CHARLES POV
It was Erik's turn to gape at him.
"What?!" said Pietro. At the same moment the boy spoke, there was a small pop from across the room. Everyone flinched except for Erik, who was presumably the source of the incident. Charles glanced over to the source of the noise to see that the bulb in one of his lamps had exploded.
"You've been gone for ten years." Charles said again untroubled by the loss of one lightbulb. He kept voice gentle, in part in an effort to soothe his old friend and his children but also because he didn't quite trust his own voice yet. "I thought that you were dead. We all did. We believed that whatever had happened down in that facility where Peter was imprisoned had killed you all. Obviously—and I'm so glad to say—we were wrong."
Charles gazed at his old friend who was still silent. As he did so, it hit him that if only a few weeks had passed for Erik and his children, then Charles was now the elder of the two. Despite the fact that the hardships Erik had endured in his life had always made him seem much older than his true age, the sudden realization that Charles had now lived quite a few more years than his friend, made Erik suddenly seem very young.
"Erik…" Charles started, not sure what to say to comfort his friend, who seemed to be in shock. It was shocking after all, and he knew it would be difficult for them to accept that ten years had passed them by, probably more difficult than essentially finding out a friend had come back from the dead. But for Charles, it was also a happy moment. His friend was alive. Wanda and Peter were alive. Whatever trials they had faced at least he had that much to cling to.
"But that's not—how? That's impossible." Said Erik finally. "We have not even been gone for a month."
Charles gave his friend a sad small, "I don't doubt that for you wherever you have been it has only been that long, but for the rest of us…I'm sorry, but it has been ten years. It's 1983."
Erik just blinked at him in disbelief.
"I told you." a small voice said from behind Erik, and Charles looked past his friend to see that it was Wanda who had spoken. She had one arm around her brother who had gone back to stand beside her. It wasn't clear to Charles who was supporting who, as they both looked even more exhausted then they had a moment before. Wanda's other arm was wrapped around her stomach as if she was going to be sick. "I messed up. I didn't bring us back…not really."
Before Charles or Erik, who looked like he was going to say something, had a chance to respond, Peter broke the silence. "Wh—what about Mila? Where's Mila? Is she alright? If we've been gone for ten years, then she's been all alone. Where is she right now? Weneedtoseeher." Peter gazed at him with large imploring eyes.
Charles felt a pang of guilt. Since his three unexpected visitors had arrived, Mila hadn't even crossed his mind. He should have thought of her…and the others, immediately. Of course, Peter and Wanda would want to see their pseudo sister. Would need to see her as Peter put it, but it also looked like they needed a good night's rest, a change of clothes, and some food, though not necessarily in that order. He should make sure that happened first.
Hank. Wake up. Charles telepathically reached out to his friend and colleague.
What?! Where? Who? Hank thought back at Charles confused, as he was still caught in the throes of sleep.
Relax Hank. We're not under attack, but we have guests.
Guests? Responded Hank, more awake now. Who? New students?
Not exactly. It'd be best if you'd just come here. I'd rather not try to explain.
Alright. Hank responded again a little distractedly, as Charles could tell he was searching for his glasses. Good old Hank, so accepting of the unusual.
Thank you, Hank. Charles cut off his connection with Hank to get back to the conversation at hand. He could tell Peter was getting very impatient as it looked like the boy was starting to vibrate.
"Mila is perfectly fine. She's currently asleep in her room here at the mansion." answered Charles.
Peter's eyes widened. Apparently, he had not expected that answer. It looked like the boy was about to tear off in search every nook and cranny in the house for his sister, so Charles quickly continued. "She's been living here as a student ever since you die—disappeared. She refused to go anywhere else for that matter. She wanted to be—as she put it—around people like her siblings, and I was happy to let her stay here. Mila was technically my first student, since I started the school back up."
Wanda—and Erik actually—still looked ill, but Peter grinned as if he could just imagine her stubbornly refusing to leave.
"So she's not a mutant, and you still let her stay?" asked Peter almost in awe. Charles thought it was likely that he was amazed at the thought of someone willing opening his or her home to a stranger, without so much as the shared commonality of being part of the same species.
Charles pressed on, "Of course. If she wanted to stay, who was I to turn her away? But I think perhaps it would best if a reunion were postponed until morning. You all look like you're in dire need of a good night's sleep, and your return will be a lot to throw at Mila, at any time, let alone in the middle of the night."
Peter rocked back on his heels a bit. "I guess…yea…it is gonna be a surprise…ten years. Jeez, Man. So she's like—like almost 18…." Peter shook his head in disbelief. "Okay. But I want to see her right away in the morning!"
"That can be arranged." Said Charles, though he planned on warning the poor girl before her older—younger?—siblings could knock down her door in the morning.
As if on cue, Hank came waltzing into Charles' office. His glasses were askew and his hair was mussed up, but he was awake. "Charles, you wanted to see…"
Hank's eyes widened in shock as he looked around the room taking in just who the surprise guests were. "Oh my God, Erik. You're alive. Y—you're all alive. How?"
"Hank." Said Charles stepping in—figuratively of course—before anyone else could, "I'm not quite sure the answer to that myself, and I'm sure we'll get an explanation with time, but right now, Wanda and Peter could use a change of clothes, some food, and place to lie down for the night. I think Erik's old room will do nicely, if you could escort them there."
Hank opened his mouth as if he wanted to argue, but one look at the exhausted teenagers and he complied. "Of—of course. No problem. Wanda. Peter. If you would just follow me…"
Wanda didn't react at all, and Peter just glanced at his father before quickly looking away, putting on what looked like a forced smile and addressing Hank. "Can do! Hank, right? Or is it Spock? I remember you from—I guess ten years ago now."
Hank stared at the boy perplexed. "Spock? As in the Star Trek character?"
"Righto science dude!" said Peter making the Vulcan salute with the hand that wasn't wrapped around his sister. "Don't try to tell me you're not a Trekkie. When we first met, and you saw my powers, you were all like 'fascinating.' Totally a Spock move dude."
"Point taken." Said Hank good humoredly as he led the teens from the room.
Erik made to follow his children, but Charles called out to him before he exited. "Erik if you don't mind…there's more we should discuss."
It looked like Erik was going to ignore him and hurry after his children. Charles could tell he did not want to be separated from them, even for a moment, and though he did not yet know where they had been or what had happened to them and also considering that for them Peter's imprisonment had been but a short time ago, Charles could understand that, but he really needed to speak with his friend. And he expressed as much.
"It's important, Erik. I'll keep an eye on them." He added lifting two fingers to his temple. Though he couldn't read their minds, and wouldn't do so without their permission in any case, he could sense Peter and Wanda's presence in the mansion. It might even take time for Charles to block out a mind that was as…energetic as Peter's.
Erik gave one last look in the direction Peter and Wanda had headed off to, before closing the study door and turning around.
"Alright. What more do you wish to speak to me about Charles that cannot wait until morning?"
"I think you should sit down." Said Charles as he looked at his friend. Now that Wanda and Peter had exited the room, Erik looked even more exhausted than before. Charles wondered how much of an effort he had been making to appear strong for their sake. Charles hated to drop more onto Erik's already full plate, but there was no doubt in Charles' mind that Erik would want to know what he was about to tell him immediately.
Erik complied with Charles request, taking a seat in one of the two vacant arm chairs in his office whilst Charles maneuvered himself behind his desk. As he sat down, Erik reached up as if to remove his helmet, but paused and looked at Charles before he did.
"The fact that I'm taking off my helmet is not an invitation for you to go perusing around in my head, Charles." Said Erik rather defensively, before continuing with a little less aggression. "But I've had this bloody helmet on for too long."
"You know I would never do that, Erik." Replied Charles.
"You've done it before." Said Erik as he nevertheless removed the helmet and placed it on the floor.
"Only because you've left me no choice." Charles fired back, then took a deep breath to calm himself. This was a happy night. He was glad his friend had returned. He did not want to argue with him, no matter how belligerently Erik might behave. Erik had a right to be short-tempered at the moment. It was an exhausting night for him—for them both—and it was going to get worse before it got better.
Taking one more deep breath, Charles raised his eyes to meet that of his friend's. He wasn't sure how to begin, or where to begin. In the end, Charles decided to go with the more recent set of events. "Erik, do you remember ten years ago—for you, what must feel like just a few short months ago—after we…ah broke you out of the Pentagon—"
"Yes, Charles. It's not something I'm likely to forget. Nor your involvement, especially with the punch to the face." Said Erik interrupting Charles.
"Indeed. But what I was getting at comes after that. After the incident in Paris, perhaps even after the events at the White House, I'm not sure. I never got all of the details."
Erik opened his mouth to respond, but Charles held up his hand. "Please let me finish. I haven't quite gotten to the point yet." Said Charles as Erik gave him a look of indignance but allowed him to continue. "Do you remember meeting a woman by the name of Magda Gurzsky."
Erik looked unwilling to answer, so Charles added "she was a native of Poland, visiting America for a few weeks with her father. You met her in a bar when she snuck out one night during her stay in the D.C. area, and were ah—" Charles cleared his throat "—intimate."
"I—how do you know that?" Erik asked his face a tad pink.
"I know because there are always consequences to our actions, Erik. And that is particularly true for your escapades it seems. Fortunately, some consequences can be a happy surprise."
"Wh—what are you saying Charles?" asked Erik though it looked like he had already begun to guess.
"I'm trying to tell you, Erik, that you have another daughter. A beautiful and talented little girl named Nina."
{Author's Note: Obviously I took a little bit of creative liberty with Nina's introduction, so I hope you're okay with it. Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcome!}