Thank you to everyone who favorited, followed, and reviewed!

Okay, so, this is basically setting up how Anya becomes a part of the family, and a few other plot-lines for later. Pretty important from the standpoint of here's the set-up, very soon things will be moving pretty quickly.

As for Alex in this chapter... I always see him as this very protective guy with his family, and as for how he is with little kids... well we didn't see him with any kids in the movie, so that's kind of me taking a personality trait and applying it to a new situation.

That's pretty much it! I hope you enjoy!

Chapter One: What To Do With Her

Now I know why her eyes are so familiar.

She has Erik's green orbs.

Anya Lehnsherr stares at me pleadingly before turning that angular face - just like Erik's - back to the brooding police officer staring down at her. He is not, however, talking about Erik. He is thinking about a man named Richard Jefferson, and his wife Melissa. Adoptive parents. They were almost finished with the adoption - a process made all the harder because the government had been trying to locate Anya's father but had been unable to (I would've laughed if the thought hadn't made tears cloud my eyes). And now they're dead and Anya is alone once more.

"My father?" Anya asks, eyes enormous in a silvery pale face. The sharp angles of Erik's face on her youthful visage lend a sense of fairies and sprites to her appearance, almost inhuman but childlike enough that she has the capability to grow into her features. A dusting of golden freckles covers her face and makes her seem even younger. Full lips, pale peach in color, balance out the forehead she received from her father. That hair though… that must be her mother's; dark auburn ringlets that bounce merrily around her face even as tears threaten in her eyes. "Why my father?"

"There's a chance that… what occurred might have been a result of your father's business practices." Always thought those goddamn Jefferson's were connected, the man thinks derisively, more than a hint of envy in his thoughts. Richard Jefferson was a wealthy man, owning quite a few businesses and a small farm - and had been rather suspicious of the police in his area.

I almost snort. No human gangs could have done what this poor girl saw.

Anya's voice is uncertain but growing angry when she next replies. "What exactly are you saying, Mr…?"

"Officer Frederick." He looks down at those cool green eyes and blanches for a second before he reminds himself he is not afraid of eleven year old girls. "Have you ever seen someone who looked like they didn't belong? Didn't fit with any of your father's business partners? Scared you maybe?"

"You mean did my father work with gangs? No, officer." She's got this stubborn little jut to her chin that looks so much like when Erik disagrees with me… Or rather when he did. The past tense causes an ache even more painful than the wound in my back.

"Damn," Alex mutters beside me, while Sean inhales sharply. They see it too. The similarities… She must be Erik's daughter. None of his siblings, if he had any (and the gaps in what I know about him are like another slash to my heart) would be this young. The three of us watch as that familiar scowl passes over her lips. Officer Frederick looks perturbed for a second before he scowls right back. With concern for the girl's well-being mounting, I press two fingers to my temple...

"There have been several break-ins similar to the one at your house, Ms. Lehnsherr. The chances that this was a coordinated gang-movement are -"

"Not likely," I interrupt. "Most of the break-ins involved missing property, were in much less secure areas, and most certainly didn't involve violence, especially to this degree. With this severe a distinction it would be wise for you to search for other motivations, rather than speculate on the few similarities between the break-ins and such a horrendous act. In fact, the break-ins might be serving as cover for the true criminals." The policeman goes slack-jawed, staring at me, while Anya's eyes narrow at me speculatively. At eleven years old, she has the wide-eyed curiosity of a child, but the growing intelligence of an adult, allowing her to see and make connections most adults would not. And in her case, the plague of suspicion caused by her circumstances.

Unfortunately that was blatant enough that even the slow-minded and corrupt officer before me is beginning to wonder.

Cold eyes appraise me even as Anya's eyes widen in realization. Oh God… He's a mind-reader?! She thinks in alarm. But… b-but…. Visions of various psychics and carnival persons flood her mind before she shoves them away. No, she thinks firmly. Real. Not fake.

"And you know about this how?" Officer Frederick interrupts Anya's mental musings. I shrug and hear the boys shift closer to me, though Alex is watching me out of the corner of his eye in concern. I nod a little to let him know that all is well before focusing on the man intending to intimidate me. I simply raise an eyebrow at him.

"The nurses were discussing amongst themselves about the break-ins and fretting about Anya. I overheard. They were saying how this was rather unlike the other cases." True enough, but then, they weren't in the room when they were chatting about all of this. The officer chews his lower lip and considers my words. Anya stays silent, but she's watching me with that child-like curiosity, wonder playing across her face.

Can you hear me? She asks mentally. Loudly, actually, broadcasting as much as she can. I nudge her mind a little with a wave of soothing calm and nod slightly. A slow little smile curls her lips up. That is really cool…

Not as much as you'd think, I respond. She lets out a sudden yelp at the invasion, and Officer Frederick turns towards her in irritation. She quickly turns her yelp into a whimper.

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," she says in as childlike a voice as she can manage. It's true but only to an extent. Just like her father, always protecting us… "Can we stop? Please?" Big eyes begging him. Officer Frederick grimaces.

"I still need to ask you a few questions, Ms. Lehnsherr." Anya sighs in an exasperated manner unbefitting a girl her age but nods. The man opens his notebook and asks routine questions, which Anya only gives ambiguous responses too. Understandable, since the truth is likely to have her committed and/or cause a mob hunt for the mutants in question. The knowledge of mutants is still relatively new to the public; word of what they are capable of would undoubtedly cause panic.

Not that little Anya is thinking of that.

Eventually Officer Frederick leaves and Anya breathes a sigh of relief. She looks exhausted. Both boys are glancing from her to me and back again. "I have a bunch of questions for you," she says sleepily, glancing at me out of the corner of her eye. I smile and nod.

"Which I will answer as soon as you are awake to ask them." She smiles sleepily and turns onto her side, watching the three of us.

"Promise?" she asks in a small voice. Asking for so much more than answers. Something softens in both of my male students, tension easing as they recognize the signs of a vulnerable young girl. I smile as encouragingly as I can and nod.

"Promise."

Anya's asleep moments later.

"Dude, why does she look so much like Magneto?" Sean immediately asks in a hushed whisper. I understand the need to distance himself from the man that was once mentor and father-figure to him, but I can't quite quell the flash of anger at the use of the "mutant name."

"Don't call him that," I say sharply. Sean flinches, and I sigh, rubbing my eyes. "I'm sorry Sean."

"S'cool." But it bothers him. It bothers him a lot how much I'm hurting, what Erik did, how he's hurting - how we all are. And how lonely we feel after losing so many of our own. Alex shifts uncomfortably and glances several times at the young redhead sleeping.

"Sean's right. That girl… she looks like she could be his kid or something." It's not a question. He figured as much when he heard her last name. "What's she doing here?"

I clear my throat and hunch my shoulders a little. Anya probably doesn't want to speak of why she is in a hospital room with a virtual stranger. If she is anything like who we believe her father to be, then she most definitely will not want to talk about my comforting her the night before. But the threat she is under…

"Her adoptive parents were killed by mutants."

Stunned, horrified silence. That is all I receive from my students. Sean's mouth gapes open and Alex clenches his fists several times. I clear my throat and gesture to the sleeping girl. "She apparently ran with a piece of glass in her side to a gas station. Was brought here shortly after. They're not sure how she survived." The nurses that had been tittering at Anya earlier had been cooing over how brave she was while secretly thinking of miracles they were tactful enough to not say out loud.

"Is she a mutant?" Sean asks in shock, staring at Anya with a mix of awe and devastation. Alex's expression is stoic, but his fists are shaking. Protective Alex, who has a younger brother who will soon be this age and is desperately reminded of him. Concerned Alex, who knows what it's like to be alone. And determined Alex, who is eyeing the chair by Anya's bed and hoping she isn't so affected by what happened to be terrified to find a stranger there when she wakes up. He isn't thinking so much of whether she's a mutant, but rather if she'll be able to defend herself if something happens.

I have never been prouder of him.

"If she is, she isn't aware of it."

Finally, Alex speaks. "So she ran all the way to get help, at eleven years old, with a piece of glass in her gut, and no help from her powers if she has them?" I nod and we all stare at the young girl. "She's gotta be his kid."

I couldn't agree more.

XXX-XXX

Feelings of distress wake me incredibly early the next morning. I open my eyes to the sight of Alex cradling a sobbing Anya in his arms and quietly rocking her back and forth in his chair. He's not singing or humming, but just talking, telling her stories of his own foster families and avoiding asking her any questions. Being there. I watch but don't interfere as Alex finally gets her to laugh through her tears at a prank he pulled when he was her age. Eventually her sobs quiet and she simply clutches at his t-shirt. He brushes his fingers through her hair and squeezes her in a hug. "Do you wanna try and sleep again?" Anya shakes her head rapidly. "Okay. That's okay."

Anya leans her head against his shoulder and closes her eyes. "Why?" Her young voice cracks on the word. Alex squeezes her tightly.

"Dunno. Monsters, I guess."

I don't say anything.

XXX-XXX

Two weeks pass, and Anya's side heals well enough with no signs of possible internal damage. At this point the hospital is hanging onto her mostly because there is nothing else to do with her. There is no one else in her adoptive family, no aunts or uncles or living grandparents. The government officials who took a look at Anya's history turned several shades of white or scarlet when they saw who she is related to, confirming what we knew the second we heard her name, and hastily scratched off her father as a potential candidate (though possibly having to raise his pre-teen daughter might knock some sense into Erik). Anya was confused at even hearing her birth father was alive, stating, "I thought he died in a fire." She didn't look too enthusiastic about finding him, either. As far as I know they are still trying to locate her mother.

Alex rarely leaves that little girl's side; it's a platonic and pure love at first sight. Many of the nurses think that he actually is her big brother on many meetings. Anya smiles when they say that but always contradicts them.

"I've never had a big brother before. Always just me, Mutti and Vatti," she told me one night when I finally convinced Alex to at least sleep in one of the available beds. She looked lost at the mention of her parents. "It feels nice."

"I imagine so," I said, "Though I am the big -" I halt my mouth by clamping it shut and Anya looks curious, but with that wisdom unbefitting her eleven years, doesn't ask.

I can't think of her. Not without falling apart.

Sean comes into the room with a bag obviously hidden in his jacket. He and Anya aren't as close as Alex and she already are, but she likes him well enough. "Hey kid, guess what I got!"

"Don't call me kid," she says sternly, with that expression that matches her father's. Sean just rolls his eyes, even though the look still scares him a little, and huffs.

"Fine, I guess you don't want -"

"I'm sorry!" Anya hastily declares, throwing her arms up in the air in a gesture of surrender. Sean laughs at her before unzipping his jacket and tossing her the plastic bag. Anya winces a little when she catches it but then dives into the bag. "CHOCOLATE! Thankyouthankyouthankyouthankyou!"

Who would've thought that Erik Lehnsherr's daughter would be capable of such excitement?

"Slow down Anya, you'll choke," I tell her. Sean smirks and ruffles her curls even as Anya gives me a chocolate-y grin. I sigh and she giggles through a mouthful of chocolate.

"Gonna share the contraband kid, or you keeping it all?" Anya teasingly brings it close to her chest and growls. Sean makes a swipe for the bag and she mimes biting his hand. "Hey dude! Watch it!" The little girl cackles and eats more chocolate. I shake my head in amusement. My boys; they are saving that child more than any doctor or psychiatrist could. Sean goofs with her to make her smile and Alex is the protective figure in her life she so desperately needs.

It will do her more harm to be away from them at this point.

Alex knocks before coming in the room. He smiles when he sees Anya is giggling before easing into the room. "Hey squirt, whatch'ya got there?"

"Don't call me squirt!"

"Yeah don't call her squirt!"

Alex punches Sean's shoulder and then sits next to Anya. In his hands is a black plastic bag. She looks at it curiously before going back to her chocolate. When her mouth is suitably full she holds the mountain of bars out to Alex and asks, "Wan' um?"

"Thanks." Alex rips off a piece and Anya squirms out from between the two boys to race across the room to me. She jumps onto the bed, bouncing a few times, before holding out the chocolate to me.

You too, Mr. Xavier? she asks. I smile, laughing a little at how easily she accepts my telepathy, before breaking off a chunk for myself.

"Thank you darling." She beams and curls up next to me, very much like a little kitten looking for a warm spot to sleep in. I run my fingers through her curls and she hums happily. Alex unwraps a stuffed snowy owl from the black bag and hands it to her.

"They said you could have this," he murmurs. Anya's eyes go very wide and she gently takes the toy from Alex's hands, curling around it so tightly that it becomes barely visible.

"Snow," she whispers. Her big green eyes glance from me to Alex. "Thank you."

Alex clears his throat and scratches the back of his neck. Sean nudges him and he glares. They get into a small scuffle while Anya giggles. A timid knock on the door breaks up the fight. Moira pokes her head in, a large manila envelope in her hands. She smiles at me and then looks at where Anya is currently using my arm as a shield to peak at the new person. "This must be Anya," she says with a smile. "Charles here has said a lot about you."

"Really?" she squeaks out. The older redheaded woman nods and sidles into the room. She can't help but feel uncomfortable in the young girl's presence, knowing what happened with her father - and that he's the reason why my legs no longer function or feel. Yet the young girl is completely oblivious of her father's actions, and will remain that way for as long as I am able to keep her in ignorance. Moira hands the envelope to me and then kneels beside the bed with a reassuring smile. "The hospital says you can go home today."

Any smile is wiped clean off of Anya's face. "I don't have a home," she says in a voice too serious and plain knowing for her age.

And of course both boys immediately lurch up to destroy that particular notion.

"'Course you do, squirt!" Alex vehemently declares, leaning over Moira to ruffle Anya's hair.

"C'mon kid, we like ya - you really think we'd let you hang out to dry like that?" Sean teases. Poor Anya just looks extremely confused while Moira looks very much like she wants to laugh and to cry at the protectiveness the teenagers are showing for Erik's daughter.

"I don't understand."

Moira hands me a pen and I go through and initial the needed areas of the documents.

"We know you're birth father," I tell her calmly. Anya doesn't react verbally so I chance a glance at her face. She is watching the boys and occasionally me, her expression blank. "There's a very likely chance we will see him again in the near future." I pause in signing the documents to appraise her. Anya's full lips are pressing into a thin line. Usually with Erik that means - meant - something bad was about to be done or said very shortly. I pray the same cannot be said for Anya. I gentle my voice and hope she will say something soon. "Until then, if you are willing, I'd like to be your legal guardian."

Silence. Holding our collective breath. Then…

"Live with you?"

"Yes."

"Until you find my father?"

"Longer, if you want."

"Why?"

I look at everyone present; at my students, at the female CIA officer, and finally at the young girl who has had literally everything ripped away from her in the past few weeks. Her home, her family, her life…

But maybe I can offer her a reprieve.

"Because I am - was," the past tense causes a lump to form in my throat, "a very good friend of your father's." A pause, where everyone is watching me with bated breath. "And because I believe very soon you are going to go through some changes."

Changes? Anya thinks in bewilderment. She is not speaking to me, but rather internally debating what I could possibly mean. I nudge her mind gently while Alex runs his fingers through her hair.

"Be like us," he interjects softly. The boys had explained what we are to Anya, doing their best to show what they could do so she would understand (though Alex had had to promise to show her when she was out of the hospital).

Anya's eyes go very, very wide. A quiet, "Really?" slips out of her peachy lips. Sean chuckles and steals some of the chocolate she has in a white knuckle grip in her hand.

"Yeah. Knowing your dad, you're going to be one badass chick!"

"Language Sean."

And the largest smile I've ever seen so far graces the child's face as her eyes light up with wonder. Then her arms are around me, the chocolate banging the back of my head and the toy my back as she hugs me so tightly I feel like she is crushing the breath from my body.

I embrace her just as tightly, and try to purge the resentment starting to take root in my soul even as happiness bursts in my conscious mind.

Erik, you should be here.