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Times Past	By : gallygaskins Category: X-Men: (All Movies) > Het - Male/Female Views: 1619 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men and I do not earn money from this fanfiction.

Chapter List
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Chapter 1 - A pleasant surprise

Looking out from his office window, Professor Charles Xavier took time out from his busy schedule to see what was going on outside. As it was dinnertime at the school most of the students and faculty were out enjoying the early summer sun. 'After all, it was June and why shouldn't people be enjoying the fine weather' he thought to himself. He always found it enjoyable watching what other people got up to. Losing the use of his legs may have meant that he would spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair but that didn't mean he would give up on life, especially that of his collective brood. If he'd been a lover he would have been the hopeless romantic. This way meant he was the hopeless people watcher, a pastime he very much enjoyed.

As always, Scott and Jeannie were inseparable, and today they had found a space right by the trees that ran the length of the west side of the property. They only had eyes for each other. Then there was Logan with Rogue, inevitably, sitting on the bench across from the pond. Logan had become much the surrogate father that Rogue needed. Ever since Logan had plunged his claws into Rogue's body the first night they had both been at the school, Logan had made sure that Rogue had felt a part of his life. Charles only hoped that a stronger relationship wouldn't develop between them. There were things that Logan still didn't have any idea of in his former life, before he had been experimented on; and the past had a nasty way of catching up with people especially when that past needed something.

Moving his head slowly around Charles spotted Jubilee & Kitty, talking incessantly about boys, no doubt, and . well probably just boys. And further round Storm was explaining something to Bobby and John.

Charles pulled himself from his reverie and made his way back to his desk. This was the time he used everyday to open any personal letters and cards that arrived for him occasionally. He felt that dealing with such things after dinner was better for him than first thing in the morning when the mail arrived. He had much more time and patience at this hour of the day to reflect on issues concerning his family and friends. And today would be no exception. He had only one letter today, and he knew he would enjoy reading this one very much. When it had arrived on his desk this morning he had instantly recognised the rounded handwriting of his favourite niece, well only niece, but he did love her very much, like a daughter. She out of every other member of his family had been the only one to support him when he had wanted to start up the school after taking Jean into his care. She was the only one that understood, the only one that cared, the only one that loved him for what he was, because in return he was the only one that loved and accepted her for what she was.

Of course, he had found love in many different guises and most of these relationships ended when his partner at the time had found out about his telepathic ability. But she, Elisabeth, had remained. Although now she was Beth, a much older and wiser Beth. She was alone but worldly wise, falling in love with a man that was much older than herself when she was twenty only to have him leave her six months later, with no explanation or any recognition as to why he had left and where he had gone. They had been married and Beth had carried their child, giving it up for adoption once it had entered the world. Charles had always expected Beth to tell him all the details in time but she never had, and these same details had been hidden away very deeply in her subconscious. Away so deep that Charles could not find them without her help and away so deep that she would never recall them, unless it were absolutely necessary.

He picked the envelope up with his left hand and opened it with the gold plated letter opener he held in his right. He put his hand in through the incision and fingering the fine bond paper inside pulled out the pages of this much-anticipated letter. Unfolding the paper in his hands he settled himself back in his chair and began to read.

Dear Uncle Charles, I hope this letter finds you well and that you are in a jovial mood. Before you probe my mind to find out what is wrong with me for not taking so long to write to you on this occasion I will answer for you. Nothing. Absolutely nothing. It is just I find writing to you helps me to sort myself out when I feel like I have landed into a hole I can not get out of. Please do not ask me anything on this subject, I will only reply by saying that the institute I was working for in London has closed down due to a lack of funding. Understandably, I am not too happy with this news and finding work should not be too much of a problem but I am now at the age where I feel I must slow down a bit and maybe settle myself somewhere. 'Wherever I lay my hat' does not seem to suffice anymore. There is a point to this, to which I am now arriving at. I recall a conversation we had many years ago when you were trying to enlist my help in helping out with your students . maybe even becoming a member of the faculty. Well I now feel I am ready for such an ordeal. And maybe in time I could see myself trying to find my daughter. She must be nearly the age I was when I gave her up, I forget dates but I remember her birth clearly. We all have to make choices we don't like and I feel sure I may have disappointed you on more than one occasion with some of the things I decided upon, but please know this. Through thick and thin you have always stood by me and I now feel that it is my turn to give a little back, even by being enlisted into the X-men if you see fit. Let me know what you think and I can then make the necessary arrangements to move myself across that huge pond that separates us. With all my love, Beth xxx.

A smile tinged the sides of Charles' lips. His Beth wanted to come home, well to where she obviously felt happiest. 'Writing a letter back to her would take too long' he mused, 'I'll give her my reply now.'

'Beth, my darling, I trust I am not disturbing you too greatly,' Charles conversed.

'Not at all,' came the reply, 'I was just settling down to a spicy chicken salad and a re-run of Friends.'

Charles decided to play her along a bit before getting to the matter in hand. 'Oh, which episode?' he asked her.

'Uncle Charles, do you really want to know or are you playing for time. I guess the reason for your 'call' was in answer to my letter?'

'Yes, it was, my dear. I would love to have you here, you know that, and you have never disappointed me with any decision you have come to. You didn't even have to ask, you could have just turned up you know, there is always a place for you here. I am just so happy that you have decided to 'lay your hat' here, with me.'

'Thank you. I'll make the necessary arrangements. Needless to say I will be travelling very lightly so one of your smaller rooms will be adequate.'

'I wouldn't hear of it. You will have your usual room and nothing else. It will mean moving a few people around but we can sort that out without much upheaval.'

'Please Charles; don't move anybody on my account. I would be happy sleeping on one of those damn slab things Jean keeps down in her lab, as long as I can get a bit of shut eye.'

'I think you and Logan both.'

'Sorry?'

'Logan is the fellow that is using your room at present, I think he and you are very much alike, neither of you seem to accept creature comforts readily.'

'Well when you have needed to 'jam' as many times as I have then .'

'I believe he spent close to 18 years 'jamming'. I'm sure he won't mind moving.'

'Well . If you're sure.'

'I'm sure. Okay. So are you going to tell me which episode it is?'

'It's the one where they're all in Las Vegas, and Monica and Chandler are at the Craps table. I'll speak to you soon regarding the travel arrangements. Goodnight Uncle Charles.'

'Goodbye, my child. I'll await to hear from you.'

No sooner had he dropped his link with Beth, than he became aware of a presence on the other side of his office door.

"Come in Logan."

The door was pushed open wide by the burly man that had been on the other side of it. "God, I hate it when you do that."

"Do what?" the professor asked innocently.

"When you know I'm on the other side of the door and about to knock, wouldn't you like to be surprised one of these days?" Logan countered.

"I've had enough surprises for one day, besides you never knock!" Logan grunted. Charles smiled. Motioning for Logan to take the chair facing him he picked up the letter from his niece. "My niece, Beth, will be shortly joining us from England. The Institute she was working for had to close down and I have asked her to join the faculty as well as becoming a member of the X-men."

"And this has what to do with me?" Logan questioned, arching his right eyebrow.

"At the moment you are using her room. She has asked me not to make a fuss and says she will gladly use another room, but I feel it is only fair that she move back into familiar surroundings. Like yourself, she favours change considerably but as in her own words ''Wherever I lay my hat' does not seem to suffice anymore.'"

"So you want me to move into new digs?"

"As long as you don't mind, that is!"

"No that's fine. Where you gonna put me?"

"You always seem happier out by the orchard, so I thought maybe you could move on up to the end of the corridor on the same landing. Does that sound okay?"

"Yep. Fine. Do I get to decide how to furnish it?"

"I'll make sure there is some money available for your furnishings. So, Logan, why did you wish to speak to me?"

"I believe I have a lead on my past."

"Good, have you eaten yet?" Charles asked. Logan shook his head in recognition that he had missed dinner after talking to Rogue for so long outside. "Well let's discuss this over a spicy chicken salad."
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Times Past