A/N: Just a little one-shot before the holidays
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the used characters or settings, all are owned by Marvel, or who ever owns the XMen! I also do not own any of Avril Lavigne's songs.
Coming Home
The fabric scratched against her skin as she swallowed her pride and approached the door for the mansion. She was still getting used to wearing clothes, having to change manually instead of just thinking about it.
It had been so long since she had come home, it was so different. Instead of the silence of an old manor, the building had been turned into a college, run by her brother. It was only a few months after the happenings of Alcatraz and there was a vaguely solemn air. From what she had heard, Charles had survived, 'The big Bag Wolf' had killed Jean Grey and the 'good side' had won, by stabbing Magneto full of the 'cure'. Sweet Justice.
Anyway, she raised her hand to knock on the door, but was beaten to it by Wolvie, who glared at her, most likely recognising her scent and ready to attack. Now that she had no powers, she was slightly freaked out at facing the metal-plated war machine.
Once again, she is saved by her brother. "Come along Raven, we have much to discuss," she heard from the top of a staircase, distracting the one-sided glaring competition. "Don't fret Logan, she is not hazardous to anyone," Charles addressed the slightly incredulous look thrown his way.
They had barely made it into his office when she burst into tears at being so impossibly close to her brother, it had been so long. She almost regretted her decision to join Erik that day on the beach, She had never rejoined her brother because every time she looked in the mirror, she remembered what she was fighting for.
After dinner, Raven and Charles went up to the lounge where they had frequented as children. Raven remembered days of reading and talking on the worn couch, of fumbling on piano as Charles taught her, her first notes, of having dreams of freedom and greatness, of seeing Charles grow up...
The room was the way they left it, many years ago. "It didn't feel right to be in this room without you here," she herd from her left, she looked to see Charles sitting next to her on the too-long piano stool. She looked reminiscent as she played around. "Do you remember that song we made up when we were 14?"
There was a vague nod as Charles' familiar chords and Raven's singing filled the old, dusty room.
"Remember when I cried to you a thousand times
I told you everything
You know my feelings
It never crossed my mind
That there would be a time
For us to say goodbye
What a big surprise," a tear slipped from her eye.
"But I'm not lost
I'm not gone
I haven't forgot" Raven moved to the couch, grabbing her old guitar on the way, strumming along.
"These feelings I can't shake no more
These feelings are running out the door
I can feel it falling down
And I'm not coming back around
These feelings I can't take no more
This emptiness in the bottom drawer
It's getting harder to pretend
And I'm not coming back around again," Charles stopped playing as he listened to his sister, strum her finishing notes.
They sat in silence for a while, listening to the ghost of the past haunt the room.
A/N: One-shot? Two-shot? More chapters? What do you think? Invisible lollipop for any who writes below!