Back to the Future

A/N Hi, hope you all had a good week! Thanks for reading :-) I'm sorry these past chapters have been quite short, but I've been pretty busy and I promise the next chapters will be longer, as they'll be the big event in Washington (yay!)

Logan looks up when a nervous Hank enters, having put the plane into autopilot for the rest of the relatively short flight. He knows he has to say something. Poor lad looks like he's about to be sick on his feet.

"You know, it's worth it. What we're doing." Logan says. The three others all look up at him in surprise. "Professor." Charles tilts his head, interested. "Your students, your school. It's fantastic, a haven for mutants. You have to find us all. Bobby, Ohoro, Scott."

"Doesn't Alex have a little brother called Scott?" Hank interrupts. Logan nods.

"Alex brought him to the school when he was 15." He pauses. "Hank, you're one of the best scientists the mutant world has seen, and one of the best teachers at Xavier's. And Lena." He looks at her. "I never knew you, but I know your daughter."

"Gaia? How?"

Logan laughs.

"She came to Xavier's in her early twenties. Talented girl, very bright. Good member of the X-Men."

Charles blinks.

"I let my own daughter onto the team?" He doesn't think he'd ever want to endanger another member of his family again. Logan looks at his shoes.

"You.. Er.. Well..." Logan mumbles, and Charles raises his eyebrows.

"I what?" He asks, already fearing the answer.

"You didn't know she was your daughter."

"Oh my gosh!" Charles yells, slapping his forehead. "I hate my future self almost as much as my past one."

Lena rubs his shoulder.

"Hey, now you get a second chance, Professor Useless." She grins

Charles chuckles slightly.

"Thank goodness."

[][][][]

All the X-Men shudder as they begin to hear the drone of Sentinels in the sky. They're still miles away, but they begin to prepare their feeble defences.

A thick forest grows high, extra trees sprouting from the ground and filling the valley, forcing the Sentinels to take a different path.

A barrier of water rises up around the run down shelter, crackling with lightning.

A combination of forces between Lorna and Magneto sends the run down fences covering all openings, giving extra support to the structure.

And most importantly, a number of realistic, but holographic figures appear on the hillside, sheltering behind a large rock but plainly in view of the Sentinels before they see the building and it's defences.

Charles sends a smile to his youngest recruit, truly proud of how she's grown up these past months. Of course, he wishes she'd never have had to, but he's proud all the same.

He looks towards Gaia, whom he's even prouder of. Of course, there's that little niggling guilt, but her constant smile keeps that at bay.

He finally looks towards the sleeping, through which he just spoke to his past self. He tried to pass on his wisdom, and he hoped he succeeded. That man, he was so scared, so upset and lost, he barely recognised it as himself.

He hopes younger Charles completes the task he set him.

Scott, who was overseeing the defences, returns to the room, and gives the Professor a solemn nod. Charles smiles at him.

They're ready, if Logan can change the future soon.

After that, he's not sure what they can do.

[][][][]

Hank laughs when Logan tells him about the time Alex blew up the kitchen trying to bake a cake for Charles's birthday.

Charles grins, but finds his mind unable to focus on anything except the coming battle. His eyes drift over to Lena, who stares out the window.

Hey. He says, without even realising. He sees her smile, and she replies instantly.

Hi.

Charles takes a deep breath as he works out what he wants to say.

So, you nervous? She asks, interrupting his thoughts.

A bit. He replies honestly. But it should be fine.

If you say so. She laughs slightly, and shakes her head.

Listen, Lena.

Yes? She answers curiously, still looking at the passing clouds.

I know that last time was different, but.. He takes a deep breath in. Please be careful. I want... I mean... I need you to stay with me. You stay safe, alright? He looks up and sees that she's staring right at him. He somehow manages to spit out the words he's been trying to say all along. I can't lose you again.

She gasps.

Okay. She replies. I promise. But you do the same. I can't lose you either.

Charles laughs, and smiles. She smiles back.

Hank and Logan exchange a glance, and Logan repeats a phrase he picked up off of Erik in their brief time spent together.

"Bloody Telepaths." He mutters, and Hank nods in agreement.