(no subject)

[enduring_pryde]

It was the first time since the wedding she had gotten to bed at a reasonable hour. Being physically and mentally exhausted took a toll, and the leader of the X-Men's job was never done.

She felt a bit selfish, going to bed before 11pm--but she was going to take advantage of her good fortune. It was perfectly fine to carve out some time. She recalled Ororo' s ritual of communing with her plants--when she had her abilities and after they had been stripped away. For Kitty, a good morning jog often proved to be what the body required, but tonight? It was definitely rest. A stressful few weeks demanded some self-care.

She fell asleep effortlessly into a dreamless sleep. Upon waking, that's when she became aware that something wasn't right. A sunbeam streaming in her room rousted her. She opened her eyes while still groggy and felt a cold shiver run down her spine. This wasn't her room. She jumped out of bed and went to the window. The grounds! The mansion was back in Westchester!

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[bethebetterpath]

Charles slowly woke with a start. Something was wrong. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something felt different. His head shook and he felt it like a disturbance that he couldn't explain. A new voice crying out. A new mind asking for help. He wasn't sure just what it was, but it was something.

Using his arms for leverage, Charles pulled himself to the edge of the bed and reached for his chair. He was careful, having gotten the hang of parking it beside the bed so that he could transfer himself easily. Once he was settled, he unlocked the chair and rolled out into the hallway.

His mind reached out, trying to find out just what was different. He could sens that not many were awake yet. Hank was still sleeping. Raven was shifting in her sleep from bad dreams. After the events of Apocalypse, everyone had come back to the mansion and things were starting to finally go back to normal.

Or so he thought. So, why was this morning different from the others?

[enduring_pryde]

Kitty began to assess her surroundings. This room definitely was not hers--the furnishings, even the bedspread was vastly different. The grounds appeared quiet and serene. There wasn't any apparent threat.

Was she dreaming? Was she going through some kind of mental simulation? She mentally reached out to Rachel but felt silence.

She felt the mental touch of another. A familiar touch and yet one that came unexpectedly. Professor Xavier?? He had been killed a few years ago, but coming back from the dead was a regular occurrence for the X-Men. Kitty could personally vouch for that. Something very odd is going on, Professor. She went to the closet and began looking for something more suitable than her nightgown. She found a lot of what looked like 1980s clothes and--thank God!--a uniform. It wasn't like one she had ever seen, but it looked her size and the style wasn't some kind of offense against nature like what else resided in the closet.

[bethebetterpath]

Something very odd is going on, Professor.

Charles froze, halting his chair in the hallway and closing his eyes. The voice was one he didn't recognize, and yet she knew him. After his events with Logan, he was more open to the idea of people knowing him despite it not being mutual. A small sigh slipped out as he gazed down at his own clothing. He had taken to sleeping in pajamas that were a little nicer, just in case things like this had to happen. Still, he didn't really relish meeting a stranger in his pajamas.

Reluctantly, he rolled towards the source of the voice and waited outside the room. "May I come in?"

[enduring_pryde]

The uniform of course felt like a second skin but was bulkier than she was used to. Still, it was going to be more pleasant to figure out what was happening in it instead of wearing a nightgown. Plus always being in uniform seemed to put her mind at ease.

As she looked around the room, she did see a few photographs on the vanity. Jean and Scott looking to be in their middle teens. "Sorry Jean, you have a dreadful taste in clothes," she muttered to herself.

"Just a moment," she replied and went to open the door, cautiously, phasing all but her hand. This could have been an ambush and Cassandra Nova was always a potential threat. Or David Haller. Or really any other high level telepaths who were in some way associated with the Professor.

[bethebetterpath]

The door opens and Charles slowly rolls in. His eyes narrow as he tries to take in the sight in the dark. His head tilts and he frowns a little. He can hear the voice, feel it in his head but there is nothing there. Cautiously, he rolls in a little further.

"I'm not sure who you are, but you can trust me. You must know that. You know me more than I know you," he said softly, his voice low and calm.

Charles frowns. The person normally in this room wasn't. That bothered him almost as much as the new voice in his head. His eyes closed and he tried to seek out and find Jean, wondering just where she was. The minute he saw she was in Scott's room, his eyes flew open. "Gah! I didn't need to see that, Jean," he muttered.

There would be words shared later. At least they were just sleeping for now, he mused to himself.

"If you don't feel comfortable showing yourself, at least speak to me?" He paused, before using his mind to reach out. "Or here, if it's easier. I'd like to help, if I can?"

[enduring_pryde]

And it seemed to indeed be the Professor but younger. Much younger than the man she had ever known, but she had seen photographs of him from his younger days. He was handsome, even more so in the flesh.

She blinked and immediately realized what she had done. She couldn't turn invisible but she could blend in to her surroundings, including shadows. She moved around him to flick the light switch.

No more shadows and she was standing there clear as day. Tall, dark brown wavy hair to her shoulders, and dressed in Jean's uniform. "My name is Katherine Pryde, Kitty. I'm one of your students in the future, in about fifteen years." He couldn't have been more than forty, was her guess.

He felt just like the Professor. She had shielding in place, like all of the X-Men did. Self-errected and reinforced by outside telepaths, namely the Professor and Rachel Grey.

She felt a wave of sadness and her eyes began to well with tears. "It's just really good to see you!" Time travelling 101: Don't tell people their futures, or even hint at it. But the Professor was important to her--one of her father figures when she joined and her relationship with her own father became strained. At different times in her life, she had the Professor, Logan, and Erik to look up to as her father and grandfather figures. The X-Men was her family through and through.

"I don't know how I came to be here. I went to sleep in my own bed in the mansion--where it is 2018--and now I'm here. Decidedly not my room or my time." Her phasing could let her slip through dimensions now, but she hadn't considered time.

[bethebetterpath]

Charles nodded his head in understanding. He was not shocked. Not in the slightest. The corners of his lips quirked up in a small smile as he gazed up at her. He was tempted to ask about Logan, but he was afraid to hear the answer. Now, the future had come knocking at his door again. If she needed his help, he would happily give it.

"Hey..." Rolling forward a little, he reached out and took her hand in his. Gently clasping her hand, he saw into her mind and saw himself as he did when he gazed into Logan's mind. He also saw Erik and Logan as well. His smile widened a little, realizing that he was family to her and she was telling the truth. "I'm not sure why you are here, but I'll do what I can to help you. Though... We'll need to get you some clothes. You can't just wander around in the uniform all day. And why would you want to? I remember how tight and uncomfortable that they are."

Charles nodded his head in understanding. Unlike Logan, her visit wasn't a scheduled one. "Listen, Katherine... Er, Kitty. I will help you, but I do need to go change out of these pajamas. Why don't I take you to Raven to get you some clothes?"

[enduring_pryde]

She smiled when he took her hand. Her memories and thoughts were open to him. If this really wasn't the Professor she might pay for it later, but she was fairly certain it was him and she had managed to get herself back in time and perhaps dimension too. She would need to learn about the history. But perhaps that had always been a facet of her ability. Rachel's Kate Pryde had a hand in sending Rachel to her timeline. And Kitty was aware of the multi-dimensions personally. But in those cases it hadn't come at the result of her own ability.

"Thank you, Professor." She laughed. "Most days I find myself to be in uniform, but I would be happy with some normal clothes."

It was the mention of Raven that caught her by surprise. "Raven?" She knew of a Raven but she wasn't someone Kitty would expect to find at the school in this era.

[bethebetterpath]

Charles shrugged his shoulders. "To each their own. Personally, I prefer clothes not so... Tight?" He chuckled, giving her hand another squeeze and almost hesitant to let it go. "It can be quite off putting to feel out of time. Logan didn't like it either when he was here," he said softly. "I'll try to do my best to help mitigate the confusion and get you home."

Something in her eyes sparked him. Charles blinked, his smile fading. "Raven... My... My sister?" He shook his head, holding up his free hand. "Please, if something happened to her, don't... Don't tell me. I don't want to know or affect the future."

He didn't want to think of his sister in any negative light. If she had passed on, he didn't want to know. "Come, let's get you some clothes." Pulling his hand away, he felt a shiver run through him as he rolled out of Jean's room. His mind was whirling now. Would he have to try harder to protect her? Or Erik? He noted that he had not seen her in the vision with Erik and the others, but he'd never given it a lot of thought before now.

[enduring_pryde]

"I'm a dancer and my mutant ability has a physical nature, so I prefer clothes that are tight but do not restrict movement. In my time the uniforms are built out of unstable molecules, which you better believe is quite useful to someone who can separate her molecules." She smiled.

The Professor's next statement had her frowning. "Logan was here? From the future? Well, from what I am gathering then, this isn't my dimension either. Which I would expect that. My abilities recently saw a cosmic upgrade, and I know I can cross dimensions. The couple of times I have done it hurts, but they did not involve time travel too." She pressed her lips into a line.

"Yes, let's start there. And then can there be coffee? I'm also not adverse to having something stronger than coffee."

[bethebetterpath]

Charles rolled down the hall, moving slowly so that Kitty could keep up with him. When they reached Raven's door, Charles knocked lightly. Raven, it's me. I need your help. When Raven appeared at the door, sleepy eyed and not fully awake, Charles expressed his gratitude.

"Long story. This is Kitty. She needs clothes. I'll get dressed and then I can meet you in the kitchen. I'll make some coffee. Please, Raven?" He turned to Kitty. "You're safe here at the mansion. I'll see you shortly."

Charles went back to his room to change into a pair of grey trousers and a light blue button down top. He'd opted without the tie and jacket, rolling up his sleeves to the elbows. He could be himself and not dress up all the time. He just wasn't awake enough to wear a suit yet.

Moving down to the kitchen, he began to set the coffee maker together and then boiled some water for tea for himself. His mind whirled, trying to wrap around everything that had happened and trying to figure out how to send her home. If she was in an alternate dimension and not just through time? That would only make things harder, wouldn't it?

[enduring_pryde]

Kitty was both relieved and shocked when her thoughts were confirmed and this was indeed the Raven she was thinking about. Only that Raven wasn't the Professor's sister. She wondered if Cain Marko was still his step-brother. It seemed the Professor couldn't get away from having villains as family members--but of the two she liked Raven better. And she felt some kinship to the woman through Irene Adler, Raven's deceased wife where Kitty was from. She had spent weeks pouring over Irene's journals and other writings, trying to solve a mystery that Irene had written quite extensively about from her visions. She had mentioned Raven on numerous occasions.

"Thank you, Professor. Thank you, Raven."
She went with jeans, a white tank top with an oversized blue cable knit sweather, and comfortable black flats It seemed that she and Raven at least had a similar taste in clothes. "This is perfect. Thank you." Without much thought she phased downstairs through the floor and into the kitchen, giving the Professor a good first look at her ability.

[bethebetterpath]

Charles smiled up at her when she emerged. She looked better than she did in the uniform. More casual, at least. He smiled and offered her a cup of coffee, with some milk and sugar sitting on one of the kitchen counters. He rolled around the small kitchen island, adding milk and sugar to his tea.

"That's an interesting gift," he murmured softly. "What else can you do with it?" He had to admit, he found it intriguing. "I've been thinking about it and if you don't know that Logan was here, then we might not be from the same timelines. Perhaps we should compare notes, hmm?"

He moved over to the table and used his powers to slide a chair out for her, before moving into position at at the one end of the table with no chair. "Would you like something to eat as well? I could try to scratch up something?"

[enduring_pryde]

"Thank you." She took the coffee graciously and also added cream and sugar.

"A great deal more. I can phase other people, structures--whatever I am touching-- immobolize someone if I need to, disrupt circuitry systems--including the central nervous system. I've phased out of alignment with the Earth's rotation and travelled to another continent before. I don't require oxygen when I'm phased--that's a newer development. I once resided in a large planet destroying bullet, holding it phased for two years. No food, no water, no oxygen. I got rescued by Magneto. It was a kindness, rather than something I owe him for. He was there in my life after I lost my grandfather when I was a kid."

She took in a soft breath and smiled. "The Mansion smells as I remember it, back when I was growing up here. I've spent twenty years of my life here, off and on." She was about to sit down when she looked at him. "I would love something to eat. I would be happy to help fix us something."

[bethebetterpath]

"If you want to help. I... I was just going to make something simple. I know we have eggs and bread in the fridge." He smiled and took a sip of his tea. "It's been a long time since I've had someone to cook for. Raven never eats breakfast. Hank, if is hungry, usually beats me down here." He chuckled. "Most of the kids eat in the cafeteria or outside."

He smiled. He could see the love in her voice as she spoke about the mansion. He was trying to be polite and not just wander through her mind. "And you are why I started this mansion. People like you, thriving with your gifts," he said proudly.

"Erik..." The idea that Erik had done something good made his heart swell. "So, what were you doing before you arrived here? You just... Accidentally woke up here? Nothing exponential?"

[enduring_pryde]

"I'm happy to help--even if it's simple. How about a fried egg sandwich?" The corner of her mouth twitched. "I have to say that I like the feelings I'm getting here. It's home--even in a completely different dimension. I think the simple things are the most important. I'm leading the X-Men in my time. I make sure that we have time every week for some group activity involving the adults and the kids. We're a family first and foremost."

She nodded. "Erik is a good man. A very troubled and damaged man, but good all the same. Where I'm from, there is a time that you go on sabbatical and leave him in charge of the school. Even when we've had conflicts with him and his people, as ugly as it got, it never felt like he was truly gone. I was fifteen when he took me to the National Holocaust Museum in DC. And he opened up to me. I saw him around people that he hadn't seen in 50 years. He shared memories of my great aunt who was killed in the camps. He remembered her vividly. I don't know if he knew I was a relative of hers when we met but I think he might have."

She nodded. "Yes. I went to bed early. It had been a stressful week and I was getting some time to myself. In bed before eleven. I was excited but really I couldn't stay awake, either."

[bethebetterpath]

"That sounds lovely." Charles took another sip of his tea as he watched her. Raising his hand to his temple, the cupboards began to open, showing where she would find everything she needed to complete her breakfast task. He didn't go so far as to pull the pan out for her, just try to show her where things were.

To hear the nice stories about Erik made him feel better. "I trust him. I have always trusted him, even when his choices were not the best here in this timeline. He can be the better person. It's his choices that define him, good and bad." He chuckled. "Erik knows many a thing that others might not."

Charles nodded his head slightly. "So, nothing different back home in your world. And nothing different here, that I can recall. When Logan came here, Erik and I had sent him back to change time, save it. He had a mission. His arrival here wasn't an accident." Charles frowned. "I'm sorry you were sent here against your will as it were."