DISCLAIMER: I do not own the X-MEN or their characters, they belong to Marvel and all their respective owners. Unfortunately, I am making no profit from these works of fiction. Entertainment purposes only. No copyright infringement intended whatsoever.

Author's Note: This story takes place in an AU and though the X-MEN as we know them do not exist, there are still mutants in existence.

6/2011 – Wow, so . . . this fic was kind of a disaster, a horror. Which is why it took me nearly a year and a half to complete it. It was 'technically' my first fic and it's quite obvious I didn't know what the blazes I was doing. I cringe whenever I go back over it. I don't want to delete it, so I plan on trying to revamp and clean it up without demolishing it completely. I honestly got tired of it after chapter 12, but I refuse to leave a fic incomplete. So please, keep in mind that I was and still am a novice as you proceed. Thanks so much :D

Ashra

- Chapter 1 -

RESERVED FOR DR. ORORO MUNROE

Was what the sign read as Ororo pulled her black BMW M5 Sedan into her reserved parking space. Thank God. They have finally gotten around to reserving a parking space for me I see. I will no longer have to walk three blocks to the entrance anymore. Ororo had been working at Valhalla Psychiatry for only two weeks now, and all during those two weeks, today was the only day she would not have to search, to-no-avail, for an office parking space. Mrs. Frost-Summers must have commanded them with an rod of iron to get it up this quickly, Ororo thought, when I left yesterday it had not been up. They could only have just finished it.

Ororo smiled inwardly at the thought of her tough-as-nails mentor and friend Dr. Emma Frost. It had been Emma Frost-Summers that mentored and instructed Ororo on her path to becoming a psychiatrist, and it had also been her and her husband, Scott Summers, who graciously offered Ororo a position at their new fledgling office in New Orleans. Ororo had accepted the position eagerly, even though it meant relocating, and having to leave the apartment she shared with her closest friend Jean Grey. But honestly, how often did a person fresh out of medical school, get a job working for the renowned Summers' working in their new facility as one of the only three doctors employed at the office?

Jean had understood completely, and her 'sometimey' boyfriend Forge had been elated. Dr. Emma Frost and her husband had offered Ororo a choice between two of their facilities, one was located in Los Angeles, the other was a rather new establishment located in New Orleans and Ororo had accepted the latter. Forge worked at a governmental facility in Baton Rouge, where he designed and manufactured weapons, and accepting the position closer to his location had seemed ideal. Baton Rouge was still several hours from New Orleans by car, but now they would be able to see each other more often, and hopefully that would positively influence their sometimes unstable relationship.

Ororo gathered her briefcase and purse located in her passenger seat, and after one quick glance at her reflection in her rearview mirror, she exited her vehicle. After setting the alarm her car, she hastily made her way into the office.