"Charles, Alex wrote! He's back from 'Nam and will visit in a few because he's worried about you!"

"My little girl." I smiled once I heard her voice and knocked on the door.

"Can I help you?" A teenage boy opened the door and I could just barely see Lyla walking down the stairs.

"Yeah, what happened to the school?"

"School's been shut for years. Are you a parent?" He asked.

"Somewhat. Who are you?"

"I'm Hank McCoy. I look after the house now."

"You're Beast!? Look at you! I guess you're a late bloomer."

"I don't know what you're talking about, but I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"Hank, who's at the door?" Lyla asked, opening it further and froze when she saw me. "No... it can't be."

"Lyla, who's-"

"You're supposed to be dead... I saw them kill you."

"I can assure you, it's me, moonlight." I smiled softly and she slammed the door at my face. "Okay... not how I planned it."

I opened the door again but Hank tried to keep it closed.

"Pretty strong for a scrawny boy, huh?"

"Get out."

"You sure there's not a little Beast in there?" I teased and three claws penetrated the door making me take a step back. "Okay... new plan."

I fully kicked the door open and grabbed Lyla's arms before she could slash me.

"I promise I'll explain everything once you've calmed down from the shock, but it's truly me... I just need to see the Professor first and then I'll explain everything and answer all the questions you may have."

"You're not him." She snarled and I showed my claws. "My dad's dead."

"When have I ever lied to you, kid?"

"Lyla, what's going on?" Charles called out and walked down the stairs. "Oh, dear God..."

"You knew!?" Lyla exclaimed and Hank had to hold her back. "You knew he was alive and you never thought to fucking tell me!?"

Definitely my kid.

"I knew I should've cut back on the swearing when you were younger." I grimaced and she glared at me.

"Alive? Lyla, what are going on about?"

"Tell me he's not my father, Charles!"

"You both do look alike and he looks slightly familiar."

Lyla managed to break free of Hank's hold and stormed up to me, lowering my shirt slightly to reveal my dog tags.

"It's truly me, Lyla." I assured and she looked up at me with glassy eyes. "I haven't lied to you once and I don't plan to do so now."

"When's my birthday?"

"October 17th."

"When and where did my mutation trigger?"

"Five years old in the cabin."

"How did it happen?"

"You fell off the tree I specifically told you not to climb and it triggered."

"Which one came first?"

"The scrapes on your arms and knees healed, then came the claws when you tried to stand."

"What happened after?"

"You tried to use your claws to try and climb the tree again until I dragged you away from it and grounded you for three days."

"Why do you call me moonlight?"

"Because you were born during a full moon."

"My mom?"

"Left after she discovered I was a mutant because I had to protect you from Victor as a newborn which is why we moved to the cabin." I said and she gasped, taking a step back as tears streamed down her face. "You need more proof or do we Beast to run the tests to prove it?"

Instead of answering, she turned around and punched Charles in the face before running up the stairs in tears.

"What the-"

"And if Erik were here, I'd punch him too! You both kept this from me!" She yelled and a door slammed shut.

"Don't slam my doors! You'll break them again!" Charles yelled back, wiping the blood off his nose.

"FUCK YOU!"

"If you're not here for her, then I suggest you leave. This is private property and you're trespassing."

"Believe me, if I could take her right now, I would... I'm afraid I can't do that... because, uh, I was sent here for you."

"Tell whoever it was that sent you that I'm busy and that I'm dealing with a fourteen year old mutant with severe anger issues."

"That's gonna be a little tricky... because the person who sent me was you."

"What?"

"About fifty years from now." I shrugged and Charles laughed. "I know, but stay with me."

"I sent you from the future?" He kept laughing and I nodded. "Oh, piss off. Like I said, if you're here for Lyla then-"

"If you had your powers, you'd know I was telling the truth."

"How do you know I don't... Are you CIA?"

"God no!"

"Have you been watching us?"

"I know you, Charles. We've been friends for years. I know your powers came when you were 9. I know you thought you were going crazy when it started... all the voices in your head. And it wasn't until you were 12... that you realized all the voices were in everyone else's head... I also know you helped my kid with her anger issues and took care of her when I wasn't around." I admitted and he widened his eyes. "Do I need to go on?"

"I never told anyone that."

"Not yet."

"What do you want?"

"It's a long story."

。✯ ＼ ｜ ／✯ 。

"You could never stay away from climbing trees."

"Fuck you. And if Charles sent you here, he can-"

"Before you start turning into me, I came on my own free will. He actually tried to stop me." I admitted and climbed up the tree, sitting on one of the branches with her. "I know it's a shock, Lyla. But I'm here now."

"They convinced me you were dead. That an adamantium bullet was all it took to kill you." She mumbled and hung upside down. "Threatened to do the same thing to me if I misbehaved."

"All that bullet did was leave me unconscious for a while and wiped my memories."

"You're not real... This is just a nightmare that I'll wake up from soon and possibly hurt Charles again for trying to wake me. My dad died and that's all there is to it... There's no coming back somehow from the future and-"

"You fell in love with art around this age because you were bored and it's what you teach at the school. Your best friend is Jean Grey and she was your roommate for years. You marry Alex's little brother Scott and I hated him for taking you away from me even though I had no right to be mad since I disappeared for years and he was the one that found me."

"Spitting random bullshit won't help your case." She rolled her eyes and sat up. "I haven't even met Alex's brother because he's been away at 'Nam and I don't want to meet him."

"You will when you're seventeen... Magneto made the adamantium in your skeleton flexible so you could grow at a normal rate."

"That's common knowledge."

"You have nightmares about the Island and the cage and there's a secret room by your closet where you hide when you have episodes so you don't hurt anybody." I continued and saw her tense for a moment.

"Nobody knows about that room, not even Charles. How do you-"

"Because once Scott thought you were missing and I was the one that found you hiding there... And if memory serves me right, there's a stuffed bear that you've had since you were four that you found in the cabin. And if it continues to serve me right, Alex was the one that took you to that cabin after Cuba because you had a dream that I was there."

"You're really here?" She choked out and I nodded.

"I'm here, my moonlight. And I'm not going anywhere." I smiled and she hugged me tight. "I'm here, Lyla... I'm right here."

"Daddy..." Lyla cried as I held her tighter. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you more, my moonlight... I'm gonna make it right this time. I swear to you."

"I wasn't fit to be an X-men... I was so scared and I didn't know what to do when Erik killed Shaw!"

"It's okay, Lyla. Everything's gonna be okay now. I know how to make it right now."

"Make it right? Make what right?"

"It's a long story and I'm gonna need your help... The Wolverine is gonna need the help from the Ravager." I said and she smiled big, showing her claws.

"When do we start?"

。✯ ＼ ｜ ／✯ 。

"So you're saying... they took Raven's power, and what? They weaponized it?"

"Yep."

"Sounds like something you'd see in a movie." Lyla hummed, using her claws to break one of Charles' whiskey bottles. "Can you act sober for five minutes or do I need to lock you out in the pouring rain again?"

"Won't work. He crawled through a window last time." Hank pointed out and I raised my eyebrows. "They have a... odd relationship."

"He's high and drunk most of the day! The only time he isn't is when he's sleeping!"

"Right..." I gave Charles a weary look but chose to ignore them. "In the beginning, the Sentinels were just targeting mutants. Then they began to identify the genetics in non-mutants... who would eventually have mutant children and grandchildren. Many of the humans tried to help us, but it was a slaughter. Leaving only the worst of humanity in charge... I've been in a lot of wars. I'd never seen anything like this. And it all starts with her."

"Let's just say for the sake of... the sake, that I choose to believe you... that I choose to help you. Raven won't listen to me." Charles laughed, moving his cup when Lyla tried to break it. "Her heart and soul belong to someone else now."

"I know... which is why we're gonna need Magneto too."

"You do know what he's capable of doing to us, right?" Lyla shuddered and I nodded.

"Believe me, he's done it once or twice to me when I pissed him off... I fully know what he's capable of doing."

"But you know where he is? Because I sure as hell don't."

"I do... and does she really swear that much?" I asked Hank who nodded with a sigh. "I knew I shouldn't have sworn so much around you when you were a baby."

"Logan, she's like a sailor. We tried the swear jar but she broke it three times already."

"Oh yeah... now I remember you and I definitely see the family resemblance." Charles laughed and tripped walking towards me. "Tall, angry fellow with the contentious hair. We came to you a long time ago... seeking your help. And I'm gonna say to you what you said to us then. Fuck off."

Lyla just rolled her eyes and kicked the back of his knees while I held him up by his shirt.

"Listen to me, you little shit. I've come a long way, and I've watched a lot of people die. Good people. Friends... my own kid died in my arms. If you're gonna wallow in self-pity and do nothing, then you're gonna watch the same thing, you understand?"

"We all have to die sometime." Was all he said before walking away and Lyla followed him.

"Where is she-"

"Three, two, one." Hank mumbled and pointed at the staircase.

"ARE YOU THAT BLIND OR DO I NEED TO CLAW YOUR EYES OUT LIKE I DID TO AZAZEL!?" She yelled and my eyes widened. "You absolute piece of shit! Don't you dare walk away from me, Charles, because I have a lot to say and you're gonna listen even if I have to pin you to a wall with my claws and watch you bleed out!"

"Yeah... that's your daughter. A whole lotta anger issues in that tiny body." He chuckled and we heard a door break. "Which means that now I have to make another door since she just broke that one... But if anyone can talk sense to him right now, it's her."

"Don't ignore me like you've been doing for the past year and a half, Charles! I'm fucking done with your bullshit attitude!"

"And to think that she sees that man as a father figure." I laughed, closing the doors to the study to try and muffle the screaming from upstairs. "What happened to him?"

"He lost everything. Erik, Raven... his legs." Hank sighed and gestured for me to sit. "We built the school, the labs, this whole place... then, just after the first semester... the war in Vietnam got worse. Many of the teachers... and older students were drafted. It broke him. He retreated into himself. I wanted to help, do something... so I designed a serum to treat his spine... derived from the same formula that helps me control my mutation and Lyla with her growing pains due to the adamantium stretching... I take just enough to keep myself balanced and sometimes Lyla refuses because she's scared of needles... but he takes too much. I tried easing him back... but he just couldn't bear the pain, the voices. The treatment gives him his legs... but it's not enough. He's... He's just lost too much."

"Lyla, for the love of God!" Charles yelled and we both ran out to see her with her claws dangerously close to his jugular. "Okay, I'll help get Raven!"

"And what else?"

"And I'll cut back on the drinking!"

"Now was that so hard?" She smiled and slid down the railing.

"We need to have a serious conversation about your anger issues because they're apparently worse than mine." I chuckled and she sheepishly shrugged, wrapping her arms around my torso as I pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"I'm my daddy's daughter." Lyla said, her smile widening and I found myself smiling back.

"That you are, my moonlight."