A/N: Well folks, did you miss me? I missed you! I think the break was exactly what I needed. It gave me a chance to recharge and five days to brainstorm up the path for the rest of the story. I am so excited to write again, and I hope that you are just as excited to read it again. Thank you for all of the reviews! There were a few I need to respond to but they've been buried, so I'll just address them here. If I have missed something then by all means PM me and I'll address that as well.

1) To the reader who asked if they could translate my story in Italian

That would be a huge honor! I would be humbled to have m story translated into another language. All I ask is that you give me full credit and send me the links as you post them, where ever you post them.

2)Who was Hank's best man?

In the end, he chose both Alex and Sean, instead of choosing between them.

3)Will Charles regain the use of his legs?

No. I had a solid intention of letting that happen. That was until, I received countless reviews and Private Messages, from people who are wheelchair bound for various reasons. They expressed a massive gratitude, to see a main character face this challenge. They were thankful that I showed him with realistic challenges, such as bathroom and balance concerns. After being told what it meant to them to see a character share the same challenges and over come them - I feel that Charles shows more growth and value in this way. Rather, than going for an easy fix. I hope the readers wishing for a quick fix can appreciate where I am coming from in this.

4)What were we voting on?

Option 1 - No kiss, and Alex reacted angrily to the exposure of Charles x Erik

Option 2 - Sean, headed him off at the pass, with a little smooch

5)Is Hank the father of Raven's baby?

No, Azazel and Raven had a one-night-stand, the night after the fight on the beach. She and Hank are together so they are simply telling everyone that the baby is Hanks. She doesn't want the house to know she messed up that badly with Azazel. So no, officially the child is Raven's and Azazel's.

I think that was everything that I needed to cover, now - ON WITH THE STORY!

Contains Erik x Charles.

Raven stood at the doorway to the room across the hall from her own. The furniture had been removed and was currently lining the hallway. Yesterday, some of the staff had pulled down the tartan wallpaper that she had always hated.

Today was July 23rd 1963. Today the help consisted of Hank, Sean and Angel, they had painted it bright yellow. Raven hand ran distracted circles over her swollen belly as she watched them do the finishing touches. She smiled behind her hand, as poor Hank's fur was almost green from the amount of yellow paint which had splashed onto him.

Erik had been recruited to draw a castle on the main wall. He had started out simply doing the outline. Raven had explained a castle would be perfect. If it was a little girl, then they could put a princess overlooking the castle. If it was a boy, they could go with knights and a dragon.

Raven had been having small Braxton hicks contractions for weeks now. After panicking the first six times, she had gotten used to the irritating little things. She had started to like the idea of being a mom. She knew Hank would do wonderfully, but she had her own fears to process.

Hank was not the baby's father. As much as she wished he was, that would never be the case. She wondered what the child would look like, and if the baby would favor him at all. She counted her brief moment of involvement with Azazel among the height of her personal failures. She had worked hard to regain the trust of those who lived here and she worried if they found out, that would change.

By six pm, the room was completely finished and the entire staff filtered into the room to appreciate it. Erik had begged Raven to let him paint over the yellow. He felt it would clash with anything added to the castle. After some debate, Erik won out and in the end Raven was glad that he had.

He had taken various greens and added a level of grass for the castle to sit on and extended it around the room. He had repainted the sky a vibrant mix of red, orange and gold in the image of a sunset. Sean had pitched in as part of his assignment in art, by adding a moat and a few trees. In the end, no one could deny it was a vast improvement on the yellow.

Once the furniture was added to the room, it was ready. Raven leaned against the yellow speckled blue Hank and was left to stare in awe.

"Only missing one thing now." Charles announced, as he entered the room behind the crowd.

Raven smiled. "Yes well, I'm about ready to sign an eviction notice myself. I would really like to be able to breathe properly again, with out little feet kicking me in the ribs."

The room chuckled as Raven patted her belly.

"I still say it should be a girl." Angel spoke.

"Girls are lame, and they suck at sports." Sean piped up.

"Right… That's why she kicked your ass on the basketball court last night." Bobby announced as he motioned to Angel.

Sean glared at him. "Chicks before D-"

"Sean." Charles interrupted with a smile.

Sean looked confused then followed Charles' gaze to the door where a few of the younger students were looking into the room with amazement on their faces.

"Sorry Professor." Sean muttered, he really had to learn to watch his mouth around all the kids.

The young Jean Grey was among them and she came to stand in silence by Charles. She still wasn't talking much, but she had come a long way in just a few months. Her control of her power was impressive and she proved to be a quick study. She had developed quite the loyalty to Charles, and still most often spoke to him.

A young boy hung back by the door with wide eyes, as if trying to see. He was only about ten years old. His family were German immigrants. They had come to America in hopes of finding a better doctor for their son. They didn't realize that his 'illness' was really a mutation. He had very limited vision in the day light, but had amazing vision during the night.

MEETING OMAR

Sadly, they had come into America just before the mutant registration act. Erik and Charles had gone to the store to purchase supplies when they heard a scuffle. A neighbor had called the police on the family after seeing the 'blind' boy run and jump on a dark playground. Charles and Erik had arrived just in time to see the family being drug out of their house.

The police were less than friendly shouting racist slurs intertwined with mutant slander. The extraction went from bad to nearly fatal in only three seconds. Charles saw the boy with the gun, before the police did. The young boy had a gun pointed at the police begging they release his parents.

Of course, none of the family - the child included - had spoken any English; so the police saw nothing more than a gun pointed at him.

Charles had never needed to tell Erik to interfere, as by the time the police noticed, Erik was already moving. He jumped the police barrier as if it wasn't there. In one move brief gesture he disarmed the police. Charles got the impression that he would rather see the kid shoot them.

The police turned their attention on Erik when all of their guns fell apart in their hands. He was clearly the bigger threat. Erik, however had ignored them. He stood in front of the child. The boy was rambling in frantic German and in his fear pulled the trigger.

The crack of the gun was audibly followed by a gasp from the onlookers.

For a moment time seemed to lag.

Erik had easily stopped the bullet and plucked it from the air. The child's mother had engulfed the boy into her arms while the father stood between them. The father attempted a broken English sentence but most of his attempt was so far beyond English, Erik could recognize it. The only words he picked out were:

"No… Harm…" The father's eyes pled while the mother cried behind him.

Erik's attention turned over his shoulder for a moment as he noticed the policemen suddenly leaving. He thought for a moment that they were going for help until he caught Charles' eye. He smiled slightly. Charles did not like to use his powers on others, but perhaps even he saw the horror of what they were doing.

Erik turned back to the family and spoke in German. Their reaction was with out hesitation as what ever he said won a handshake from the father and a grateful embrace from the mother.

That had only been two weeks ago. Now, the boy who was introduced as Omar was a student at the Institute.

Erik addressed the boy in German and the boy responded with a grin. Charles couldn't help but smile at the interaction between the pair. Erik was such a beautiful soul, and it did Charles' heart wonders to see that others noticed it to._

"Thank you everyone." Raven spoke. "It looks amazing. I think I am going to run down the store for a few minutes to get some last minute touches for the baby's room."

"I'll get my coat." Angel started.

"No. I want to get it myself - It's a surprise for everyone." Raven insisted. Already, her eyes on Charles - he tended to be the final verdict.

"Raven, it isn't safe for any of us to go out alone." Charles warned her. "Someone needs to go with you - just in case."

Raven rolled her eyes. "I can hide my mutation, Charles."

"I am not changing my mind on this Raven, it isn't safe." Charles spoke to her before whispering something to Jean to took Omar's hand and led him and the other students out of the room. She had a wonderful leader personality, Charles took note to foster that.

"Then let me go." Sean said. "Who is going to notice a teen and his mom walking around the mall?"

Charles cast a fleeting look to Erik who gave the faintest roll of his shoulders. No help there.

"Fine, but please make it a quick trip. These attacks are becoming more frequent and I worry for you." Charles conceited and Raven smiled.

She would morph into a slightly older version then the form she used to wear at all times. Her pregnancy was visible but the clothes she chose made her look like a perfectly normal mom.

"See you soon." Raven said giving hugs to everyone who helped on the room. She kissed Hank and whispered something that made him smile.

"I have to go teach my evening lesson." Charles said as he watched Sean and Raven leave. "Good evening, everyone."

Erik fell in silently beside Charles. Erik had his own classes to run but he tended to shadow Omar so he could translate the current lesson. This gave him a chance to watch Charles work, it was something he had to admit he enjoyed doing.

Charles reached out and took Erik's hand.

"Can you believe there will be a baby in this house before long?" Charles asked in idle conversation.

"Seems that way." Erik answered.

"I feel foolish asking this but, did you ever have children?" Charles asked. While he had read the others mind when they first met, the memories of Shaw had slammed to the forefront of his mind. Charles had stopped before discovering the less anguished moments of his life.

The slightest hitch and hesitation in Erik's gait told him he may have found something else.

Erik didn't answer, hoping the silence would hold until the classroom where such matters could not be discussed in front of students.

"Erik?" Charles asked watching him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to offend you."

Erik opened the door and allowed Charles in ahead of him. Charles went to the front of the room while Erik took a seat in silence beside Omar.

And soon the lesson began…

AT THE MALL

Raven was digging through the baby section while Sean looked very out of place. They had only been here about fifteen minutes, but Sean couldn't see the point of debating over which pattern cloth diaper was the one she needed.

He was jerked from his thoughts when she suddenly grabbed his forearm. Her nails bit into his arm and most of her weight was supported on either his arm or the shelf she grabbed.

"Raven! Are you ok?" Sean could handle a nuclear war, but a woman in labor? Not so much.

"Go...and get the car." She spoke through clenched teeth, not sure how she had gone from little contractions to such intense ones so suddenly.

"I shouldn't leave you. Come on, let me help you to the car-" Sean was silenced by the glare she sent his way.

"Listen. To me. Sean Cassidy. You. Get the car. I am not walking four hundred yards to where we parked it. I will meet you at the door. Now. GO." Raven let go of his arm as the contraction passed and the pain eased up.

Sean debated for a second before taking off at a run for the car.

Raven slowly began the process of making it from the back of the store to the front. About halfway there, her water broke and another contraction sent her to her knees. A store woman came to help her and gasped at Raven's blue skin and auburn hair as the pain broke her concentration and she shifted back to her natural form.

Another woman who had been on the phone with the hospital went from worried to panicked as she began to shout about a mutant into the phone. Sean was nearly out of the mall before he was tackled to the ground by a mall security officer, who was shouting something about a running teen in the mall was a sure sign of a thief. He clearly didn't believe a word Sean said when he tried to explain about Raven being in labor.

The ambulance arrived in record time as they hoisted her onto the gurney and began to wheel her outside. She kept telling them about her friend and asking they contact her brother. They completely ignored her. Raven was more frustrated then panicked.

That was until she saw the unmarked black van that they were rolling her toward. She began to struggle, but the contractions were coming faster and she felt helpless. So she did what any helpless person does - she screamed.

In her mind - She screamed as loud as she could for Charles…

BACK AT THE MANOR

"Now students, please tell me how you think the boy in the story felt when his dog died.." Charles gestured at his own copy of Where the Red Fern Grows. "How did you feel when you read-"

The book slipped from his fingers and both his hands came to his head. Erik watched him in silence before saying something to Omar quickly and crossing the room to Charles. "You are dismissed." He told the students. When they hesitated he added a sharp "Now!" and they scattered.

Erik knelt beside Charles. "You ok?"

Charles' hands were trembling and as he looked at Erik as tears poured down his face. "Assemble everyone. Raven - She has been taken."

"Taken?" Erik questioned then he stopped watching with his own fear steadily growing as Charles frozen.

Through her eyes, Charles saw Raven loaded into the van.

He felt her fear and isolation.

Then, as the heavy doors shut, he felt nothing.

He couldn't touch her mind.

He couldn't feel her emotions.

She was gone.

Raven was gone.

Gone where he couldn't follow.

Somewhere in the back of his mind he heard someone screaming for her…he wouldn't know until later that the panicked screaming voice…was his own.

I didn't think I would be able to write so soon after the trip!

(I walked in the door, and started writing. I am hoping to be able to write another chapter tomorrow, but if not the rotation will pick up like normal on wednesday as orginally planned! Thanks so much!)

Check back tomorrow to see how and if the team are able to locate and rescue Raven.

What about the baby?

Please Read and Review

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