This story sets after X-3 events.
2 months after Jean Grey's death.
The doorbell rings and Ororo Munroe runs to open it, knowing the kids at the mansion won't move a muscle.
She opens the door and nearly faints at what she sees.
"Good evening, Ororo." The person in the doorway says calmly.
"For the goddess! I-I …this must be a…" She tries to speak but is too nervous to find the words.
"This is real, dear. May I come in? It's rather cold out here."
Finally Ororo breaks into tears and holds the professor in front of her. All the people in the mansion still had a fresh memory of the day when he died and the day of his funeral. For all of them, it was like losing their direction and inspiration, but more than that, it was like losing a father. Now, he was there on the doorway like he had only spent some time traveling.
"How is this possible Charles?" Ororo asks him in a whisper, her hands still on his as if trying not to let go of an illusion.
"Let's go into my office and I'll explain all of it. Please ask Logan, Hank, Rogue, Bobby, Kitty, and Piotr to come."
Ororo nodded, took the Professor to his office, and went to call the others. 'Thank God it's a Saturday night and most of the kids are out!' she thought. The goddess calls the other X-Men, still feeling slightly dizzy, but does not tell them what it is about.
"So, 'Ro, I hope this is important. I was 'bout to go out." Logan says while coming into the office. He suddenly stops and his eyes grow wide. "It can't be! That smell…No, it can't be!"
"Can't be what, Logan?" Rogue asks, kind of worried about the look on his face.
"Yes Logan, it's me." Charles says with a smile, coming out of a dark corner.
All the people in the room stare in shock. They all start talking at the same time, but finally managed to get quiet and listen to what the Professor had to say. He then explained that right after what happened in Jean's house his psyche went into the astral plane, and after wandering, he finally was able to find an appropriate body to get his mind in. He chose a man in a deep coma at the hospital of his friend, Dr. Moira McTaggert.
"There, I was able to grow my powers stronger again and contact an old friend of mine that lives very far away. Of course, it was only possible because we have a very deep telepathic connection."
"Who is this person, Charles?" Hank asked.
"Her name is Lilandra. She is the queen of a very advanced space race called Shiar."
"You mean she is an alien?" All of them asked in surprise.
Charles chuckled a bit.
"I thought nothing more could startle you…but yes, she is. And a very good friend. As soon as I told her about the facts, she came to see me and promised she would give me my body back. You see, their technology is extremely advanced and they soon found a way to close my body, so my mind could come back to it. Too bad I still can't move my legs." He joked, but instead of laughing, all the X-men stared in shock.
Beast was the first to break the silence.
"Charles, you can't imagine how amazing it is to have you back." He hugged him.
"I'm glad I'm back too, Hank."
"We, like, missed you so much Professor!" Kitty squealed with a huge smile. All of them greeted Xavier, some crying, some smiling, some still surprised. The only one to keep a distance was Rogue.
"Rogue, I'm not scared of holding you, so you shouldn't be either." He said, reading what her mind was almost screaming. After her powers suddenly came back when she was about to have her first night with Bobby, she decided to keep a safe distance from people. It nearly ended badly, just like with Cody, and she felt guilty about it, blaming herself and her vampire powers. Her dark behavior was seriously affecting her relationship with Bobby and the other people around her.
But right now, her face lit up and she hugged the man who was a father to her and whom she missed so much.
"Ah'm sorry, professor. Ah just don't wanna hurt ya."
"It's ok, my dear. And you don't have to worry about hurting me."
Rogue smiled and went back to Bobby's side.
That night and the following morning were the happiest times in months. During the week, some students who had left the Institute came back. But better news was yet to come. The professor was finally able to locate Scott's mind, placed in a coma in a Canadian hospital. Apparently, the Phoenix had tried to hide him, but after she was gone, the mental shield disappeared.
Storm, Beast, and Wolverine went to pick him up using the Blackbird. After they put him on med lab and made sure his vitals were ok, the professor woke him up. After learning everything that happened while he was in a coma, Scott was both relieved and miserable. The X-men were able to stop Magneto and the Phoenix, but his love was gone forever. What would the future bring after all these facts?