Xavier was glad to listen and he closed his eyes as the images flowed from her mind to his own.

"It happened so quickly. We were having a picnic on a nearby hill when the screams. We arrived just in time to see our families murdered before our eyes." She took a deep breath, shaking at the mere thought , "A man... " An image of Savage flashed into Charles mind. "A man from one of my past lives appeared among our fallen relatives. "He had learned what we truly were," Flashes of Hope and the girls forming mountains and rivers, craving wooden at a work bench. These images flowed quickly and sharply as it seemed Victoria was trying to keep them out of sight but the thought of this man was causing her to reveal more than she had been willing to say.

"He said he had come for me. That I would once more be his bride and my sisters and I would be his army... I had just enough in me to yell for June to teleport us away." She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to keep it together. "That was three days ago... Everyone was so scared. No where was safe. Every family home was the same... blood everywhere... I'm the only one who has their memory of our past lives. I knew this was the only safe place. I knew what kind of man you were-are. He talked very highly of this place... Everyone is dead. I... I..." She slammed her eyes shut, a tears pouring from her eyes. She'd been holding it all in. Being brave for all of them.

Charles moved closer, gently wrapping his arms around to cradle the girl, "Shhh, it's alright now." he encouraged, "I won't let anything happen to you here. Not on my watch" Xavier promised, and he meant it, with every fiber of his being. He and Eric might have just been discovering the vast world of mutants but clearly there was more than that out there. They were going to have to broaden their horizons a little further with this place but the professor was more determined than ever now to make it a safe haven for all. Mutants, whatever these girls were, whatever else that might exist in the world, this would be their sanctuary and heaven help anyone who would dare try to harm them here.
He had never felt more strongly about it before than he did now and perhaps more by accident than anything else his powers seemed to project the thought, just a little.

Victoria cried heavily into his shoulder. She wanted to explain everything to him, how Horatio was their brother, how this timeline was different from all the others but she was far from alright. She had no idea how much she'd been holding in until that moment perhaps letting him into her mind had caused it.

She calmed herself after a moment and gripped his shirt, "Thank you, Charles." She whispered softly, feeling very safe in his arms. "No one else can know who or what we really are...please." She was going limp against him, her body finally forcing her to fall asleep against him.

Charles rocked her back and forth, encouraging her into her sleep as he stroked her hair. "Nothing will harm you" he promised, "not while I'm around" After a few minutes he lifted her up in his arms and brought her upstairs to her sisters.

Juno and Polly looked up when the door opened, they had moved the two beds together and were cuddling Celeste in the middle. They thanked Charles and took Victora from him.

They carefully removed her damp clothes and slipped her into a nighty.

They placed her next to Celeste and all snuggled up to each other.

"Are people ok?" A little voice asked. It was Ciara, holding onto Eric's hand. "I heard crying." She said, a worried look on her face, regardless of the fact she jumped every time thunder hit.

"Everyone's fine" Eric insisted, "That's why people come here, it's safe. They're just tired, but there is a little girl with them that's your age. Maybe you can meet her in the morning?"

Ciara looked up excitedly, "A NEW FRIEND?!" She burst out, her eyes the size of saucers before she realized she was yelling. "...A new friend?" She said softer.

Eric laughed, "yes, a new friend, and get this. Her hair.... is PINK"

Ciara looked awed up at Eric, "Like Cotton candy? *Gasp* She must be so pretty..."

"Almost as pretty as you" Eric tickled her, "now go to sleep, you can meet her in the morning. She's sleeping right now to"

She giggled before rubbing her eyes, "I can't. Big Blue always cuddles me during storms..." She pouted.

Eric sighed, "Well he's away on a trip right now... Alright, I'll stay here tonight, but you have to promise you'll go to sleep" Eric insisted as he crawled into bed with her.

"...Only if you give me scratches." She demanded referring to when Hank gently scratched her back when she sat in his lap.

Eric sighed and proceeded to do so.

Ciara purred lightly and tried to give Eric some too but her arms barely reached so she was scratching his side than his back.

And le time skip

The next day Victoria further explained their unique situation, feeling a bit better now that she'd rested. The girls cover story was that they were adopted sisters who had come to the school because of their powers and sanctuary from their foes which wasn't a far stretch from the truth. Celeste could grow plants, June could teleport, Pallas had a silver tongue and Victoria had an increased intellect (All which were very close to the truth).

Victoria was the only one whose memory had returned so they would pass that milestone when they came to it.

"He's taken our familiars as well." Victoria explained, watching Celeste play with her new friend. "It's not safe to use more than our basic magics without them..." Victoria leaned on the window sill, staring at the red haired girl, "That girl... She's Ciara isn't she?" She asked Charles, not taking her gaze off the smiling girl.

"Yes" Charles confirmed, with a curious look on his face, "We found barely a year ago, she made quite the fuss. We haven't been able to find anyone related to her, anyone who knows her at all... How do you know who she is?"

"Because she's the one who should not exist..." Victoria said in a cool voice. "I told you my brother, Hope, tried to bend the rules of this world and our true father punished him... She's the one he fights for. Who would have thought such a small girl would cause such large ripples.... It's rude to eavesdrop." Victoria turned sharply, arms crossed, glaring at the door.

Ciara... someone of such import in such a small, unassuming body. Charles sighed, he could practically see the threats around his home building, he was going to have to get a much better security system. "Hm?" he turned to look back at the door to see who was there.

June walked around the corner looking down, "I couldn't hear you... I just... Polly wants to be alone and Celeste is playing with her new friend... I just..." She said not leaving the doorway. She'd been sitting in the hallway not wanting to bother them.

Victoria smiled, "You just want to be around people?" She finished June's sentence.

June nodded, rubbing her arm.

Xavier offered a smile, "Don't worry, in due time I hope to fill every room in this house, and then you will never be alone."

June smiled back lightly, taking a few steps into the room. "That would be nice."

"Charles was just telling me there's a large study filled with all kinds of books." June liked to read.

"Actually, I was wondering... She disappeared, small green orbs floating down from where she disappeared and reappeared much closer to them. "I found some VHS tapes in the living room...."

Victora smiled, June didn't like to intrude if someone was busy.

"What do you have there?... Disney's Robin Hood huh? I don't think I've seen this one."
"It's really good. They're all animals and there's music and..." Victoria put a hand on June's, "Go set up the VCR, I'll be down in a min."

June hugged Victoria tightly. Victoria just seemed to understand her and what she was trying to say. "Ok." June teleported away again. One of the small balls of light floating over Charles' foot.

"They are an energetic group, aren't they?" Charles smiled, "We can continue this later, perhaps when everyone has better settled in."