Hello everyone! It feels like forever since I wrote a novel length fan fiction. This is my FIRST Ryro fanfic. Ryro meaning, Rogue and Pyro…in case you didn't know. Anyway I agree with the Ryro writers and think that Rogue should have ended up with Pyro instead of Icecube. So ya, read and review. The more reviews the quicker I update. SO ENJOY!


Chapter One

"We must find a way to control these mutants. Not only have they become a threat among one another but now they threaten all of humanity. One of these mutants single handedly destroyed half of New York! What more proof does anyone need? These things may appear to be harmless humans but they are far from. They are not humans. They are dangerous, and they need to be dealt with."

"Mr. President. Correct me if I am wrong but have you not already created a…cure for these mutants?"

The President's eyes darkened as he looked directly at the camera. "Yes. We had created what we were calling A Cure. Any mutant who wished to take the cure was more than welcome. However, we have run into some technical difficulties with the actual cure itself."

"Technical difficulties? Mr. President, it has been said that the cure's effects on these mutants has run its course. The cure is ineffective."

"The cure is not ineffective." The President quickly defended. "For the moment the longest the cure has held was up to three months. We are currently working on extending that date."

"So, Mr. President, would it not be safe to say that the cure does not really cure these mutants?"

The President didn't respond at first, and then chose to ignore it all together. "Next question."

Millions of hands shot up as "Mr. President" echoed around the room. The President motioned to one man and the reporter rose.

"Mr. President. What exactly are you going to do about the mutant problem? One mutant, by the name of Jean Gray, destroyed half of our military all alone. How can we possibly stand against that?"

"We have scientists all over the United Nations working on that at this moment. I assure you, this problem will be taken care of."

"Wasn't Jean Gray also the mutant that destroyed Worthington's Labs?" The President nodded.

"Yes, but that mutant is no longer a threat to us."

Another hand shot up. "Mr. President. What can you tell us about the organization known as the Friends of Humanity?" All eyes turned to the President who seemed to be choosing his words carefully.

"The Friends of Humanity are just that. An organization who believes they are doing what is right to help protect the human population."

"So they are a hate group?"

All eyes to the President.

"No, the Friends of Humanity are not a hate group. They are protectors. Mutants have capabilities that we are only beginning to understand. The Friends of Humanity are seeing to it that your child can walk the streets to their school without any threat from any mutant. They are our friends. Not a hate group."

"Mr. President, should we prepare for a war against mutants?"

The President took a deep breath. "No one knows what the future will hold for us. The only thing we can do is prepare for the worst."

"Mr. President!" the name echoed around the room but the President raised his hands. "That will be all."

The sceene switched to show a woman telecaster.

"That was President Creed this morning in his press conference. In earlier news two humans were murdered by mutants on the…"

Elizabeth Braddock, or Betsy as she preferred to be called, hit the off switch to the television remote and stared at its blank screen. "A few mutants accidentally kill one or two humans who attacked them and we get called murderers. But the Friends of Humanity can kill as many mutants as they want and they call it protecting the peace."

"Isn't that usually how it works?" Warren Worthington the third took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "It doesn't matter how good the X-men have been to humanity. They still want to kill us."

He shifted his wait and sighed as he felt his wings shifting with him slightly. It was amazing how he could appear normal while those massive wings lye hidden. They were up against his legs so close that only a slight bulge was noticeable. He couldn't believe he had been ready to take the cure. So what, he had wings. True, humans hated him for it. But no one in the Institute would mind. They were all mutants after all.

The doors opened behind the couple and their few moments of solitude were completely destroyed as half the institute's population filed into the recreation room. It would appear that the school was having some sort of meeting. Betsy's eyes immediately registered the X-men as they merged into the crowd. In the far corner her eye made contact with the fierce Logan, or Wolverine.

Beside him stood Bobby Drake, or Iceman with his arm wrapped around the petite Katharine Pryde, or Shadowcat. She smiled at the large Russian, Peter Rasputin, or Colossus, as he squeezed his way into the room. In a puff of blue sulfur Kurt Wagner, Nightcrawler, appeared and beside him stood Ororo Monroe, Storm, who was also the current leader of the X-men, being the heir to Charles Xavier's entire estate, and cause. Behind her stood Doctor Henry McCoy, Beast. Hank nodded his head toward Ororo as she stepped toward the middle of the room.

It was amazing how the X-men stood out among the other mutants that lived in the school. They all seemed to watch everything, while the younger children appeared to only be interested in Ororo, almost unaware of the silent guardians that seemed to always surround whatever group they were near. Currently, they stood like statues around the room, arms crossed, eyes observing. They were the X-men, and they were always prepared for everything.

Betsy wasn't the only student to flee to the institute after Xavier's death. Around her sat the others, Jubilation Lee, or Jubilee who had joined before Xavier's death but after the death of Jean Grey…or after when they thought she had died. Theresa Cassidy, or Siren had been a member of the school before Stryker and his men had kidnapped the Professor. Artie Mattocks was the newest member, and now the youngest member of the institute. Lorna Dane, Polaris, and her boyfriend Alexander Summers, Havoc, had moved in after his brother, Scott Summers or Cyclops, died. Another spitfire, named Boom Boom, or Tabitha, had joined after then, with her rule breaking attitude. Amara Aquilla, Magma, was the only other new student that was in the room. The rest had all been around since the beginning, before Wolverine had joined.

All eyes turned to Ororo as she spoke. "I'm sure you all have seen the news this morning. For those of you who do not know, it is becoming more and more dangerous for mutants in our world. This Institute is well known, world wide, as a home for mutants, a school for them, and if this anti-mutant threat continues, we are positive that this school is going to be the first target."

Murmurs broke out among the newer students and Betsy leaned back into Warren's arms. "I'm not trying to frighten any of you. But I do believe that it is my job to warn you. I am giving you a chance now to leave the institute. Any of you that feel you are no longer safe in this institute, or would rather be home with you family, you are free to leave at anytime. This is your home and always will be. Should you chose to leave you will always be welcome to return to it. But as times become more dangerous, I fear that some of you may feel better protected elsewhere. If that is the case we will be here when you return."

Everyone heard the hopefully that should have come at the end of that sentence. All eyes fell. "Those of you who would like to stay; things are going to have to change around here. Danger Room Sessions with Logan will be harder, longer, and more often. If you leave this institute you must check in with one of us when you leave and upon returning. A midnight curfew has been set. This is not for punishment, but for the safety of the members of this institute."

All heads nodded, although a few complaints echoed around the room. For the most part everyone was alright with the changes. "I don't know what tomorrow holds," Ororo stated and then indicated toward the X-men around the room. "But I do know that the X-men will be here, and we will be ready for anything this world can throw at us."

& & &

"Nice speech." Storm nearly jumped out of her skin at the gruff voice behind her. Placing a hand to her heart she turned slowly to smile at Logan. He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his white t-shirt, and a smirk on his face.

"Logan, you scared me." She accused, but smiled all the same. Her heels clicked as she walked over to him and leaned against the wall across from him.

"Your speech," Logan said again and Storm frowned.

"What about it?"

"I think the kids liked it. You're good at those kinds of things, Darlin." Storm smiled and closed her eyes for a moment.

"I just hope I'm doing the right thing, you know? I'm all these kids have left. The X-men are the only thing keeping that world from crushing those kids. Sometimes, I wish the Professor hadn't named me his successor."

Logan snorted. "I can't think of anyone else for the job." He stated in a matter-of-fact manner. Storm smiled at him.

"Thank you, Logan. I really am doing the best that I can."

"That's all we want from you. We don't expect you to be perfect, Darlin." Storm smiled.

"Still. I think we may need to recruit more X-men. I'm afraid this Anti-Mutant frenzy is quickly spiraling out of control. President Creed is not going to touch the Friends of Humanity, and while they are on the run, mutants are in danger."

Logan took a step toward her just as her beeper went off. He huffed and moved back again to lean against the wall, mumbling something about stupid beepers and bad timing. Storm smiled apologetically at him before turning toward her office. He followed and watched as she picked up her black cordless phone and answered. She spoke softly, like always, her featured never revealing the content of whatever discussion she was having. Logan had long since stopped trying to read her expressions and used the time to fiddle with something, usually whatever he found on Storm's desk.

It was the same office Storm had always had, with the dark wooden panels and the tan carpet and the dark oak desk and matching bookshelves along with the cream file cabinets. Cerebro had once been the center computer for the entire mansion, but after Jean and the Professor died, it had been forgotten and left alone. Only skilled telepaths could actually work Cerebro, so it lay in dormant. All the files that had been in it were now in the computer sitting on Storm's desk or in the file cabinets behind her.

Logan's attention snapped back to Storm as the room became a lot colder. Not a single window was open yet a draft seemed to swirl around him. His eyes took in the narrowed, dark eyes of Storm and he saw the hints of white taking over them. Shit. She snapped a smart comeback into the phone and then slammed the receiver down on its base.

"Storm?" Logan asked cautiously. Her eyes snapped up toward him and immediately relaxed, the wind settling down and the cold air disappearing.

"Sorry" she apologized. "That was supposed to be our new Martial Arts teacher. Apparently he is on his way to Germany for a safe house. He just got a warning from the Friends of Humanity." Her gaze darkened and Logan was positive she was contemplating how to get rid of the Friends of Humanity permanently. But with President Graydon Creed still in office, she wouldn't stand a chance.

"Just relax, Darlin, we'll find someone else to teach the class."

Storm glared up at him. "Who, Logan? I already teach English and history. You're the school mechanic and you're in danger room sessions for the most part of the day. Hank has his hands full with Economics, and Bobby with all of the Sciences. Do you know how hard it is to teach that many courses at a time? Warren's already teaching all math classes, from Algebra to Calculus. Not to mention Artie is trying to lean how to use Cerebro from the Professor's old notes and observations. We don't have enough teachers as it is. Who else could we get to teach self defense and Martial Arts?"

For a few moments Logan didn't answer. He waited until Storm sighed and relaxed a little before he pointed toward the phone. "Make some phone calls. You and I both know someone who could teach that category with ease."

Storm's brow furrowed as she took a deep breath. "I promised her I would not call her unless I absolutely had to. She deserves a normal life now. She took the cure, Logan. She left. She doesn't want any part of us, or mutants."

Logan chose to ignore that. "Yeah well she's coming back one way or another. That cure is wearing off. Eventually her mutation is going to come back and then she'll be knocking on our front gates. Now why don't ya save her pride and ask her to join us before she actually has to."

Storm nodded. "Make her think she's coming here on her own choice, not because her powers are back." Logan grinned.

"Besides, I miss the kid."

Storm smiled and taking another deep breath sat down in her chair. "Okay." She reached for the phone and pulled out a file from her drawer at the same time. Flipping through it she found the number and dialed. Someone answered on the third ring.

"Hi, yes I was wondering if you could help me. I'm looking for a friend of mine. She goes by the name of Rogue."

Her smile disappeared and she leaned forward, all happiness gone. "What…I was told this is where I could reach her...Oh…oh dear…yes…I see…Thank you so much...Goodbye."

"What?" Logan demanded. Storm looked up at him and immediately alarm coursed through his body.

"Rogue's gone. She hasn't been back to her apartment in months. That was her land lady. She said her rent was due and Rogue was nowhere to be found. Strange thing is, she left everything she had. The land lady sold all of her things, including her car to get this months rent. She said no one in the building has seen her. They all thought it was odd since she left her car as well."

Storm's brow furrowed even more. "She left here six months ago. They said she's been missing for five."

Logan didn't move. Something was wrong with Rogue. That wasn't like her. She wouldn't just leave without a reason. But then his mind recalled her stepping into that taxi the day after they buried Scott and Jean. Then again, maybe she would.

"I'm gona go find her." Logan stated, turning toward the door.

"How? We can't use Cerebro, Logan, and she could be anywhere. How can you find her?"

"The old fashion way. Look." (1).

So tell me what you think so far? I don't think the mutants and the humans are going to break out into an all out war. Hope you enjoyed and don't forget to review! Oh and the quote was from the first movie. Review!