Disclaimer: I own nothing
Ana woke the morning of her presentation of her thesis to breakfast in bed courtesy of Raven's cooking as Charles couldn't cook to save his life.
"Good morning, love." Said Charles, balancing a tray with two plates of breakfast and two cups of coffee.
"Good morning." She replied
Ana sat up to allow Charles to put the tray on her lap. He kissed her before settling cross-legged in front of her to eat his own breakfast.
"Are you nervous?" he asked
"A little, but I am as ready as I can be. I am going to read through my speech a couple of times before we leave, but other than that I think I am just going to relax with you and Raven."
"Where do you want to go tonight to celebrate become a professor of linguistics?"
"How about we save the real celebrations for tomorrow night when we are both professors. For tonight we can go to our usual tavern and have a few drinks before coming home and sending some quality time together. Tomorrow we will go to dinner then the Tavern so you can celebrate with the boys." Ana said
"That sounds perfect." Charles said
He stood, kissed her lips, and left with the breakfast tray. Ana stood from the bed and stretched; she padded over to the dresser and picked a simple but elegant black dress and the jewelry Charles had given her for Christmas two years ago. The jewelry she lay on the vanity and the dress she hung on the door of the bathroom before going in and soaking in the tub. After she got out she called raven in to help her with her hair.
"So what do you want done today, Ana?" Raven asked, running a brush through Ana's long dark tresses.
"I don't really know. Just something simple, but elegant. Other than that you can have free reign
As Raven fixed her hair Ana read through her speech. When she glanced up an hour later Raven was meticulously pinning her curls to the back of her head with a few loose strands hanging in her face.
"Raven, thank you. It's perfect." Ana said turning her head to look at the finished product
"You're welcome. While you do your make-up I am going to get ready." Said Raven
"Alright. Thank you again, Raven."
Ana did her make-up and reentered the bedroom to dress. She pulled on the dress and was reaching for the zipper when Charles did it for her.
"You look beautiful, my love." He whispered wrapping his arms around her waist, "Are you ready? It's almost time to leave."
"I'm ready. Just very nervous." Ana muttered, as she left the comfort of his arms to grab her folder with her speech and her purse.
Charles, Raven, and Ana made their way out of the apartment and down to the car. Charles drove them to the hall where Ana was to give her speech and dropped Ana and Raven at the curb then left to find a spot to park. When he joined them Ana left them to find their seat and went to find her professors
"Ah, Ana. Are you ready?" Professor Jones asked
"As ready as I can be, Professor." Ana replied
"Very well. It's time. When they announce you just go out and give your speech. When you are done come back to this room and I will give you your degree. Good luck." He said walking out of the room
"Professor of Linguistics, Anastasia Elizabeth Lensherr."
Ana took a deep breath and walked out on stage. For the next hour she focused completely on the crowd her eyes never leaving their faces. She knew she had done well when, at the end of her speech all of her professors stood and gave her a standing ovation. As she turned to leave her eyes sought out Charles' and he flashed her a proud grin before she disappeared behind the door.
"Congratulations Professor Lensherr." Said Professor Jones
"Thank you Professor." Ana replied shaking Jones' hand
"Here is your diploma and your plaque. Thank you for a job well done. As one of the few females we have allowed into this prestigious school you are the best that I have worked with. You will go far with the languages you know and the others you will undoubtedly pick up. Congratulations once again, Professor Lensherr." Said Jones before he turned and walked away
Ana took a moment to collect her thoughts then left the room to find Charles and Raven waiting for her.
"Congratulations Ana!" Raven squealed grabbing her in a hug
"Thank you, Raven. It's a relief to be done. I'm certain you will feel the same way next week, right Charles?"
"More than likely. Congratulations, my love. Are you ready to go to the tavern and have a few drinks?"
"Yes, I am."
At the tavern, Charles told Ana and Raven to grab a table and he would order the drinks and dinner. The three of them sat and chatted about random things while they waited for their food. Tonight was about companionship; tomorrow was going to be a celebration.
The next morning Ana gave Charles the same treatment he had given her, breakfast in bed and lighthearted conversation. After breakfast she left him to do his last minute studying while she and Raven straightened up the apartment a little before getting ready. Charles' speech was to be given in the same building as Ana's was. Ana and Raven went to find seats in the auditorium and waited for Charles to take the stage.
"Professor of Genetics, Charles Francis Xavier."
Charles' speech was longer then Ana's but that was to be expected as genetics are more complicated and in depth than linguistics. At the end of his two hour speech Ana and Raven met Charles as the door and they proceeded to dinner. Galvin La Chappelle was as beautiful as it was months ago when Charles had proposed.
"I propose a toast. To the new professors of linguistics and genetics! Congratulations!" said Raven lifting her cola glass
"Thank you, Raven. Now that we are both done with school it's time to start on the wedding plans but that can wait for a few days, for now let's celebrate with each other because when we get to the tavern those boy are going to crowd around Charles and have him do something silly." Said Ana with a smirk
"It's only silly to you ladies. To me and the boys it makes perfect sense."
"If you say so, Charles." Raven replied with an eye roll toward Ana
Ana shook her head with a smile towards the siblings; they really were entertaining sometimes. The rest of dinner past with lighthearted conversation and Ravens friendly jabs at Ana and Charles' sex life. After dinner they headed to the tavern and proceeded to really start the party.
"Drink, Drink, Drink, Drink." Chanted the crowd, Ana and Raven included as Charles drank from a long, narrow glass full of beer.
"Arhhhhhhh" Charles shouted as he finished amid shouts of laughter
"I'm so proud of you!" Raven exclaimed hugging him as Ana laughed next to her.
"Ah, I need another drink as does Ana, and you need another cola." He told Raven who laughed and sat down at the table with Ana. As Charles walked up to the bar he was stopped by a woman.
"Congratulations Professor." She said with a smile
"Thank you very much. It's much harder than it looks, actually."
"No, on your presentation."
"Oh, you were at my presentation, how nice of you."
"Moria MacTaggert"
"Charles Xavier"
"Do you have a minute?"
"It depends on what you want to talk about. My sister and fiancée are waiting for me."
"Well that saves time as I am here on business. I really need your help." She said, "The kind of mutations you were talking about in your thesis, I need to k now if they may have already happened. In people alive today."
Charles moved his hand up to his face and let his fingers touch his temple, subtlety reading her mind. Ana saw this and quickly liked with Charles mind to see what he was seeing. She saw flashes of a red skinned man disappearing in a puff of smoke and a woman turning into diamond form then, she saw him. Doctor Schmidt.
"Professor? I think we should just talk when you're sober. Do you have any time tomorrow?" MacTaggert said in exasperation
"Something tells me you already know the answer to your question. This is very important to me and if I can help you I will do my utmost." Charles said
"Thank you. If it is at all possible could we leave tomorrow?"
"Only if my sister and fiancée can come as well."
"That's fine. Meet me at terminal one gate nine at the airport tomorrow morning nine am. Thank you again, Professor." Said MacTaggert
Charles moved quickly back to Raven and Ana. He grabbed both of them and pulled them out of the tavern.
"Charles what's going on?" Raven asked as they got into the car
"That woman that I was talking to is part of the CIA. She has discovered mutants working for someone who they are following and enlisted my help to prove to her superiors that mutants do exist and she is not going crazy."
Ana had yet to say anything so when they got home Charles said a quick goodnight to Raven with instructions to pack a bag for a few days trip before pulling Ana into their bedroom.
"Ana what is it? What has startled you so?"
"The man in that woman's thoughts. The one that didn't show any mutations, that was Doctor Schmidt. It was him without glasses and a mustache. I had hoped to never see that man again." She cried burying her face in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
"It's alright Ana he can't hurt you anymore. I'm here. You're safe."
Ana cried herself to sleep in Charles' arms and remained in a fitful sleep until Charles woke her to make their flight with Agent MacTaggert. The flight itself was uneventful and before they knew it they were at the CIA headquarters in front of the head of the CIA listening to Charles give a speech.
"…the advent of the nuclear age, may have accelerated the process. Individuals with extraordinary abilities may already be among us. Thank you very much." Charles finished sitting down next to Ana and grabbing her hand.
"MacTaggert, you really think that some crack pot scientist is going to make me believe in sparkly dames and vanishing men? You just bought yourself a one way ticket back to the typing pool. This meeting is over." Said the director shutting the folder in front of him as MacTaggert started to stand from her chair.
"Please sit down Agent MacTaggert. I didn't really expect you to believe me, given that all you could think about during my presentation was what sort of pie they were serving in the commissary. It's apple pecan." Charles said with a sigh before looking at MacTaggert, "I haven't been entirely honest with you, love I'm sorry. You see one of the spectacular things my mutation allows me to do is that I can read your mind."
"I've seen this before in a magic show. Are you gonna ask us to think of a number between one and ten now?"
"No Agent Stryker. Although I could ask you about your son William, who you were thinking about, which is very nice, but I think I'd rather ask you about the Jupiter Missiles America are currently placing in Turkey."
"He's a goddamn spy. You brought a goddamn spy in here!" the director shouted at MacTaggert
Everyone but Raven and Ana joined into the shouting and Raven having had enough jumped to her feet and used her power to change into Agent Stryker. Complete silence took hold of the room. Raven changed into her natural blue form.
"How's that for a magic trick?" Charles asked with heavy sarcasm
"Best I've ever seen." Said an Agent siting in the back by the door
"I want them out of here and locked down till I can figure out what to do." Said the Director
"My facility is offsite. I can take them." Said the agent in the back
Standing the three mutants left with the unnamed agent. As they walked down to the parking garage Ana noticed Charles had his fingers against his temple and a brief glance told her he was conversing with Agent MacTaggert.
"I have always known there were people like you out there. I've been the laughing stock of this agency for years, but I knew it. You're going to love my facility."
"That's going to have to wait." Said Charles
"Why?"
"Agent MacTaggert has a lead on Sebastian Shaw and if we don't move now apparently we're going to lose him."
"What?"
"Not only can he read mind he can communicate with them as well." Said Raven, sliding into the back with Ana.
"Moria and I have Just had a lovely conversation." Said Charles
"Yes we did." Moria said from the driver's seat
"That is incredible. But I can't take you anywhere else without permission from upstairs?"
"Would you like to see one more magic trick?"
"Okay."
"Get in the car." Said Charles raising his hand to his temple.
"Good idea." Said the agent.
Both Charles and the Agent got in the car and on the way to the Airport Ana found it time you address some issues.
"Agent MacTaggert, for you to understand what I am going to tell you I need to inform you of a small amount of my past."
"What do you mean?" she asked glancing in the mirror
"Sebastian Shaw is a mutant."
"He is how do you know?"
"Now comes story time. When I was a little girl I lived in Poland with my parents and my brother. We were a prominent Jewish family and as you can guess when the war came to Poland we were rounded up and taken to the camps. My family and I were taken to Auschwitz and when we walked through the gates my brother and I were pushed away from our parents." Ana said, taking a deep breath, "This is when we discovered Erik's ability, he can manipulate metal and in this instance he destroyed the gate that separated us from our parents. We were separated from the rest of the prisoners and brought before a doctor named Klaus Schmidt. He unlocked Erik's power by killing our mother when Erik couldn't move a coin by the count of three. Erik in his blind rage destroyed everything in the room."
"I don't mean to interrupt but how does this lead to Shaw being a mutant?" MacTaggert asked sounding impatient
"You're not a very patient one are you?" Ana asked, "It lead to Shaw because Shaw is Schmidt. I saw an image of him in your head and it is the same man that tortured my brother and I. I would know that man's face anywhere. I know you don't understand this, but the face of a man who spends his days strapping you to a table and doing experiments on you… it stays with you."
"Alright. Even if he is a mutant the plan stays the same. We go in as part of the coast guard and capture him and any accomplices he may have." MacTaggert said
Ana didn't think this was going to work well as they didn't know what Shaw's power was but she held her piece. They boarded the plane and within thirty minutes they were landing in Miami. Charles had Raven stay at a hotel while he and Ana went with the two agents.
It was dark by the time they reached the bay so the coast guard flipped on the floodlights.
"This is the US Coast Guard. Do not attempt to move you vessel. Stay were you are." Said one of the men on the ship as others in dingys sped toward the other ship.
Ana and Charles were on the deck with the two agents and Charles was attempting to get a read on Shaw.
"I've lost Shaw. I've lo… I've lost Shaw. There's something blocking me. This has never happened to me before. I think there's someone like me on that ship." Charles said in amazement
"Like you?" MacTaggert asked
"I'm sorry. A telepath. This is incredible. I can actually feel her inside my mind. I'm sorry I don't think I am going to be much help to you tonight. You're one your own."
When whirlwinds appeared on the water the two agents directed Charles and Ana back inside. As they ran down the stairs Charles stopped with a shout of pain.
"Charles what is it?" Ana asked
"There's someone else out there." He said pushing the door next to him open, "There."
In the air hovering over the ship was the anchor. As they watched the anchor swung around and proceeded to destroy the ship. They saw a sub going deeper into the water with a man being pulled along behind it.
"Let it go! You have to let it go! There's someone in the water you have to help him." He told MacTaggert, "Let it go! You have to let it go!"
Charles tired of yelling, ran to a point on the ship he could jump off of and did just that. Ana had run after him and was frantically searching the water for either of the men. When they both surfaced she called out for someone to pull them from the water. When they were both on board Ana ran into Charles' arms.
"What were you thinking? You could have been hurt!" she scolded him
"I'm sorry love. I didn't mean to scare you." He said before gently kissing her lips, "Ana I have a surprise for you."
"What?" she asked
"I found your brother. He was the man in the water." Ana spun around to stare at the man
"Erik?" she whispered, "Erik Lensherr?"
"Yes. Do I know you?" he asked looking puzzled
"I'm Ana. Anastasia Lensherr."
Erik didn't say anything he just stared at her. Finally he looked down at his left arm and slowly pulled up the sleeve revealing the number 214782. Ana walked towards him and pulled up her sleeve as well revealing her own number 214783. Ana fell into his arms sobbing. Erik also had tears running down his face. The two lost sibling held each other until their tears were gone, when they separated Ana kissed his cheek and brought him over to Charles.
"Erik this is my Fiancée, Charles Xavier. Charles this is my brother Erik." She said
The two men having already met in the water shook hands while Ana smiled, completely content for the first time in years.