disclaimer: As everyone knows, I do not in any way own the X-Men. I expect to receive no benefit from the use of these characters beyond the pleasure I receive from writing the story and sharing it with others.

What Might Have Been
by Dizi

Chapter 2

Andie, or Andrea, didn't think she was much of a mutant. A very low-grade tactile telepath who had trouble controlling the little bit of power she had, it seemed her ability was only good for screening visitors.

However, she was very good at the paperwork necessary to run a large establishment like Xavier's. Paperwork her boss, Scott Summers, hated. By leaving the office to her, he had more time for training the students and X-Men business.

In the three years she had been in charge of the administrative office, Andie had seen changes in both the school and the X-Men. Human-Mutant relations were improving, though at a slow rate, due to the emergence of more and more mutants. Because of that, the number of students had increased dramatically. Where before the X-Men were required to both teach and work on a team, enough qualified teachers had 'come out of the closet' so it was no longer necessary. Though a few, like Jean-Paul Babier, had found they preferred teaching and stayed on in that capacity.

A number of X-Men had left over the years, many before Andie had come to the school. Some to live more 'normal' lives as students graduated and they gave their place on one of the teams to the newcomers. A few had died and others had somehow 'lost touch' or were MIA, their whereabouts unknown.

This had created a need for a special list of names and/or code phrases in case they called. A list known, as far as she was aware, to only three maybe four people: Scott Summers, his wife Jean, his protege Firewall - maybe - and Andie, because she was the one who answered the phones.

As Andie had an eidetic memory the list wasn't written, and it was really very short, but she had never in three years received a call referencing that list.

Until just now.

Andie had run to the War-room. Scott was meeting with Firewall, his handpicked 'someday soon' replacement as leader of the X-Men. She didn't know what they discussed in there but whatever it was they were NEVERto be disturbed. But then again, she had NEVER gotten a call from someone on 'The List' before either.

The door seemed to take much too long to open and Scott didn't look happy at the disruption. "Andrea-"

"Anna Willis is on the phone, line two," she interrupted and watched his expression turn to alarm.

"Aunt Rogue?" Firewall asked incredulously, confirming her suspicion about his knowledge and causing Andie's mouth to drop open.

She had thought Rogue was dead.

"Thank you, Andie. We'll handle it." At Scott's nod, Firewall closed the door while he picked up the phone and pushed a button, putting the call on speakerphone. "What's wrong?"

"Scott, you gotta come get us. Donald... Rey's a mutant and Donald went crazy. You have to help me protect my children." Firewall was barely able to make out the words, but thought she sounded a bit hysterical.

"Okay, Rogue, here's what we'll do..." Scott outlined a quick plan to meet her at a park near her house in a calm, confident tone and disconnected. "Jean, Hank, and I will go get her. We won't know much until we get there. You know what to do while we're gone."

"You can count on me, Sir."

"I know, Zelig. That's why you'll be in charge someday." Scott paused on his way out the door. "You might go ahead and call your mother. Jenny will want to know."

Zelig grinned. "I was just thinking that, Sir."

"And that's another reason. You think like me." Scott closed the door behind him.

Zelig was already dialing.

Jenny stared out the window after talking to her son. Rogue was coming back to the mansion. No, she was going to have to remember to call her Anne or Anna.

It had been so long since she left. So many things had happened, so much had changed. They all seemed to be different people now, herself included.

But one thing hadn't changed. There was someone who would want to know. The same someone she called if any of them even received a Christmas card from Anna. The someone who had become ecstatic when she had sent copies of the few pictures she had gotten of Anna's children. Someone only she currently had a contact number for.

There were others that would need to be told, but this one came first.

With a child holding onto her at either side but only Rey being any actual help, Anne was able to walk the two blocks to the park. She didn't take in the journey except to be aware that every single step hurt and her children were scared and confused.

Concentrating on taking shallow breathes to control the pain in her ribs, she collapsed onto a bench, leaving the kids to watch for Scott. It wasn't like they could miss him. How many men with ruby red glasses were there? Especially here?

Unwilling to leave her mother, Elise huddled on the ground in front of the bench almost protectively.

Anne hurt too much to put her arms around her and reassure her daughter as she would have liked. Even if she tried, what could she say? Everything would be alright? Elise was a child who lived in the moment and at the moment nothing was 'alright'. She couldn't lie and say it was and couldn't explain to the child in any coherent fashion right now.

Before she could think of something - anything - to say, she fell unconscious staring at the tears she was only able to see falling down Elise's cheeks because of the sunlight glinting off them.

How long she slept she never knew but the next thing she was aware of was Elise begging in a near shout, "Momma, wake up! Please wake up! Rey said the man is here!"

"It's okay, punkin. I'm awake." Anne winced at the sound of her own voice. Her head hurt.

Elise hesitantly stroked her hand. Rey had said not to touch her, but... She repeated in an exaggerated whisper, "Rey said the man is here."

Scott. Scott was here. "Get your bag, baby. We're leaving."

As she forced herself to sit up from that hard bench, she watched her six-year-old struggle to put on her backpack and clutch her doll at the same time while her vision went in and out of focus. She prayed it wasn't from a concussion and briefly wondered if Elise had thought to pack anything besides toys. Putting a hand to her aching head, Anne dismissed the thought. Clothes were the last of their problems. At least the kids were dressed.

Rey came running and - being unusually considerate of his sister - helped Elise straighten the straps on her shoulders before grabbing his own backpack. He didn't say a word but turned to look over his shoulder when he saw Elise look at the man coming up behind him.

Jerking at the sound of crunching grass, Anne hung her head. She had called him, had wanted him to come. Not just for the children, she needed his help. But now Scott was here she couldn't face him. She just couldn't do it.

"Mom?" Rey's voice was uncertain. His mother seemed to be scared of this man, so why had she called him? Maybe they weren't doing the right thing? Maybe Dad wouldn't really arrest her? Maybe he felt bad about hurting her? Maybe they should just go home?

Scott had followed the boy who looked so much like a male version of Rogue not just so the teen could lead the way, but also so the little girl wouldn't see a stranger first. She held a large old-fashioned ragdoll while she craned her neck to see him and Rey shifted his feet nervously. These reactions he had expected, but Rogue...

He squeezed the boy's shoulder as he stepped past him, nodded at the little girl, and knelt in front of Rogue - he had never been able to think of her as Anna. Careful not to touch her skin as it was such a habit from a long time ago - damn, he felt old - Scott brushed back the hair hanging in front of her face.

Other than his whole body turning stiff, he didn't react as he wanted to when he saw the dried blood on her mouth and nose, the bruises on her neck and covering the majority of her face, the way her eyes were almost swollen shut. Scott wanted to go after her husband and teach him to never raise his hands in anger again. More, to fix it so he'd never be able to. Instead he just said softly, "Bastard."

Anne blanched. "The children..."

"Are in better shape than you right now. Tell me everything after Jean and Hank patch you up. They're waiting for us." Mindful he wasn't fully aware of her injuries, Scott picked her up as gently as he could but she still moaned with the movements.

Dropping her doll, Elise cried out and started pounding his back with her small fists. "You're hurting my Momma! Stop it! Momma!"

"No, Elise!" Rey grabbed her by the arms to stop her and pulled Elise away.

"But, Rey," she protested, struggling. "He's hurting her! Momma!"

"Daddy hurt her." As he said the words, Rey knew there was no going home. More than that, he knew he didn't want to. "He told me he brought a doctor. It'll be okay, Elise." He brushed grass off her doll and handed it to her. "Come on, let's go."

"That's a good kid you got there," Scott murmured to Anne and she nodded weakly.

It was a quiet group making the odyssey across the park to the X-Men's Blackbird.

To be continued.

note: I currently have four more chapters done and will keep to my usual schedule of posting every two weeks until I run out of chapters. After that, unfortunately, I will probably have to take a little hiatus to get some things done. Or I might start posting randomly, that would be a little different for me, hmm?

We've gotten a little more of a look but it doesn't really answer your questions, does it? Some who have read my other stories will recognize Zelig, Kurt and Jenny's adopted son. Andie is a new OC whom I have no idea how much more we'll see of her, she doesn't "speak" to me. Point is, that this chapter and the next will give you a really good idea of this story's cast of characters even if they're not all seen yet.

Thanks for reading and the support,
Dizi