A/N: At long last the conclusion of our little tale (I'm just sorry it took so long.) Thank you again to all of you who have followed this story and left your reviews. I hope to write many more Charles/Raven fics in the future! :)) I hope you'll enjoy it!

Charles stared in silent wonder. The slumped form of a teenage boy sat on the edge of Raven's childhood bed, his shoulders trembling slightly. It was a disguise. Hearing her thoughts rising above the endless cries and thoughts of those around him was like music to his ears. But her thoughts were panicked; she was frightened to set foot in her own home and it made his heart ache. There was so much he had planned to say, so much he wanted to tell her. But for all his planning, he couldn't remember any of it.

"Raven…?" his voice was hoarse, unfamiliar as he barely whispered her name. The young boy glanced over his shoulder, eyes brimming with unshed tears, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"How'd you know it was me?" she asked as the disguise fell away; her voice low and tight with emotion. A trembling sigh of relief escaped him as he closed the door, wheeling himself to sit before Mystique.

For a moment, all he could do was stare. She was more beautiful than he remembered, despite how weary she looked. Her body language was as tense and anxious as her thoughts had been. He wanted to reach out, hold her hand or hug her – just get her in his arms and never let go. But he kept his distance and his hands to himself. He'd been hoping she would return, but a small part of him had already begun preparing for the likelihood that it wouldn't happen. And now here she was…

"Your thoughts are quite loud. It's been far too long since I heard your voice in these halls." He never thought he'd be so happy to see her roll her eyes at him again.

"Reading my mind?"

"No! No, you were broadcasting…" he was quick to explain, afraid she'd dart from the mansion at the slightest provocation. But the tense line of her shoulders relaxed slightly and she met his gaze with a shy smile.

"I guess I was kinda nervous."

"You need never be nervous here, darling." A long uncomfortable silence fell over them. The last time they were here, in this room, he'd broken her heart. When she was home that one night after the shooting in Paris, she stayed in a spare bedroom, not wanting to even be in this place. There was too much – too much had happened and neither of them knew where to begin.

"Would it be too presumptuous of me to say welcome home?" There was tension in the air even as she laughed, but it wasn't overwhelming. She didn't seem angry at him as he'd expected she would be, the way she was the last time she was here.

"I, uh…I never thought I'd come back here – literally never. There were times I wanted to; I just never thought I'd set foot in this room again." She sighed heavily, looking around the room that hadn't been changed one bit – that Charles made sure was always ready for her return. "You really never gave up hope that I would come back, did you?"

He held her gaze, "I lost hope, Raven; I lost…who I was – I gave up on everything. You wouldn't have recognized me even if you had come back." His voice was quiet, full of the shame and defeat he'd felt for those long torturous years.

"I almost didn't recognize you in Paris. Why couldn't you use your powers?" she asked, concern evident in her soft voice. He cleared his throat, shifting anxiously in his chair.

"Hank created a serum that allowed me to walk, but it also suppressed my powers completely." He explained quickly.

"Was the trade-off worth it?" he shook his head, still not able to look her in the eyes.

"Not in hindsight, no. I needed it at the time to survive, to deal with or rather, to avoid the pain. I couldn't even help myself I had no business trying to help others."

"What about Moira? I thought she stayed." At that he lifted his head, studying her guarded features.

"I sent Moira away the day I got home. She knew where the mansion was and I couldn't risk her giving that away."

"Sorry."

"You've nothing to apologize for." He told her, still reeling that she was home – that they were here together in her room and she wasn't spewing hatred at him. She didn't judge him for the poor choices he'd made. She was guarded, and he knows why, but she was here with him and nothing else mattered. "I made you so many promises, and I failed you in so many ways."

"Is that why you came to Paris, to keep a promise?"

"It's one of the reasons; I just wanted to help you and, if possible, change the future. But you were my priority." A ghost of a smile formed on her lips and was gone just as quickly. Her expression turned serious, almost frightened.

"What that man Logan said to me – about how many mutants and humans I killed in the future – was it true?"

"I don't know. I got a glimpse of the future – mine; mutants as a whole. But you weren't there. Erik was, but not you. It was awful. He told me that in the future there is a cure – a young mutant boy. In defending Erik you get shot with it and turn human…and Erik abandoned you."

"Sounds like something he'd do." She scoffed, shaking her head as her gaze drifted to the ground. "He's already done it."

"I'm sorry it didn't work out the way you hoped." He said. She shrugged dismissively, but the hurt still reflected in her eyes.

"I loved him and I thought he was in love with me. But he was ready to sacrifice me in the blink of an eye to further his cause. I mean, I understand why he did it, but…" she let her voice trail off. "That's why you let me go, isn't it? I needed to see for myself what he was."

Charles shook his head. "Erik was my friend and my brother; I wanted to be wrong about him. I let you go because I knew it's what you wanted. There was nothing else I could have taught you. But I wasn't bitter; I never wanted you to be in pain. I've only ever wanted to see you happy."

"I know. Sometimes I know that if I stayed I would've ended up resenting you as the reason I wasn't with Erik. But then others…I wish I could go back and stay on that beach with you. You took care of me –"

"Raven, you didn't and you don't owe me anything. Yes, I wanted you to come home, but I wanted it to be because you wanted to be here. Just because I took you in doesn't mean you owed it to me to stay. I did what I did without thought of reward; I never expected you to repay me in any way. I couldn't be the one to hold you back."

Another silence fell over them and Raven relaxed a little more. She sat more fully on her mattress, staring at a photograph of them on her mantel, one from his graduation in England. It seemed a lifetime ago now.

"So, what happened to all your long hair? I was really looking forward to giving you a hard time about it." Charles laughed at her sudden admission.

"Ah, yes. The long hair isn't a problem now, as you can see." He chuckled slightly, still ashamed of the man he had become – how far he let himself fall. That Raven had seen him so broken still made him cringe. "I look like an old man."

"Charles, I'm pretty sure you were born an old man and I still love you. Besides, there's something kinda sexy about a bald head." He laughed deeply, and then stopped, realizing how long it had been since he really laughed. Things had become so serious he'd almost forgotten how relentlessly they teased one another. It felt good to laugh with her again. It put his heart at ease. He lifted his eyes to meet hers, seeing the shock fill her eyes at her own words.

The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Falling into their old banter and teasing was far too easy. Raven felt suddenly exposed and vulnerable, her trembling hands gripped the edge of her mattress tighter. She hated him; she wanted so badly to hold on to her anger. But there was no use denying she still loved him. She hadn't been sure what she'd find when she got here; the empty school – a broken man?

When she saw him back in his wheelchair, her heart broke a little, but that haunted, broken expression was gone from his eyes. His bald head was a shock, especially when his hair had been so long when last she saw him. The school was once again full of students and before her was the Charles she used to know – an idealistic, confident mutant who was going to change the world. And he would do it from that chair, no less powerful because of his disability. When she met his gaze again the loving, nostalgic look in his eyes nearly broke her heart.

"You know, just before you found me with cerebro, I saw Erik at the airport. He told me what was going on with Trask. Then he asked me, 'are you Charles' Raven, or are you Mystique?'" she paused for the length of a breath, "And I couldn't help but think; why can't I be both? Why do I have to be one or the other? Everything I am; anything I know of family – of love – I learned from you." She swallowed the lump in her throat and suppressed the tears flooding her eyes.

"I can't say for sure where I'd be if you hadn't found me that night, but I know that it's nowhere good." She admitted softly.

"I would do it all again in a heartbeat…" he said, his voice strong with conviction. "Would you change anything in your life?"

"Nothing." She replied instantly, "I love who I am. I worked hard and I'm proud of who I've become."

"So am I." Charles whispered. Raven still couldn't believe he was proud of her, that he had faith in her after all she had done. Without Charles influence, without his love and guidance in those years of her life, she knows exactly how violent and formidable she would be. They would have certainly been enemies in this war between mutants and humans, and she is again grateful to have a place in his life and in his heart.

"What would you change if you could?" she asked. He looked to the ground, silent for a long moment as he considered the question.

"I would've been more understanding about your mutation." He said quietly, then he lifted his gaze to hers with a sad smile. "I would've fought harder for you."

They were the words Raven had been hoping to hear – had been waiting to hear. She loved him, she loves him still; there is no disputing that fact. It was obvious he loved her and was welcoming her home with no questions asked. It's everything she could hope for, but she couldn't believe it would be this easy. With all that was left unsaid and unfinished between them, everything they've been through these past years – could they really just start again?

"I'm changing my answer – I would never have let you convince people we were siblings." She said. There was supposed to be a teasing edge to her voice, but it was missing; her words entirely serious. She decided not to correct herself, since she wasn't, in fact, joking.

"Why not?"

"You know why."

He nodded, avoiding her gaze once more. "I was such a fool. I had been lying to you, and to myself, for years." He laughed mirthlessly, shaking his head as he continued.

"I wasn't supposed to feel this way for you, Raven; I didn't know how to deal with it. So I buried it and never let myself believe it. By the time I could admit it you were gone; it was too late. I'm so sorry Raven, for the way I hurt you, for all the times I was blind and willfully ignorant of your pain. Can you ever forgive me?" he was trembling with emotion as he pleaded, finally lifting his misty, bright blue eyes to hers.

Forgive him. It sounded so easy and at the same time sounded impossible. But in some sense, she had already forgiven him, which is why she was home. The time was finally right and without Erik, without the threat of war looming over their heads – at least for the time being – they could start fresh.

"You broke my heart that night." She stated quietly, "I could forgive you, but I'm not sure I want to."

"And I wouldn't blame you if you didn't." he replied instantly, "I can't help but think if I had only told you how I felt that night – if I had just been honest with myself – then we could have avoided all this. You owe me nothing. I can only ask for your forgiveness and beg you to give me one last chance."

"And why would I do that?"

"Because I'm not afraid anymore, and if you give me that last chance, I'd like to spend the rest our lives proving it."

"Proving what?"

"Proving that I love you, Raven; that I've loved you all alone. I want to kiss you and everything that goes with it." She laughed through her tears as he quoted her words from that night, but the sadness remained in his eyes. "There's no going back, but we can start from here. We can make it better." She rested her elbows on her knees, leaning closer.

"Say it again…"

"I love you, Raven, Mystique, I love all of you." Her eyes closed, letting the words wash over like a wave, cleansing her of any remaining doubts.

"Do you know how long I've waited to hear those words from you, Charles Xavier?"

"Too long…much longer than I've been waiting to say them." His hand reached up, his fingers trailing along the edge of her face, "We can take this as slow as you'd like…"

"I'll have to think about it." There was silence as Raven stood and walked to the door. Waiting to hear him scream stop or wait but it only resounded in her mind.

"Although…" she said turning around. He let a soft sob relief escape his lips, swallowing his tears as she made her way back to him. "I did come all this way…and I think I've been waiting long enough."

"Sit down…" he said, patting his legs. Her eyebrows furrowed, "It's alright, you won't hurt me." With that she sat across his thighs, wrapping her arms around his neck and kissed him. It was a chaste, innocent brushing of their lips, a slow introduction of things to come.

"Sorry, I had to mess with you…just a little." She said, pulling back slightly. A broad smile crossed his lips.

"I can do that better…" she giggled, resting her hand to his cheek as Charles kissed her again – a little harder, a little more desperately, cupping her face in his hands. Her heart was racing, feeling as though she'd burst at the seams with the emotion of it all. She pulled away with a laugh.

"Charles…" he was beaming, not relinquishing his hold.

"I can do better, I swear…" The world slowed to a crawl as he kissed her once more, and Raven took the time to savor the moment. She'd been waiting nearly twenty years for this one moment. It was just a taste of what was to come – all her fear melted away, replaced with warmth and an overwhelming peace. The war had ended and her longing along with it. Her happiness was here, tangible, in her arms at this very moment – her future was bright with possibility once more. When her lips left his she rested her forehead against his, her fingers stroking his cheek.

"I love you." She whispered against his lips.

"I love you, Raven." His arms tightened around her waist as he pressed his lips to hers one last time. "Welcome home, my darling."

Raven rested her head to his shoulder, neither of them moving – neither letting go. She was home, and she was never leaving him again.

A/N: There will be a follow up to this story, an Epilogue if you will, but it will be its own story. I hope you enjoyed it! Feel free to review and if you'd like to see anything specific in the Epilogue, leave a note. I'll try to fit it in if I can. :))) Until next time!

*In case you're curious, there is a deleted scene from X-Men: DOFP in which Raven comes home and Charles and Logan and Hank are with her. Logan tells her some of the future, but Raven is still annoyed with Charles. So if you were confused, that's the 'one night when she was home after Paris' and Charles tells her she'll find her room just as she left it. :))) *

you can watch it at www digitalspy com/ movies/ x-men/ news/ a599728/ x-men-days-of-future-past-unveils-jennifer-lawrence-deleted-scene/#~pmMfwbybmNOTbB (the quality is really good, but its not the full scene) or here, you tube com /watch?v=dDULOnkSCoU (it's the full scene, but the quality isn't as good)