Disclaimer: I own nothing except this fanfic.


The Thing About Fairytales

She stared at him through the window, hands clenched into fists on the windowsill. He was drenched from head to toe, the rain making his jeans and t-shirt cling to his slender body stubbornly as he clung to the outside of the Xavier mansion. Both feet were under the sill, while one hand was on the brick wall and the other was pressed against the glass of the window. He opened his mouth to speak and, though she never heard what he said due to the heavy rain outside and the thick glass separating them, said, "open up."

Megan looked over her shoulder to her sleeping roommate. Jessica had her back to the window and the blankets drawn up to her shoulders, tucked firmly under her chin and held tightly in her hands. She seemed to still be asleep. For that, Megan was thankful. Turning her attention back to the window and the young man outside, she bit her lip.

"C'mon," he urged her on, tapping his fingers against the glass.

"Alright, alright," she mumbled to herself and unlatched the window. She pushed it open completely, wincing as the cold rain hit her warm skin. Hugging herself to keep the chill away, she narrowed her eyes on her unexpected visitor. "You shouldn't be here." She tried to sound stern but failed, the worry shining through easily.

He eased himself up onto the sill, sneakers squeaking against the polished wood and metal as he crouched. He grinned at her, using one hand to wave her off, "so?"

She dodged a drip of water from his hand. "So," she started, taking a step forward, "we could get in trouble."

"Like I care!"

"Well, I do!"

"Ya shouldn't," he snickered.

"Why not?" She asked incredulously.

He shrugged. "It's no fun if ya play by the rules all the time, y'know?"

Megan rolled her eyes and let her arms fall a little lower around her torso, hugging her midsection instead of her chest now. "I'm an X-Woman-in-training. I have to play by the rules, Toad."

"Oh really?" He chuckled quietly. "I bet you weren't thinkin' like that the day I metcha."

The pink dots on Megan's cheeks reddened quite a bit as she blushed. "That was different!"

"Oh? So, joyridin' is playing by the rules?" Toad inquired, using his knee to rest his elbow on, putting his chin in his palm.

Bobby had gathered the newest recruits and coaxed them into joining him and Jubilee on a joyride. He said it was for old time's sake. He said no one would even notice they were gone and that they'd be back early in the morning. With assurance like that from an X-Man, Megan saw no harm in going along for the ride with Nick, Mark, Dallas and Ben. Of course, neither Bobby or Jubilee had expected to run into the Brotherhood.

While Ben dealt with Pyro, Mark handled the Blob; Bobby and Jubilee took care of Avalanche and Quicksilver, leaving the Scarlet Witch to Dallas and Nick, and Toad to Megan. Ignoring the fire blazing around them, the ice forming not too far away, the plasma blasts and the wayward shadows, Megan had flown above Toad, dodging the slime he tried to spit at her. Then he had jumped high off the ground, arms outstretched and intent to grab onto her. She gasped and managed to fly barely an inch higher before his arms were around her. Once they were on the ground, he had her pinned to the ground with her colorful wings spread out under her, contrasting beautifully with the dirt and gravel underneath them.

If I had used my pixie dust on you, you'd be sorry! She had shouted at him and he laughed boldly down at her.

I'm so sure. He crooned as he ran a webbed hand over one of her wings. His touch had sent shivers down her young spine. She had never had her wings touched like that before. What could a little butterfly like you do against me, huh? He had taunted her.

Let me up and you'll see what this little butterfly can do! She'd snapped, wriggling under his slightly bigger body.

Think I'll pass. He had said nonchalantly before one of his teammates called to him, telling him to retreat. He grinned and looked back down at the younger girl he had pinned under him. Here's somethin' to remember me by. Before she could react, he had his lips pressed to the corner of her mouth. By the time the shock had worn off, her hand was in Bobby's and the icy mutant was wiping at her face, probably wiping away the slimy residue from the other mutant's kiss.

You alright? Bobby had asked as he let the ice armor melt away. He didn't hurt you, did he?

I'm fine. Megan replied, pressing two fingertips to the corner of her mouth, brow furrowed. Just... fine.

"Well, no," Megan mumbled quietly, breaking the awkward silence that had formed. "But I was with Bobby, and he's a student-teacher, so it wasn't that bad!"

"Uh huh," Toad rolled his eyes. "You know as well as I do that don't mean shit. Either way, ya wound up breakin' the rules."

"Alright already!" Megan snapped, glaring at the Brotherhood member. "Just get to the point, Toad: What do you want?"

Toad chuckled and reached out, taking Megan's slim wrist into his wet hand, pulling her closer. "Came to see if ya wanted to go for a midnight stroll," he smirked a lopsided smirk at her.

"It's raining cats and dogs out there!" Megan protested, trying to tug herself free of his grasp. "Are you crazy?"

"Maybe, yo. But that wasn't the question," the smirk grew broader.

Megan opened her mouth to speak but when words seemed to fail her, she settled for a roll of her eyes and a heavy sigh to express herself. She looked at his hand on her wrist and the ghost of a smile claimed her lips. She didn't know what she saw in him, but it was enough for her to pull herself closer to him.

"Fine," she mumbled, looking over her shoulder to make sure Jessica was still asleep. Looking back to Toad, "but not for a long 'midnight stroll'," she said.

"Thatta girl," Toad grinned and pulled the younger girl as close as he possibly could. He ignored her startled yelp as he took her into his arms bridal style and jumped from the fourth story window.

Megan's rise in voice woke her roommate.

Jessica groaned as she sat up in bed, hugging the sheets to her body to fight back the chill of the night's wind. Sighing, she hoisted herself out of bed and walked over to the window, intent on closing it. She didn't have to look outside to know what was happening, she had seen it in her dreams mere moments before Toad and Megan had left. Even if she hadn't been a precog, she wouldn't have been surprised to see that lowly Brotherhood mutant whisk Megan away into the night, because she knew how those old clichés fairytales seemed so fond of using always played out.

The frog always got the girl in the end.

-End