This is rated M for references to physical/emotional abuse and brief mention of rape in future chapters.

Raven put the finishing touches on her makeup, grabbed her heels and purse and headed out to the living room. She was rather proud of herself for finally making plans to go out with her friends, a girls' night out with Angel, Moira and Emma. After the week she'd had, Raven needed a Friday night of alcohol and girl talk. She had just sat down on the couch to pull her shoes on when the doorbell to her apartment rang. She looked up, frowning. She wasn't expecting anyone, unless one of the girls decided they were going to go together instead of meet there.

Raven got up and padded over to the door in her bare feet, grateful that she had a carpeted apartment instead of tile or wood floor. It was autumn, after all. And at least whoever was on the other side of the door was patient. After the first ring, they were silent. Raven peered through the peephole and her mouth dropped open.

It was her brother.

She hurriedly unlocked the door, threw it open and hurled herself at her brother, squealing "Charles!" as she wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She hadn't seen or heard from him in a few months and had had no idea he was in town.

He staggered back a step when she hit him and she noticed that it took him a couple seconds before he hugged her back. His arms slid around her, squeezing tightly, and he buried his face in her hair. That was so not a Charles hug. And he hadn't said anything. Raven let the hug go on for another minute before pulling back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a smile, studying him surreptitiously.

Charles offered her a weak smile and said, "Can't a guy surprise his baby sister for no reason?"

She frowned. He was too pale, too thin, and looked super tired; there were dark circles under his eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. It was a long flight and I didn't get much sleep."

Uh huh. Sure. 'Cause that didn't sound like a lie at all. She stepped back and pushed the door open. "Well, come on in. Where'd you fly from? California?"

"Maine, Raven. I came from Maine."

She looked back just as Charles brushed past her, duffle bag in hand. "I thought you lived in Michigan. That's all you brought? How long are you staying?" Raven closed the door and followed him down the hall.

"Ray, I just got here. Do we have to play 20 questions right now?" Charles asked, sounding slightly amused.

She huffed. "Fine," but she knew he could tell that she was teasing.

He turned to her then and his eyes widened as if he'd suddenly just realized she was dressed to go out. "Oh, no. You had plans. I'm so sorry, I should've called or something."

"No, it's fine. I'll just call Angel and cancel. They'll understand." She tried not to sound disappointed but, really, it was her brother. And something was bothering him.

Charles shook his head. "No, go. I'll be okay alone for a few hours. Don't let me ruin your night."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Raven. Go; have fun. I'll be here a few days."

She narrowed her eyes briefly then said, "Okay, then. Well, the guest bedroom is still in the same place—down the hall, last door on the left. Bathroom is in the same place, second last door on the left. My bedroom is-"

"—still in the same place," Charles interrupted with a small smile. "I get it; you haven't moved anything."

Raven stuck her tongue out at him but was secretly pleased. It may have been small, but it was the first genuine smile she'd seen on his face since she saw him through the peephole. "You're sure you don't mind? Because I can totally reschedule."

He reached out and pulled her close, kissing her cheek. "I'm sure, sis. Your cell number's the same, right?"

"Yeah. Yours too?"

Something flitted across Charles' face but was gone before she could identify it. "Yeah, but I've been meaning to change it. Some creep keeps calling me."

"Well, we can fix that tomorrow. Actually," she continued, hooking her arm through his and leading them into the living room, "we can get you a brand new phone. Bring you into the 21st century and all that."

"Ha ha, very funny," Charles said drily. He raised an eyebrow as he caught sight of her stilettos leaning against the couch. "Not planning on walking very much tonight, are we?"

She smacked his arm lightly, bending down to pick the shoes up and just catching the end of something on his face that might have been a wince as she straightened. Okay, now she desperately needed to go out and not just to get drunk. She needed to talk to them about what to do about Charles, who was obviously hiding something and Charles never hid things from her. "Okay, so, you can dump your stuff in the bedroom and feel free to go through the fridge, watch TV, whatever. Just stay out of my room."

"No promises."

"Charles!"

"It's required that brothers have to go through their sisters' things, keep up to date on their life."

"Oh, required, is it?" Raven raised her own eyebrow.

Charles smiled at her again, slightly better than the last but still with something extra that made it worry her. "It's in the handbook."

"Like the parents' guidebook you made me think Mom and Dad had when we were kids?"

"Exactly like that. Now go. I'll call you if I need you." Charles shooed her to the door and turned away.

Raven slid her shoes on, pulled her jacket over her shoulders, yanking hair out of it as it got caught, and turned to say goodbye to her brother who was halfway down the hall by now. "Night, Charles! If I don't see you when I get back, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Night, sis. Have fun and be careful."

Raven shook her head as she left and locked the door. Even when he wasn't acting like himself, he still managed to worry about her. He was too selfless for his own good, sometimes.

Charles pushed open the door to the guestroom and set his duffle bag on the bed just as he heard the lock on the front door slide home. Positive Raven was gone, he dropped onto the bed next to his bag and let the mask drop. He'd known Raven would be happy to see him but he wasn't prepared for the questions. He hadn't had a chance to come up with something; too relieved to be away to properly come up with a story to tell people. He rubbed his right arm where she'd smacked him, wincing again as the pain flared. Charles pulled his jacket off, biting his lip as it pulled at injuries, and threw it on the edge of the bed.

He comforted himself with the knowledge that he hadn't really lied to her. With a sigh, Charles pulled a pencil out of his bag and, rolling his sleeve up, slid the pencil into the cast encasing his right wrist to ease the itch. Raven was going to have even more questions when she saw it, but that he could deal with tomorrow. For now, he was hungry and set off to wander through his sister's apartment. Focus on the right now, he told himself. And right now, he was safe and staying with someone he knew loved him unconditionally.

Raven dropped onto the stool next to her friends at the table and smiled brightly. They had ordered for her and she took a swallow as she got settled.

"So, what took so long?" Angel asked, leaning forward so that her shirt dropped a little more. Raven caught guys looking at her from the next table over and shook her head. Angel was always like that when they went out.

"My brother showed up at my front door."

They all stared at her. Then Emma said, "Why the hell didn't you drag him along?"

It was Raven's turn to stare as she turned to the blonde. "1) It's girls' night; and 2) something's wrong."

"What do you mean by wrong?" Moira asked, leaning forward to put her elbows on the table.

Raven shrugged. "I'm not sure. Something's off, though. He's pale, looks exhausted, I'm pretty sure he winced when I lightly hit his arm and he keeps trying to act like he's perfectly fine but I know my big brother. He's hiding something and it worries me. I have no idea why he just randomly showed up and I don't know how to get past this façade of his."

Moira frowned. "Let me think about that and get back to you."

"Thanks." Moira was the one Raven went to for advice and she knew her friend wouldn't let her down now. "But until then, I need to get wasted. Who's with me?"

They cheered, clinked their glasses together and settled in to enjoy girls' night.

Charles jolted awake, some sixth sense alerting him to danger. He sat up, staring at the door directly across from the bed. Something thumped out in the hall and he jumped. Somebody was out there, coming closer. His breathing quickened as the mystery person drew close and he caught a whiff of alcohol through the cracks. Knowing what usually came next, Charles drew back, hiding under the covers and curling into a ball, instinctively protecting his head and stomach. The person drew closer, close enough that Charles could hear the heavy breathing and swearing.

He could swear his heart stopped as the sound of a door opening reached him. Then the door closed and he realized it was the door across the hall. Charles slowly sat up, praying he was alone in the room. That's when his eyes landed on the red and white duffle bag near the door and memory flooded back. He laughed a little, scrubbing a hand through his hair.

Of course. He was at Raven's and there was no possible way Jon could have known where Charles had run to. Not yet, anyway. But there was still that lingering feeling of unease, despite knowing where he was, so he got out of bed, grabbed the small three-shelf bookcase and managed to drag it in front of the door. Only then did he get back in bed, pulled the blankets up to his chin and tried to sleep.

This is my first attempt at an X-Men fic so be nice. Thanks !