(Unedited. For EccentricBooks and Storie my favorite little Xavier sisters 👬❤️)
"Technically we aren't American so why do we celebrate thanksgiving?" The middle Xavier daughter Sky asked while setting the table for the dinner that would be happening later on.
"Sis, don't complain about food. And we live in America so we are going to celebrate the holiday." The oldest daughter Tay replied.
"Sky it's one of the few days of the year we get to eat all the food we want so please shut up." The youngest daughter Storie said.
Sky just rolled her eyes and finished setting the last place at the table. It always felt wrong only setting four places but ever since Erik walked out it was Charles and the girls. They hadn't seen or heard from Erik in almost 3 years. It got easier each year but it always hurt around the holidays. The students got a break from school work so they all left, the ones who had accepting families went home and the ones who didn't normally went vacationing somewhere like the beach or skiing. So the mansion was quiet during the holidays and sometimes it was a painful silence.
"Dinner should be done soon. Will one of you tell Dad to get ready while I finish up in the kitchen?" Tay asked walking to the kitchen to finish cooking.
Sky nodded and headed for Charles' office. She knocked a few times then opened the door.
"Tay said dinner will be ready soon. So if you need to get ready you should start now." Sky told him when he looked up from the paper work on his desk.
"Okay. Thank you. I will be there shortly. I just need to finish this."
Sky simply nodded and left the office closing the door behind her. She returned to the kitchen to help her sisters get the food to the table. Once everything was set Charles arrived.
"It looks wonderful as always. And will taste as good too." He smiled and everyone started filling their plates.
They made small talk for a few minutes it was hard to make conversation when you see the same people everyday. So dinner was mostly silent. That is until a knock was heard at the door.
"Who could that be? No one said they were coming back early." Storie was the first to speak. The girls looked to Charles but he said nothing. His face blank as he moved towards the door. The girls followed him and stood behind him as he opened the door.

On the front steps of Xavier Mansion stood Erik Lehnsherr. Everyone was silent for moment, mostly from shock. The girls were about in tears from a mixture of joy from seeing their Papa again after so many years and anger from him abandoning them. Then Charles spoke,
"You disappeared without a trace 3 years ago why the hell are you on my doorstep and where have you... oh my god you're arm is bleeding get in here."
Erik didn't say a word and walked in passing the girls without a glance. He walked straight to Charles' office with Charles about to follow but Tay put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
"Daddy, what's going on? Is Papa coming home? Is he staying?"
Charles' heart broke for his daughters. Normally his girls were strong and fearless. Now they looks so small and innocent. Reminding him of the day Erik left. The girls weren't too young, Tay was 15, Sky 14, and Storie 13, but it still hurt them deeply. The Papa they cared so much for leaving without a goodbye or a reason. They cried for days, begging Charles to find him and bring him home. But Erik didn't want to be found. He could see the hope in their eyes that Erik had truly come home to stay. Which he highly doubted was Erik's plan.
"I don't know yet darling. You girls go back to dinner. Let me talk to him." Charles went to his office and closed the door. As soon as they heard the lock click the girls had ears pressed to the door.
"Go back to dinner girls. This doesn't concern you at the moment." Charles said in loud voice that could be heard through the door. The girls obeyed and returned to dinner but they couldn't eat. They were too concerned about what was happening in the office.
After waiting nearly an hour the food had gone cold and no one had moved.
"Let's just put everything in the fridge and go to bed." Tay finally spoke standing up from the table. Her sisters agreed and started moving food to the fridge. "I'll wash the dishes. You two can go to bed."
Sky and Storie happily agree to that and hugged their sister goodnight before going to their separate rooms without a word.
While doing the dishes Tay let her mind wander which isn't always a good thing. Her powers, the ability to hear any conversation anywhere, kicked in and she was listening to her dads speak.
"I still don't understand Erik. Why did you have to leave us? Do you have any idea what that did to the girls?"
"Charles I had to leave. I had things to straighten out."
"What things?"
"I had to stop..." Then there was silence for a moment before Erik spoke again, "Taylor darling, I know you're listening go to bed."
A downside to her power was that people could tell when she was listening. If they didn't know what was happening people normally figured they were just paranoid thinking someone was listening to them. But Erik and Charles were used to their eldest daughter's listening ability.
Tay stopped listening and quickly finished the dishes before going to bed.
The next morning the girls woke up and found a note from Charles that he had an important meeting today and he would be back soon and that they shouldn't push Erik for answers that he would tell them what they needed to know he was ready.
They each made a bowl of cereal and sat at the table eating in silence. Then they heard footsteps. They looked up to see Erik walking in. He had changed clothes from the ones he was wearing last night. His arm was wrapped in a bandage. Everyone stayed silent and the girls watched as Erik made a cup of coffee. He walked back to the table and before sitting down he kissed each girl on the top of her head.
"Good morning darlings." He said casually like he did every morning before he left.
The girls looked at each other shocked.
"I've missed you girls so much. But don't worry Papa isn't leaving again." He smiled and drank his coffee.
"We missed you too Papa." Storie was the only one who said anything.
Silence fell again and lasted a few minutes as the girls finished their cereal and Erik finished his coffee.
"Tell me what's happened here since I've been away. I imagine I've missed some things."
Tay and Storie looked to Sky figuring she would answer. Though the girls loved their dads equally Sky always had a soft spot for Erik. She opened and closed her mouth a few times trying to think of something to say. But before words came out of her mouth she stood and walked quickly to her room.
"Storie go check on her." Tay said collecting the bowls from the table before putting them in the sink while Storie went to check on Sky.
"What's wrong with her?" Erik said putting his mug in the sink next to the bowls.
"Papa you left us without a goodbye. We woke up one morning expecting to see you and Dad eating breakfast and when we got down the stairs all we found was Dad in tears. And I can count on one hand the number times I've seen Dad cry. You know Sky is taking it the hardest. She was always the closest to you. Anyone could see that. So you can't just show up years later and expect us to act that nothing happened. I'm sorry but it just won't happen." Erik was shocked. Tay was always the quietest of the three girls. She never raised her voice or spoke the way she just did.
"I'm sorry I left darling but I had to go."
"Why? Why did you have to leave us? What happened that took you away from us without a goodbye for three years?" Her eyes started to sting and she knew tears were threatening to spill over. Erik pulled her into his arms and she cried into his chest.
"Shh it's okay. Papa is home now. It's okay. Calm down. Let's get your sisters then I'll tell you what happened." He lead her to the sitting room and sat her on the couch before seeking out his younger daughters. Once they were all on the couch he sat on in the arm chair sitting directly in front of them and started to speak.
"I didn't want to leave you. Trust me I never wanted to leave my darling girls. That night was the worst night of my life. Remember when you were little and I would tell you stories about a man named Shaw?"
The girls nodded and he continued.
"Well he came back. And somehow he found us. I don't know how. Charles and I tried so hard to make sure he never found out about you girls. But he did. And he threatened you. That time when you all had those terrible nightmares, that was Emma Frost. She works for Shaw and has powers like your Dad. Shaw told her to get into your heads and give you nightmares. Shaw called me and told me if I didn't go to him he would had Emma make your nightmares so bad that you would eventually go insane. And I knew better then to doubt him. He would do anything to get what he wants even if it means hurting children. So I had to leave so I could stop him. I didn't think it would take as long as it did. But now Shaw and Emma have been taken care of and I'm not going to leave you again. I promise." He finished his story and looked at his daughters. They were all silent. "You have to tell me what you're thinking darlings. I'm not Charles I can't read your minds." He chuckled.
"What happened to your arm? Did they hurt you?" Sky finally said something.
"If only that was the case. I was so excited to get back here to you girls and Charles that I wasn't paying the best attention to my driving. I maybe have ran into a tree or two."
The girls all exploded into a fit of laughter. Erik joined in with them happy to see his girls smiling.
The door opened and they turned their heads to see Charles had returned.
"I'm glad everyone is happier then when I left." He smiled and made his way to join his family.
"You know we still have all the food leftover from last night. We could have a redo thanksgiving. Now that we are a family again." Tay suggested. Everyone agreed and the happily reunited family got to work warming the food and setting the table. Everyone sat in their respective spot and started eating, talking, and laughing just like old times.