The Memory Tree 1/?

Fandom: XMFC
Title: The Memory Tree
Chapter: 1/?
Rating: G
Pairing: None. Charles/Erik if you squint.
Summary: Every year, Raven comes home for Christmas.


1962

Charles stared across the room at the Christmas tree the children had insisted on setting up in the ballroom and decorating themselves. He'd watched and smiled but hadn't gotten involved in the merriment, and in this moment of quiet as the children had dinner he finally let the smile fall. In the past it had been he and Raven who had celebrated Christmas together, sitting by the fire in the second floor library while his mother and stepfather held court in this ballroom - sans tree, of course. Kurt saw Christmas as an opportunity to make connections; his mother didn't see anything in those days except his father's ghost. Since Cain was always someone to be avoided, that left him and Raven to make themselves a family Christmas.

Except now Raven was gone. Walked away on a Caribbean beach, and now there would be no more family Christmas, Raven sitting in her favourite chair and waiting for him to come back with the sweets from the kitchen...

It wasn't until he was halfway down the corridor on his way back to his study that realised the Raven in the second floor library wasn't a ghost brought on by nostalgia but real.

~Raven?!~ It was automatic, connecting to her mind to talk to her, and it took him an extra moment to rein in the wave of relief/joy that she was there. ~Er, Mystique...?~
~Hi, Charles~ she directed at him-in-her, used to communicating with him like this, but unreasonably nervous. ~I wondered...~

She trailed off uncertainly, and he debated calling for the others, for backup - but first he wanted to know why she was here, whether she had come back or was just...

~Can I come home for Christmas?~ The question rushed out of her like she couldn't stop it, ringing with truth and lost-alone-frightened and utter longing for the only family she'd ever had. There was no question about her intent, nor her resolve.

In the face of family, even if she wasn't coming home for good, there was only one answer he could give.

~Of course~ he told her, warm and soothing and full of so much joy that she was here at all - and how much he had missed her. ~You can always come home, Raven. We're family.~