The Meaning of Family

Brighter Days

***A/n: Don't watch the video until the song is mentioned. It's mostly for those who don't know the song.***

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"[F/n]... How could you do this to us?" she cried into her hands. She was beautiful in her white night gown. Her perfectly messy brown hair fell over her shoulder resting on her knees, just in front of her elbows. The shadow of a man stood tall and overbearing above her. His back to a large window with moonlight pouring into the room. His arms crossed and a look of disdain on his shadowy face.

"After everything we have done for you, your whole life. This is how you repay us?"

A feeling of helplessness fell over me. They wouldn't listen to me, no matter how many times I tried to tell them...

"LIAR! You evil wench! How could you possibly think we would believe that?"

It was silent. I was on the ground with a throbbing pain on my cheek and uncontrollable tears did nothing to soothe the pain.

"Oh honey. You can still make this right."

I looked up to see the beautiful woman's shadowy face turned up to me with a sinister smile. I shake my head. What she wanted was inconceivable. Her smile turned quickly into a scowl and she reared her hand back

"You bloody whore!" she screamed, and I squeezed my eyes shut waiting for the impact. When it never came I opened them. I found that I wasn't in the same moonlit room but in a room illuminated by the sunrise through the curtains. My son, Charles, was kneeling by my side holding my hand. When he saw my eyes open, he shifted so that he was leaning over my face. He wiped, just below my eyes, the tears.

"It's okay mommy. I'm here", he whispered. His sweet voice brought a smile to my face,

"I'm sorry my dear Charlie." I propped myself up on my elbow and wrapped my other arm around the child bringing him to me and pressing a kiss to his forehead. He wraps his arms around my neck and I sigh. It was a recurring nightmare. It tormented me to no end and every time I have it is just as worse as the last. Charlie had grown accustomed to wiping my tears just as I wake up. The poor child, I couldn't imagine how he felt every morning. I sit up and set Charlie on my lap. The smell of breakfast foods wafted into the room by way of the cracked door.

Last night, Charlie and I were invited to spend the night in the home of Charles Xavier and Raven, whom he claims to be his sister despite her American accent. They were very kind to us from the moment we met them. We entered the house and Xavier took our coats from us to hang up; it was the last time we saw him as he had some business to attend to in his office. Raven then offered us some sandwiches and I paired mine with water. I was still parched as my untouched glass of water from the pub was probably being poured out by then.

Charlie and Raven hit it off nicely. He would usually spend his time close to me, holding onto me, but he was comfortable with her, quick to smile and hold her hand, he was even a little talkative. Eventually she showed us to the room that we are in currently and bid us good night. A warm welcome that, hopefully, I could extend until I can figure things out for little Charlie and I.

"Darling, why don't we get washed and head downstairs?" I smooth his hair and he nods.

After getting cleaned and changed, we made our way downstairs. Following the chatter led us to the kitchen. Raven stood next to the stove and Charles leaned on the island just across from the stove. Both wore pale peach colored aprons, both a little frilly, both quite fitting.

"Ah, there you two are. I thought I heard a bit of stirring upstairs." Charles smiled at us warmly and waved us in. Charlie made his way over to Raven who had swiftly picked him up with a good morning. I walked in nodding a good morning to the both of them and wrapping my arms around my torso, "It smells really nice." I had stopped along the other side of the island. Charles moved to take Ravens place as she moves to set Charlie down on the island. "I hope the food will be alright for you both." She says smiling at me over Charlie's head. "I'm sure it's all wonderful."