A/N: Hi! This isn't so much an Alternate Universe but I'd thought I'd be safe 'cause I haven't seen the show in a while... If you're thinking you've seen this story before, you probably have, it's just that I took it down to re-write it. - Enjoy!

I'd like to leave a big thank you to L'ange-sans-Ailes for him beta-reading this for me and giving me ideas for the second half of this chapter. Thank you, gracias, merci, vielen dank, and dank u.

By the way, I'd really like it if you (yes, you) reviewed when you're finished reading.

Chapter 1-"I'm not crazy, I'm just a little impaired"

Toad started the bath. This was the first time he had been completely alone in the house. The others said they were going to the mall to "shop" but he told them he wasn't feeling very well and was going to take a bath. He was criticized, but they soon left.

He noticed the dirt ring around the edge of the tub and the hard water stains on the tile and in the grout as he started to think about school. He was a sophomore now. The principal had barley passed him last year, and even then it was because he wanted him to move on so he would get out of the school. It was only mid-November and he was already skipping most of his classes.

He remembered a time when he was popular. His 12th birthday party was a big hit. Half of the fifth grade was there. All the other kids loved him. He was smart, and funny, the girls thought he was cute too. The one definite thing he was glad about at that party was that he was actually able to have it. His mother had finally kicked his drunken father out and had gotten a restraining order. Normally he didn't want his friends over and have them see his father passed out in a drunken stuper on the couch or raping his mom on the kitchen table.

About six months after turning twelve, puberty hit him like a rock. He shot up about four inches; hair started to grow in… odd places, and became a little pale. He had wondered why he didn't start growing a beard, but his mother assured him that he was still growing so he didn't think any more of it. Then he went into the sixth grade. Most of his friends got split up and were sent to different schools, some even moved out of state. But he was optimistic, until some older kids started picking on him.

Toad snapped back to reality when he realized his bath was full.

He slipped out of everything but his boxer shorts. Easing himself into lukewarm water, he thought that his boxers clinging to him was an odd sensation to go out with, but he didn't want to embarrass the person who found him. He thought it strange how considerate he was being as he slipped his head below the water and closed his eyes, waiting. He'd have to wait a long time; thanks to his mutation he was able to hold his breath longer than a normal person. Then he had an idea; let out his breath and breath in water. He tried it but at soon as he inhaled the water his reflexes kicked in and made him come up coughing. He sat in the tub heaving for about ten minutes. The front door opened. He quickly wrapped a towel around himself, pulled the plug on the tub and grabbed his clothes before running to his room.

The next day he didn't feel like ditching and he didn't feel like staying home, so he actually went to class. The bell rang for third period and everyone sat down in his or her seats. Jean was two rows down from him and Kurt was right next to him.

"Why'd I even come here?" He whispered to himself. He was still a little sad.

"Well, look who decided to come to class!" Kurt said rather loudly as the teacher came up to the front of the class. A student walked in to the class room and handed the teacher, Ms. Bolan, a piece of paper and waited silently next to her clutching a book. 'New student' was instantly whispered all over the classroom.

Todd noticed her black eye.

"Wow," the football jock behind Todd, Frank, whispered to those around him, "She looks like a total dip shit."

"Students!" Ms. Bolan said, immediately grabbing everyone's attention, "We have a new student, Leala Walkman, she'll be with us for the rest of the year." She looked at Leala, "Why don't you tell us about yourself?"

"Alright," She turned to the class, she seemed to have an accent similar to Rouge's. "I'm from Louisiana. Umm, umm...My father is a police officer, he wanted to move up here before the next hurricane season started."

Someone in the back blurted out, "How did you get that shiner?" Leala blushed and diverted her eyes.

"You don't have to answer that, Leala." Ms. Bolan said.

"It's alright." She turned her attention back to the class, "It was a freak moving accident. I'm rather clumsy and I bruise easily."

"Ok, dear, thank you. You can sit down now, if you please. I believe there is an empty seat next to Mr. Tolensky. Todd, will you raise your hand please, so she knows who you are?" He was reluctant, so the jock behind him leaned forward grabbed his arm and raised it for him. He shrugged away from him as the class snickered. "Mr. Smith, the next time you lay a hand on another student I will make you un-eligible to play Football. Is that clear?"

"Yes, ma'am." He said as Todd put his head down on his desk trying to stop himself from crying.

"Right there, dear." Ms. Bolan motioned to Leala.

She sat down. Todd looked her over as Ms. Bolan began to speak again.

"Leala, there are a few rules in this class room..."

As Ms. Bolan started her lesson on the class rules, Todd looked her over. She was overweight, but not by more than twenty pounds, and she carried the weight evenly. She had long black hair. Thick eyebrows, the same color as her hair, and silver colored eyes.

A crumpled paper flew onto his desk from somewhere behind him. He opened it. It read "Checking out the dip shit, loser?" He turned around and the jock started laughing. Todd punched him in the nose, which sent the jockey's head flying back.

"All right, both of you to the office, NOW!" Ms. Bolan said.

BANG- A seemingly empty hallway found Todd Tolensky flinging his flimsy body as hard as he could against one locker after another. Lunchtime was the best and worst time to break into lockers. Best because most teachers were in the lounge and didn't notice the noise, worst because anyone could come down the hallway at any moment and report him.

BANG- Unfortunately, locker-smashing is a dangerous game; if you don't get the angle just right...

BANG-"OWWW!"

...You could hurt yourself. Toad sat against the wall for a few moments, holding his damaged head as he verbally battered himself with a string of cuss words.

"Hey, are you ok?" A southern accent. He flinched and looked up expecting to see Rogue but instead saw Leala, the new girl, kneeling a foot away from him, her hand extended and ready to help him up. "I was in the next hallway, I heard a loud noise..."

"Yeah, I'm fine." He caught her gaze for only a moment, then looked away while brushing away her hand, "Ya might not wanna be helpin' me. I'm sure it'll be hard enough for ya ta make friends as is, ya don't kneed ta be seen talkin' with th' likes of me."

"I'm glad for your concern, but I think I've made all the friends I'm going to make in the chess club. Did you get into trouble for punching that guy?"

"Oh, Frankie? Yeah, that's why ya haven't seen me for the past week; I jus' got back from suspension t'day." Why am I talkin' t' her? He slid himself up with the help of the wall and started walking away.

"Where are you going?" She stood up as gracious as a geisha.

"Go hang out with your checkers club; I don't wanna ruin your life." I've been generous lately. Something compelled him to stop

"Chess." She corrected him.

"Whatever." He rolled his eyes.

"Don't you have friends?"

"Yea, they're probably wonderin' where I am right now." Desperately wanting to stay, not hang out with his friends, he said the first thing that came to his mouth, "I like your accent," What th' hell am I sayin'? "I'm surprised ya pronounce all your words correctly, ya don't skimp out like I do."

"I was brought up in a strict household and school system. If you were to go there you would get a beating for pronouncing your words the way you do."

"Really? Is school up here easy for you?"

"Oh, yes. I get through my homework easily. Back home we had three hours of homework a night, even on weekends."

"Wow! Maybe ya could help me with my homework sometime?" What the hell am I doin'? Did I jus' make a date with a loser? GREAT!

"Sure, if you need it." She grinned, "You're also welcome to join chess club if you want to. I don't think they would mind."

"I don't think they would like a mutant joining their club."

"Why not? A lot of people in there are gay, I don't think they're very closed minded."

Now I really don't wanna join. "Thanks for the offer, but I ain't good at board games, 'specially ones where ya gotta think ahead."

"Alright. The offer is still open if you change your mind. There must be something you're good at?"

"Sure. Maybe I'll find out one day, but for now I'll just stay away from chess." He started to feel hot but he didn't know why, maybe I should go t' the nurse, each breath became slightly more labored, you're allergic t' geeks, Toad, "Um...I have t' go and meet my friends."

"Alright. You didn't miss that much in Ms. Bolan's class, by-the-by; all she does is lecture, as long as you read the book you'll be fine." He sighed as she started to walk away. He turned and started the other way, but before he got down to the end of the hallway, he heard a familiar gang of voices at the other end of the hall. It was Frankie and his gang of football jock friends. As usual, he didn't get into trouble at all for what happened.

"Hey," One of them called, "It's the new dip shit!"

"Hey loser," Frank called, "Wanna play football. You're big enough to be a defense man!"

Todd ducked behind a nearby vending machine. He knew they were talking to Leala, and that they probably hadn't noticed him. He was torn. One side of him told him to run, the other knew what it was like and wanted, wanted to stay and help her. But he knew he couldn't stand up to Frank by himself, much less all of his friends. It was times like these he wished he had someone else's powers.

You can't do much, he thought, with a tongue like this. Shit like this is why you hang out with Freddie an' Wanda an' everyone else. Just go, Todd. Walk away. I can't just leave her there. Yes you can. What has anyone else done for you? What has she done for you? I do want one good friend. Just one. You don't deserve one. You're not normal.

"Hey, dip face."

"Stop," Leala pleaded, "Don't push me, what did I ever do to you?"

See, SEE? She ain't bein' treated fair either.

Who said life was fair? Your own mother wasn't fair to you. You just have to worry about yourself. You should go before they notice you alone. Besides, you're a coward, you can't stand up for yourself, what makes ya think you can stand up for her? Just walk away. She'll get over it. Todd started to slink away.

"Maybe she'd like a little fun?"

"Fun, what kind'a fun, Frankie?" One of his henchmen asked.

Todd started walking away.

"Good ol' fashioned fun. Where's the nearest bathroom?"

Todd froze at hearing this. I can't just leave 'er. Yes you can. How can you expect to stand up to those guys? They're on the varsity football team for Christ's sake! Just keep walking.

"I wonder what's keeping Toad-boy so long?" Pietro asked in the school courtyard.

"Oh he's probably just trying to break into lockers again. Maybe he gave himself a concussion." Everyone laughed at Freddie's joke. Just then they heard a loud sound like a fire truck coming from inside the school. Then all eyes were on Todd as he came rushing out of the school doors screaming at the top of his lungs followed by a small league of football players.

"C'mere, ya little dip shit mutant. I just wanna break your neck." Frankie yelled.

There was a large tree that the first graduating class had planted and dedicated to the school. Up until that point Todd had thought it useless. But not now. He jumped as high into it as he could onto a branch and then started climbing. One of the smaller jocks started to follow but was pulled back by some invisible force and landed flat on his back. Everyone turned to Jean.

"It wasn't me! I swear!" She said frantically.

"Alright!" A teacher yelled above the chorus of voices. She had heard the commotion from the teachers lounge and had come out to investigate. It was Ms. Bolan.

The student body calmed down and soon dissipated from around the tree, their entertainment for the day coming to an abrupt halt. The football jocks left after a moment, realizing it wasn't worth their time. "It's alright Todd. They're gone, you can come down now." Ms. Bolan called to him. Todd eased himself out of the tree slowly. When he was on the lower branches she helped him to the ground.

"Thanks." Without a word, she left. Todd went over to his friends.

"What was that about?" Freddie asked.

"Nothing. Just drop it, ya know how they are; they'll chase ya for no reason." He started reaching for the fries on Freddie's lunch tray.

"Hey!"

"C'mon, man, I'm starvin'. I didn' have breakfast."

"Uh-oh, dip shit alert, six o'clock." Freddie said as Leala walked up to their table. Todd dropped his eyes and stopped shoveling fries into his mouth while attempting to wipe off a hand full of grease onto his pants.

"Thank you." She said to him softly.

"I-I don't know what you're talkin' about..." Todd muttered, thankful that his mutation didn't allow him to blush. It made him better at lying.

"Alright," She said, "Thanks anyway." She turned and left.

"Toad, you're weird." Freddie said.

"Thanks, Blob." He mumbled, staring after Leala.