Thinking about the tragic idea of Charles having his powers from the womb, and sending his twin into a coma, injuring his mother and simultaneously himself. Charles' father recognizing what's happened and immediately experimenting on his son after Charles' is born. Charles growing up with voices in his head, crying and not understanding why no one was listening to him. Charles reacting telepathically in self defense and realizing that this isn't normal, possibly getting someone killed, thinking maybe he's a monster. His father dying unexpectedly but Charles feels nothing for him. Charles blocking his own horrific memories of experiments and frightening people at the young age of 5.

His mother starting to drink because Charles isn't enough, she misses her husband more than she loves her child. Sharon marrying Kurt, Charles knowing Kurt doesn't care about him or his mother. Cain coming to live with them, Charles possibly getting a brother in all this mess.

But Cain hates Charles, Cain is also being beaten by Kurt. Maybe Charles doesn't know he can stop Cain from beating him too. Maybe Charles thinks he deserves it. Then Cain and Kurt are arguing in Kurt's lab. Then there's a fire, and Kurt, surprising everyone saves Charles and Cain. Kurt knows, before he dies, that Charles is the one who saved them, Charles isn't the wiser till Kurt dies telling him to keep his telepathy a secret from Cain. Charles is 9 when Kurt dies.

The same year, Charles' mother continues to drink, and Cain continues to beat Charles, until America enters WWII, Kurt, older than Charles, is drafted into war, and never seen again. It's not until three years later that Charles finds out he's not alone. He never ever speaks about his "childhood" partially disgusted with himself for accidentally killing a man, and hoping Cain dies at war (which he also feels guilty about). His mother dies not long after Raven becomes his sister. Cain, Charles learns later, is presumably killed at war.