn't permanent, though it was interesting to see what he would have looked like without his mutation, he briefly regretted that there was no mirror nearby.

"Pink or not you've definitely bulked up over the years."

Hank immediately broke contact with Jimmy after pushing him behind him then stepped away allowing his mutation to kick back in, snarling at the woman who'd just come out of the house.

Raven managed to hold her ground even as Beast rushed her, hoping it was just a display and he wouldn't actually hit her, "That's hardly a proper greeting for an old friend."

Beast stopped just before he made contact with Mystique but continued to glare at her, he'd stopped not because of what she said but because Storm hadn't moved, she just watched as if she had expected Mystique to be there.

"What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in federal prison." He snarled in her face, for all that he believed in diplomacy, Raven had left a bit of a sore spot for him personally by leaving.

"The humans made the mistake of thinking a normal prison could hold me once I'd been 'cured'," she responded calmly and matter-of-factly, "they were wrong."

Hank turned slightly, still keeping his eyes on Mystique but addressed Storm, "this is why you called me?"

"Yes," Storm walked over to stand beside Hank, she'd sent Jimmy back to his friends, "She has somehow convinced the Professor that she's his sister, we were hoping you might be able to work out what she's done to him." Storm said, glaring at the other woman, confident now that they work out what she'd done.

"She is his sister," Hank responded.

"What!" Storm gave Hank her undivided attention, "she can't be."

"Well not by blood but Raven was eight I believe when she came to live with the Xavier's, she was caught raiding their fridge and Charles invited her to stay."

Raven gave Storm an 'I-told-you-so' grin. There was no way Storm could deny Hank; Raven hadn't been in contact with him to slip him anything to convince him of her story.

"But how? Why haven't we heard about this before?" Storm demanded.

"If you had a relative in the Brotherhood would you share it around?"

Storm stopped short, "Well I…"

"Did you ever ask Charles if he had a sister, or any family at all?"

"No, not as such."

"Well then there's your answer, now please excuse me I need to go and talk some sense into that bald head of his." He stalked past Raven who was still smirking at Storm, and went in search of his old teacher.

"Told you so." She gloated.

Storm glared, "where's your escort?" Storm retorted.

Raven happily gestured back into the house where Angel was waiting quietly, watching his charge.

Storm gave her one last glare, annoyed at not having caught her out and returned to her students hoping Hank would talk some sense into Charles.

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><p>"Have you lost your mind?" Hank raged, he thrust a paw out in the direction he'd last seen Raven. "She's escaped from federal prison, a wanted fugitive and your hiding her in a school. Do you realise what impact this could have if it got out Charles, they close you down, you'd go to prison!"<p>

"What would you have me do Hank, send her away? She's my sister I can't abandon her, and I don't think you truly want me to either."

Hank grumbled and hesitated slightly, "I know she's your sister and no, personally I wouldn't want her to be imprisoned but the fact of the matter is she had committed substantial crimes, including murder, she isn't a little girl stealing a few crusts of bread anymore."

"I realise that but I really think she's wants to change."

"Is that her big brother talking or Professor X?" Hank countered.

Charles sighed, "A bit of both if I'm honest, I still see my little sister in her Hank, I want her back in my life and I know she's dangerous but she deserved a second chance without Erik's influence. I have to try."

Hank sighed too and sank down into one of the office couches, "I really wish you hadn't called me, do you realise the position this puts me in?"

"I do, which is why I didn't call you. I wasn't aware that you had been contacted however Storm has got it into her mind that Raven has drugged me somehow to make me believe that Raven is my sister and no amount of convincing will change her mind, she just can't accept the truth."

"Honestly if I hadn't met Raven before the Brotherhood was formed I would have a hard time believing it myself." Hank let his head fall to be cradled by his hands, "I'm sorry Charles but I can't let his slide, I have to report her."

"Hank, please just give her a chance to prove herself."

"Charles we have just started making head way in mutant rights, if it was found that you were harbouring a fugitive and I knew about it without reporting her, everything we've worked for would go down the drain."

"Which is why I didn't want you involved," Charles agreed.

"If she'd served her time it would be different, but she wasn't ever there for two days."

"I know Hank, by God I know but everything in me still screams to protect her, from prison, from the government, from Erik. Please just give me some time. The second she steps out of line I will report her myself and if she is discovered I will deny you knew anything and accept whatever punishment is given me, I could even erase today from your memory if need be."

Hank mentally recoiled at that idea but the less political more personal side of his will power was starting to crumble and Charles could tell.

"I know it is a lot to ask and if it wasn't Raven I wouldn't but you know what she means to me Hank, please just do this for me if not for her. We have lost so much in this war, I need to help her; give me a chance to try." Charles fell silent, waiting, hoping Hank would agree.

Nothing was said for a long while until Hank finally spoke, "She is not to leave the grounds and if she steps one foot out of line you must turn her in or so help me Charles I will have to report her and you myself."

Charles closed his eyes in relief and let out the breath he'd been holding, "I wouldn't have it any other way my friend, thank you."


End file.
