August 8, 1958

Charles watched as the children gathered for their first day. Rahne was out there somewhere, her wide eyes staring around her. She had been in there several times, but she had never actually attended classes there. It was good that she was back in school, getting some degree of normality back in her life. He'd have Kayla give him a report on how it went when the day was over.

The only real disappointment was Erik's continued refusal to have Lorna attend. Charles had seen her expression when Rahne talked to her about going to school. She'd looked more than just a little wistful. He'd seen that she had been reluctant to go to a building full of strange people at first. It had been one of Erik's chief arguments. Now he could see that she was changing her mind.

He didn't know when she would bring it up to her father, and until then she stood little chance of going to the school. Still, Charles couldn't force her to go to school. Tentative steps were all that could be taken. She'd have to make due with her tutor until Charles managed to convince Erik to let her come.

"Everything alright?" Raven asked, walking up behind him.

"Of course," he said, "This has been my project for nearly two years. It's good to see it start to sprout."

He pushed his finger against the glass.

"Do you see that?" he asked.

Dutifully Raven walked over and peered down. Some children were playing a game of jump rope. The girl jumping had scales and a tail. Of the others waiting in line or turning the rope, some had wings and others had multi-colored hair. Charles turned back to Raven, grinning broadly.

"Could you ever have imagined this when we were younger?" he asked.

"I never imagined Genosha period," Raven said.

"Yes, but this is different," Charles said, "This is an opportunity for advancement that few mutants have been offered anywhere in the world! They can finally go to school without fear of being judged or reported on."

His enthusiasm colored his voice. Charles knew that he sounded like a giddy schoolboy, but after all the work he had put into the school it was hard not to be excited. Part of him still wished his duties allowed to teach. Still, being a patron and overseer was better than nothing. At least his dream was still being carried out.

Raven shook her head.

"So you think that this is your big accomplishment?" she asked, "What about freeing Genosha?"

He shrugged.

"Besides that," Charles said.

"You're impossible," Raven snorted.

"No, you just don't see it the way I do," Charles said, "I want you to picture it. Come on, close your eyes."

"Don't be stupid."

"Close them."

Raven did so, sighing.

"Now," said Charles, "Think of Genosha in ten years."

"If all of the insurgents and foreign hit teams leave us alone," muttered Raven.

"No talking," Charles ordered.

She closed her mouth, her eyes still closed and her arms folded over her chest.

"Now, mutants have been born here, knowing equality," Charles said, "More come. Maybe all of this persecution is all but forgotten by then. But maybe they want to leave, to broaden their horizons."

Although she couldn't see him he stretched out his arms.

"I see this as a sort of memorial, a gift to the country," he said, "It's a promise to the future, that we will be here."

Charles grinned.

"Open your eyes now," he said.

She did and gave him a blank look.

"You need to get your head out of the clouds," Raven said.

In defeat Charles sighed and let his hands drop to his sides.

"Yes, well, sometimes you need to reach for the sky," he said, "And you need to get to your classes."

Raven rolled her eyes. Despite her protests he'd enrolled her in a few of the classes. She still needed an education.

"I'm not a schoolgirl Charles," she said.

"You're fourteen."

"Almost fifteen," corrected Raven, "And Emma was doing field work when she was fifteen."

He rubbed his temples.

"Let's start from the beginning," he said, "And the beginning was that Emma was half-mad when we found her; her only moments of sanity seemed to be on the battlefield. If, you recall, we were also in the middle of a revolution."

"And we've still got threats," said Raven, "And now that Emma's stabilizing you're not shuffling her off. She's what, nineteen?"

"It's sort of too late," said Charles, "Besides, you said it yourself. She's over eighteen."

"That's picky," Raven said, her eyes full of defiance, "There are still so many people out there making plots-"

"Which can be taken care of with ease by Azazel and Neena," said Charles sharply, "If they need reinforcements, they'll call in Emma or someone else."

"You mean the other X-men?" she asked , sarcasm dripping from her voice.

Charles took a deep breath. The phrase had been popping up more and more, especially from the Genoshan newspapers. He wondered if it was a take on G-men or if it was just their idea of a catchy title. Either way the christened members had adopted it for themselves, and even Charles had accepted it. Hearing it from his sister was annoying though.

"Yes," he said, "Along with them. The X-men. They have it under control. No offense, but you're not needed."

"You know I could help," she said sharply.

"You're still a child," Charles said, sighing in frustration,"We've had this conversation over and over Raven."

"Because you won't listen!" Raven snapped.

"No, you're the one who isn't listening," said Charles, "You. Are. A. Child."

"I'm more than that," she said, "And if you don't believe in children fighting, what about this little Acolyte program of yours? Hm?"

"Erik designed that and you know it," Charles said, his voice low.

"But you didn't protest too much," said Raven, crossing her arms, "You think it's okay. You're just doing this because I'm your sister. And if you're so adverse, maybe I should just take this up with Erik!"

"He agrees with me."

Raven's yellow eyes flashed.

"You've discussed this with him?" she demanded.

The question seemed ridiculous. Charles resisted the urge to laugh, knowing it was inappropriate and would only make her angry. Still, Erik was practically family. Lorna referred to Charles and Raven as her uncle and aunt. Erik discussed Lorna and Susanna with him. Why would Raven think that Charles wouldn't talk to Erik about her well-being?

"Of course I've discussed this with him. Several times," Charles said, "And he agrees that you are too young. And you throwing temper tantrums doesn't give us much incentive to change our minds."

"Temper tantrum?"

Crossing his arms Charles nodded.

"Temper tantrum," he confirmed, "No matter what you want to call your repeated arguments about being allowed to handle more important things, your tantrums are not helping your case."

She glared at him and Charles sighed.

"If you want us to treat you like an adult," he said, "Start acting like one."

Her hands trembling she pointed an accusatory finger at him.

"I have done more than most adults have done in their lives," Raven said, "I've organized hospitals, run receptions, and I know how to fight."

"I know," Charles said.

"You have no idea."

Leaning up against the window pane he looked at her sharply.

"I do actually," he said, "How long did you think you were going to be able to keep Azazel's training sessions secret?"

Her eyes flashed again and her hands clenched into fists.

"He said he wouldn't tell!"

"Azazel didn't tell," Charles said, "You're leaping to conclusions."

Raven looked down. For a moment he thought that the conversation was over, and he was grateful. Then she looked up, a new anger burning in her eyes.

"You read my mind, didn't you?"

"What?" asked Charles, shocked, "Of course I didn't!"

"You made a promise!"

"And I haven't broken it," insisted Charles, "I am simply observant. You have blistered hands, cuts, all of which speaks of defense lessons. I don't object to them Raven. Azazel is a good teacher."

"Why didn't you tell me you knew?"

"I wanted you to tell me," Charles said, "I thought you trusted me."

She shook her head, disgusted.

"Don't use that tone."

"What tone?"

"You know the one," Raven snapped, "You're my brother! I know how much you love playing the father figure, but you're not my father!"

The beginnings of a migraine began to pound away inside his head. He began to rub his temples just as Raven snapped;

"And you're not Rahne's father either, so you can quit that act too!"

His fingers paused on his forehead. Charles stared at Raven, aghast. From the smug satisfaction on her face she could tell she'd hit a nerve.

"What on earth do you mean?" he managed.

"You know exactly what I mean," Raven said, "You act all fatherly and shit. It's just your way of taking in strays. And I know she probably sees you as her father; shows in her eyes whenever you're with her. Well guess what! She's not a stray. She's got Kayla to look after her and her mother, when she's here."

He continued to stare, feeling an iciness spreading over him.

"Her mother is going to come back and take her back to the States once this is all over," Raven said, "You just want to be needed by someone, and you don't care who? And Rahne might not know it, but she doesn't need you!"

A stony silence dropped between them. Charles felt his heart constrict. He wanted to tell Raven that he wanted that. The idea of Rahne accepting him as her father was one of the most heartening things he'd heard all year. Of course he wanted her to like him because of how he felt about Moira, but she was also a charming child.

Some part of him wished that he could explain this to Raven. The words were on the tip of his tongue, that he wanted to be with Moira and take over the position as father to her daughter. Deep inside there were few things he'd rather have then to be with the woman he loved and help raise her daughter. They could live together on Genosha, they could be a family, he knew it.

On the outside though he knew it was an impossibility. Moira had her work, and he had his. They would always be apart really, and any dreams he toyed with weren't going to happen. Explaining this to anyone would violate her trust though. If he couldn't even speak about it to her, then how could he speak about it to his sister?

"Raven…Rahne isn't going to go home," he said, his voice level.

She blinked at him.

"But-"

"You said she'd go back to the States when this is all over," Charles said, "Raven, this is never over. There will always be people who hunt us; Moira's job will not end when she finds the second as long as she is on this case then her daughter will be in danger. The only safe place Rahne can be is Genosha."

Not looking at her he plowed on.

"And even if she does get most of the facilities, or the CIA cuts her off, then she'll have many enemies," said Charles, "I doubt that will happen. But it will mean that the States will be dangerous for her, especially for her daughter."

He took a deep breath.

"So one of two things will happen," said Charles, "Either Moira will move to Genosha, or Rahne will have to stay without her mother, having her visit only once every few months. I find the second more likely ocnsidering her mother's work. Either way Rhane is not leaving. And she knows this. You can see it when she goes rigid in the middle of recess, in the way she clings to Moira every time she visits."

He fixed his sister with a cool glance.

"You don't understand," he said coldly, "It's why you're still a child, why that little girl is more grown up than you."

Raven's eyes widened and he turned away, leaving the room.