Authors note: This is my first published X-Men fanfiction. I hope you like it! The title and the first lines of the description are in reference to the poem "There is another sky" by Emily Dickinson. Enjoy!

It had been stupid. Erik had known it. But his instincts had taken over and he acted without thinking. Stopping that vat of molten metal before it had crushed that man had been... The right thing to do. It's what Charles would have done. But Charles wasn't here. And Erik certainly wasn't Charles.

Not anymore.

He had tried. To pass as a 'human.' To pass as 'normal.' But that had blown up right in his face. And now he was being taken from his family. Again.

Nina was screaming. The sound tore him apart. A memory of his own childhood flashed before his eyes, quickly fading as he looked up. Thousands of birds had suddenly arrived. Flying in circles around them, and getting closer.

Erik had long suspected what his daughters mutation might have been. But he hadn't wanted to face it. She didn't deserve the burden of it. But she always had animals following her around. A regular Disney princess if you asked him. But surely that had nothing to do with a mutation. What good could that be? Yet above their heads, birds were circulating. Waiting to attack.

Charles always had speculated mutantions manifested in emotional situations. Here was proof.

"Nina, calm down." he said to her as he looked past her to her mother. Silently begging her to take their daughter away. Drag her away if she had to. And to her credit she was trying. But Nina wouldn't budge.

"Nina, go with Mama." He said calmly. Trying to get her to calm down. He could see the men around him starting to panic. And Erik was growing steadily more worried about what they would do. They could take him, but not his daughter. Not his baby.

Then, everything froze. And an arrow slipped out of the fingers of the officer nearest to Erik.

"No!" Erik didn't realize the word had escaped his lips as he watched helplessly. Stretching out his hand in a futile effort to stop the wooden arrow. But Magda did that for him.

In one simple movement, she pushed Nina aside. Throwing herself in the path of the arrow.

She was was dead before she even started to fall to the ground.

Nina was sobbing, and Erik was screaming as he ran to his wifes side, pulling her into his arms. "No. No. No. No. Not you too." he mumbled almost incoherently. Slipping in and out of his native language and English. He wasn't sure how long he held her, but Nina pulled his attention as she was currently sobbing a few feet away.

Putting Magda down and prioritizing, Erik moved over to his daughter. Pulling her into a hug. "Shhh. Its okay sweetheart. Its okay."

"Papa..." she said as she sobbed into his chest.

Erik looked up at the officers. Anger in his eyes. No one hurt his family. "Nina, close your eyes." Erik said as he pulled off the metal necklace Nina was still wearing. She didn't need to see this. Erik held her protectivly close shielding her eyes as he raised the necklace.

And killed, every, single, one, of the officers with it. It slapped back into his hand a moment later. And Erik put it in his pocket. Not wanting to give it back to Nina when it was covered in blood and brain tissue.

Erik glanced over at his wife one last time before picking up Nina into his arms and walking from the forest back to the house.

She had fallen asleep by the time they got there. Exhausted and drained. Her head resting on Eriks shoulder. And perhaps that was for the best. He thought as he gathered a few of his own belongings. Then packed her a small bag.

"Papa, where are we going?" She asked him as they got settled into their seats on the plane.

"To visit an old friend."

"That might have been my favorite tree." Charles said as he looked between the tree that was currently spliting in half, and the boy, Scott Summers, that had done it.

"Am I expelled?"

"No. You're enrolled."

A grin had spread across the young man's face. And it made Charles smile. This was why he did it. Run this school. To help those who needed it.

"Hank, show this young man to his room please? I'd like to have a talk with Alex." Charles asked pleasantly. Knowing that Hank would want to study Scott a bit more. Perhaps find a way to control the beams from his eyes. And he also knew that Alex's mind was currently full of thoughts. And they needed to talk.

"Of course Professor." Hank said as he replaced Alex at Scotts side. His hand taking his elbow. Charles could see Scott hesitating at the unfamiliar hand. And gave Alex a pointed look.

"I'll come check out your room after this, okay baby brother?" Alex said as he gently slapped Scott's other shoulder. Earning a laugh and what would have surely been an eye roll if they could see his eyes.

Hank led Scott away. Leaving Alex and Charles alone.

"What's on your mind, Alex?" Charles asked as he started to maneuver his wheelchair down the path by the lake. Alex falling into step next to him.

"You really need to ask that?" Alex asked with a smirk.

"I was being polite." Charles replied with a smile. "And yes, I understand how much you care for Scott. In fact, I was going to ask if you'd like to stay. As a teacher, perhaps."

Alex was surprised. Charles could tell that much without invading his privacy. "What would I teach? Or... Do?"

"I seem to recall you were quite the artest when we met you." Charles said. Mostly speaking aloud.

"That was awhile ago, Professor." Alex replied. A light blush forming on his cheeks.

"I'm not forcing you. We'd find some place for you here. And I'm sure Scott would appreciate the company of someone familiar." Charles pointed out as he looked up at him with a knowing smile.

"I'll think about it." Alex said simply. His own smile slightly sheepish.

"Good." Charles said as he stopped moving at the end of the path and turned the chair to face Alex. "It's very nice to see you again Alex. It's been far too long."

"Same to you, Professor." Alex replied with a genuine smile.

Charles started to say more, but a loud and sudden wave of thoughts assaulted his senses.

Occasionally Charles regreted telling all the children how they could project their thoughts to him if they needed him. Most of the time it was innocent. Most needing help with schoolwork. But every once and awhile a fight would break out. Or some teenage drama would ensue. And it ended up giving Charles a headache.

But this time was different.

"Professor?" he heard Alex ask him as Chalres raised a hand to his head in an attempt to better block out, and simulationsly sort through, the frantic thoughts of his students.

"Something's happening in the main hall." Charles said as he looked up at Alex. Without another word, both of them started to head that way.

In hindsight, maybe breaking in through the front door of a school hadn't been the best plan Erik could have come up with. Epically since, in hindsight, he should have known that Charles' students would know who he was.

Magento. The enemy.

How naive they were.

Nina was hiding behind Eriks leg. Peeking out at the students surrounding them with wide eyes. Erik kept her close. His eyes daring any of the children to do anything. They didn't.

"Erik?"

Erik looked up at his name being spoken. Seeing Charles wheel into the room. Accompanied by Alex. Someone Erik hadn't seen for nearly two decades.

"Charles." Erik responded.

"What are you-" Charles started. But Erik cut him off. Saying something he never thought he would ever say again. Least of all to Charles.

"I need your help."

Both men looked at each other for a long time. And Erik was certain that Charles was looking into his mind. Without the helmet, he was an open book.

A look of disbelief and sorrow crossed Charles' features as he kept his gaze on Eriks.

"Everyone, back to your studies." he ordered the children as he looked around at them. "Come on now, spit spot." he continued as some of them didn't move. When they were completely alone, save for Alex still standing behind Charles, did Charles speak to Erik.

"You poor, poor man."

"I didn't come here for pity." Erik snapped as he picked up Nina in his arms to emphasise his words. "I came here for my daughter."

"Of course." Charles said. All business, as if Erik was just another parent, of just another student. "Alex, would you mind taking little-" there was a pause. And Erik stiffened as he felt Charles dig through his mind for a name. "Nina," Charles continued. "To Eriks old room please? I think she'll be most comfortable with her father for the time being."

"Sure professor." Alex said. But he stepped toward Erik cautiously. As If afriad Erik would attack.

He wouldn't have. Not with Nina here.

"Papa?" Nina asked as she saw that Alex was walking toward them. "This young man is going to take you to my room, okay dove?" Erik said gently with a smile. "And I'll be right there."

Nina nodded as Erik handed her off to Alex.

"Hi Nina. I'm Alex." Alex said as he walked down the hall with Nina in his arms.

Erik watched them go before turning his gaze back to Charles. "I'm... Sorry." he said slowly. "But I didn't know where else to go."

"Its alright, Erik. I... Trust you." Charles said after a few seconds.

Erik raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I trust you enough to let you stay. But if you hurt my students, or interfere with them in any way-"

"I'm here for my daughter. Not myself. Not for you. And not for your students." Erik interpreted.

"Fair enough." Charles said after a beat. "I assume from what I saw in your head she has a mutation?"

Erik stiffened a little at Charles' casual admission that he had been searching through his head. But answered anyway. "Yes."

"A very interesting one from what I understand." Charles continued. "It seems we'll have some animal guests as well."

Erik wasn't sure what to say to that. So he didn't say anything. Why did this have to be so awkward?

"I'm sorry about her mother." Charles said eventually.

Erik didn't really want to talk about it. Or think about it. So he just nodded.

"Nina will be safe here, Erik. I promise."

"I know."

Charles looked at Erik with sad eyes for an uncomfortable length of time. Though in reality it had only been a few seconds. Before speaking again.

"I trust you remember where your old room was. It hasn't been touched except to clean it. Most of the other teachers board elsewhere so that wing of the house has been practically empty."

"Thank you, Charles." Erik said with forced politeness. Eager to get out of this conversation and up to his daughter.

"You're welcome, Erik." Was the reply.

Erik and Charles held each other's gaze for a few more moments (Erik briefly wondered if Charles was reading his mind again) before both men turned and went their separate ways.

Charles barely had any time to think about the... Situation... Before he was being bombarded with questions from his students. Asking what was happening. Was that actually Magneto. And if they were going to be okay.

Charles reasured each and every one of them with the best answers he could provide. Erik was going to be staying for a few days. Yes he was Magneto. And yes they would all be perfectly fine with him here.

It seemed to satisfy most of the students for now, and Charles finally had time to be alone to his thoughts.

Was he crazy for letting Erik stay here? It was certainly, on paper, a risk. But Charles had seen something in Eriks mind he hadn't in decades.

A hope that he hadn't felt in his former friend since Cuba.

This would be okay. Charles was... Mostly sure of it.

Erik finished cleaning the bloodied necklace in the sink and dried it off. Taking a moment to look at himself in the mirror. He looked... Old, suddenly. Tired. He hated it.

He had become soft. He knew it the moment he had spotted Magda in that bar. The moment he told her who he was and she didn't run from him. When he married her. And when he loved her.

He briefly thumbed the wedding ring on his finger and closed his eyes. He missed her so much. He closed his eyes tighter to fight off the sudden urge to cry.

"Papa?" Nina called to him from the adjoining bedroom. Erik immediatly smiled, a smile only his daughter could bring out in him, and walked out to her. "Yes pumpkin?" he asked as he sat on the edge of the bed.

"Is Mama dead?"

Erik had known 'the question' would come eventually. And as much as he wanted to keep his seven year old as innocent as he could for as long as he could. She needed to know. "Yes."

Nina didn't seemed shocked by his response. Simply taking it in stride. She was strong. Stronger than he gave her credit for.

"What about the police men?"

Erik froze. That question he had not been expecting.

"What do you mean?" he asked slowly.

"Are they dead too?" she asked simply. Hugging her teddy bear to her chest.

Erik took a breath, then met her eyes with complete seriousness. "Yes."

Nina met his eyes with the same seriousness. "Good."