In The End

"I tried so hard and got so far

But in the end it doesn't even matter

I had to fall to lose it all

But in the end it doesn't even matter"

-Linkin Park- In The End-

10th December 1949, Westchester Mansion, New York

Seventeen year old Charles Xavier yawned a little as he walked home from Westchester High School. It had been a long day.

"Charles!"

He turned now and saw his adoptive sister Raven, currently in disguise, running up to him, then frowned. "You left early?"

"Yes, Professor Sanders let us leave early." but then he chuckled. "He's doing the music teacher."

"Miss Evans? Really?" Raven almost laughed, walking beside him as they trod through the snow covered road, pulling their coats tighter around themselves.

"I know, I was rather shocked to find out as well, but oh well." Charles laughed, and Raven groaned, closing her eyes for a moment. "Oh God, you didn't find out that way did you?"

Charles's silence was enough to make her burst out laughing once more, then shake her head. "Oh my..."

"Tell me about it." he said grimly, erasing those images from his head as fast as he could- the joys of taking a sneak peak inside a teachers head could yield some very... unexpected results sometimes.

"So..." Raven grinned now, pulling her woolly hat further down over her head. "It's Christmas soon."

"And?" Charles said, his grin widening- he knew what she was getting at. She had seen a beautiful necklace in the shop the other day, and was begging him to buy it her for Christmas.

"Please?" she said, fluttering her eyelashes, but Charles smirked a little, grabbing the hat and yanking it down over her eyes, making her jump.

"Good things come to those who wait, Raven!" he laughed, then sped up, knowing he was going to get a snowball in the face for that.

...

He stopped now, a sense of someone being nearby, but-? There was something odd. As Raven went to throw a snowball, he frowned and raised a hand to her. "Wait-" and Raven, recognizing that tone, lowered her arm and frowned.

"What is it?"

Charles felt it, that presence in the back of his mind, then felt himself walking forwards towards the gates of the mansion, looking around in the snow, almost as if he was searching for something.

"Charles! What the hell are you doing?" Raven called now, feeling slightly concerned now as he bustled around, crouching down in the snow and said quietly.

"Somethings wrong. Very wrong." he muttered, then straightened up as the unspoken voice whispered something unintelligible to him, and he turned around, almost pushing Raven out the way as he ran towards the big willow tree in the grounds, its branches covered in shimmering ice and snow.

But now he saw something else under the tree, then realized with a small gasp, running over, yelling to Raven. "Get someone!"

"What-?" Raven frowned, then almost dropped her school bag as she saw the young woman, covered in snow sat against the tree, looking close to death.

"Oh my god..." she breathed, then turned and ran as fast and safely as she could in the ice, banging on the door until Mrs. Sharon Xavier opened it, going with wide eyes.

"What's-?" but then she saw her son crouched next to the tree, then another figure and realized.

Charles felt for the girls pulse, but it was very faint, almost like a flame that was going to be snuffed out any moment. He picked her up carefully into his arms now, then walked back to the mansion, trying not to slip on the ice as he did so.

"Put her on here-" Mrs. Xavier said, moving the book off the sofa, then rushed off to the kitchen for some hot water.

"How did she get there?" Raven asked, looking at the woman in concern. "I don't know..." he muttered, then knelt down before her and put his hands either side of her head, closing his eyes.

There was nothing. But then-

"Argh-!" he yelled, jolting away and almost falling backwards. "What happened?" Raven demanded, and Charles shook his head, wondering what the hell this girl was. "I don't know. Something pushed me away. Something powerful. She's a mutant, she has to be."

"Is she dangerous?"

Charles couldn't answer, genuinely not knowing the truth. But the amount of fear and anger that had hit him mentally... it scared him for a moment.

Mrs. Xavier returned now with the water, then looked at the woman properly- she had dark red hair that was flecked with ice particles. Her eyes he didn't know yet.

"Do you want me to go get a doctor?" Raven asked now as she pulled blankets over her, and Charles shook his head. "The roads are too dangerous, and we have enough her to help her. If I can get into her head properly, I can find out what's wrong."

"Try then." she said in concern, eyes wide, and Charles sighed once more, returning the hands to the girls freezing head, feeling the ice melt at his touch.

He winced now as he got inside.

Charles opened his eyes and found himself in a sea of white, no up or down. No beginning, nor end.

"Who are you?"

He turned now and saw the young woman, ice free and slightly curly dark auburn hair to just below her shoulders. Her eyes were a deep dark sapphire that clashed with the red.

"My name is Charles Xavier. You were collapsed on the grounds of my home in Westchester?"

The girl didn't speak now, but merely shook her head a little and said. "Who am I? What was I doing there?"

Charles frowned once more, the confusion and innocence on the girls face, her wide eyes that now seemed frightened as she added. "Why can't I wake up? What happened? Who am I-!" she yelled the last three words, tears sparkling in her eyes, then turned away and ran into the white, vanishing in an instant before Charles could catch her.

He opened his eyes and let go of the girl, chest heaving a little- it had been incredibly hard to stay inside her mind for so long.

"Who is she?" Raven asked, and Charles looked down at the girl, a small frown still etched upon his face.

"I don't think even she knows."

Since my two Erik/oc stories have gone rather well, it's time for some Charles:D cause' let's face it- James McAvoy is adorable! Anyway, it's a Erik/OC/Charles, but it'll be more Charles/Oc this time, so we'll get to the bottom of that later on. So for now, if enough people like this, I'll add the next chapter:D reviews are much loved! X Nicola