Author's Note—This story came to me randomly one night about two weeks ago, stayed up for a good 3hrs hashing out some of the details and its been evolving since. Now I'm finally starting to put the story into words, hope you all enjoy! This is my first crossover with these two fandoms

Disclaimer—Characters from the "X-Men" comic and movie franchise do not belong to me, neither do the characters from the "Smallville" franchise. They both belong to their respective companies. No profit was made nor intended, this is purely a work of fiction. However, stealing the author's idea/plot/plagiarism is still illegal and punishable. Not to mention, just tacky.

Spoilers—If you haven't watched any of the "X-Men" movies and if you haven't watched any of the "Smallville" seasons, specifically the 8th season, beware

Feedback—Please please give me your feedback!

"Toxic" (title in progress)

Part 1—Small Town Girl Living in a Lonely World

"Strangers waiting, up and down the boulevard
Their shadows searching in the night
Streetlight people, living just to find emotion
Hiding, somewhere in the night"

-Journey 'Don't Stop Believing'

***********

5 months.

That's how long Lana Lang has been living here, in New York.

Away from Smallville, away from her friends and the life she's only known.

Away from Clark.

Once it became obvious that her presence could literally kill Clark she forced herself to leave everything behind. To his credit and persistence, Clark tried to persuade her during the first few months of her self-inflicted exile to return; to try to find a way around her recent indulgence of kryptonite.

It was pointless to hope and they had already put themselves through so much heartache and disappointment that Lana couldn't stand yet another failed attempt. It wasn't just the kryptonite that was forcing them apart either, they weren't the same people anymore, they were growing up and following their own destinies.

Before Lana couldn't stand the idea of not being by Clark's side and sharing her future with him, but now she saw that if she were to be by his side it would be as a friend and nothing more. She was satisfied with that, having known Clark Kent was enough.

Having returned to Smallville for Chloe's wedding at Oliver's urging also showed her that Clark was beginning to move on from their once shared dream of being together and onto Lois. It was something she had long suspected would unfold; there was no jealousy or resentment. She was happy, genuinely happy, that Clark could possibly find the love he deserved.

And now, one that wouldn't literally kill him.

So Lana decided to leave Smallville, perhaps finally for good. She didn't know where exactly she would go, she just knew that she needed to get away enough that she wouldn't be a risk to Clark's health.

The Legion's visit to Smallville had left a lasting impact on her, her destiny didn't lie parallel to Clark's like she originally thought and hoped. No, it was clear now that she had her own path to follow and her own destiny to fulfill. She didn't know what exactly it was but she knew that with her newfound Kryptonian powers she had a duty of sorts to help those who couldn't help themselves.

Yes, that would be a good enough start.

***********

She's gotten so good at running away that you'd think it was a bad home that she was avoiding, no, it wasn't quite like that.

Some have called her special but for the most part she's considered a freak; by society and now by the one place she thought she could fit in because of her enrollment into the controversial new mutant 'wonder-drug'.

Finally she had a chance to experience life to the fullest; to be able to know the warmth and comfort of another person's touch. She should be relieved and barely able to contain her excitement, she supposes, but being normal has only made her feel the loneliest she's ever felt.

While nobody at the Institute told her to leave, she could sense their judgment in their silent stares as she walked the hallways. What forced her to leave, much to Logan's disdain, was indeed a boy.

Not just any boy, Bobby Drake.

If there was a hierarchy of popular kids at Xavier's Institute he would be at the top; with Scott's recent passing many saw Bobby as a potential leader for the X-Men one day with the proper training and grooming.

To Rogue he would always be Bobby, the first student to welcome her to the school, her first real romance and her first heartbreak. There had been others, sure, before her powers emerged but he had been the only one to make her feel both the good aspects of being in love and all the nasty emotions too.

Enter Kitty Pride.

Rogue was a lot of things but she wasn't blind and she saw as clear as day what was forming between Kitty and Bobby. Try as she may to separate them it seemed useless to deny the inevitable. To be perfectly honest, Bobby and her had been having trouble way before Kitty Pride entered the picture.

Their troubles finally came to a head when she voluntarily took the mutant "cure". Bobby tried to understand her reasons but she knew deep down he resented her for turning away from her natural gift. Her gift was a curse, he and the others at the Institute would never understand that.

So she left.

Bobby tried to stop her, tried to plead with her but the passion was gone from his voice. There was no desperation, no need to convince her to stay, not when he had Kitty. Kitty who he could kiss without fear of dying. Kitty who could hold his hand and hug him.

Logan would be disappointed in her to let a 'boy' like Bobby unconsciously push her into leaving.

Leaving and running away from her problems was what she did though.

It was time to move on.

To be continued…