Chapter Text
Charles Francis Xavier remembered, with perfect clarity, the day that his father died. It was Christmas Eve, and though the sky was dark the New York mansion emanated a warm glow. Red bows, wreaths, and Christmas lights were hung throughout the house to excess. In the living room, above the roaring fire place, stockings had been hung with care and the branches of a massive Christmas tree brushed up against the nearby wall.
Charles, then five, and his mother were hanging the last of the glass ornaments on the tree. “Charles darling.”
“Yes mother?”
“It seems we’ve run out of ribbon. Would you get more from the drawer?” His mother asked while smiling and delicately holding the red, shiny ornament in her hand.
“Yes.” Charles replied and turned barreling down the hallway to retrieve the ribbon.
“Darling don’t run!” His mother yelled.
Charles slowed his pace, hearing a knock echoing through the house as he found the ribbon. He picked it up and ran back toward his mother. Charles was stopped in his tracks before reaching her by a strange scene. His mother and his father’s colleague were speaking in low voices by the tree when suddenly the ornament fell from his mother’s hand and shattered on the floor.
Startled and concerned Charles asked, “Mother are you alright?”
She sank to the floor in anguish. “Charles go upstairs.”
“Mother?”
“Charles go upstairs!” She cried, putting her face in her hands and sobbing loudly.
Charles did as he was told, and went upstairs to his room.
Hours later the bustling mansion was quiet and dark. The light and joy of Christmas all but snuffed out. Tears sprang to his eyes as he lay in his bed, and Charles pulled the covers up to his shoulders and held his teddy bear tight as he cried himself to sleep.