The next day, Rob's grandparents came and took Rob home. He wasn't awake yet. As soon as he got back to Massachusetts, his grandparents brought him back to the house. They didn't tell anybody about him being there. A visiting nurse came every few days to check on him, but she wasn't allowed to touch him
After a few weeks, Rob's grandparents started to lose hope. Rob might never wake up. He might die. And it would be all their fault. Their fault for not accepting him for who he was. Their fault for practically forcing this upon him.
Rob's grandmother never left his side. She barely ate or talked to anybody. She left for exactly twenty minutes a day, and sat with him for the other one thousand four hundred and twenty. But even she was beginning to lose home. Then one day, it all changed.
"Where am I?" Rob asked, sitting up straight in bed. The sudden movement caused his head to momentarily light on fire. He groaned and sat back down.
"Rob, are you awake?" he heard. He struggled to sit up again. The blurry image in front of him began to take the shape of somebody who he hadn't seen in a long time. The entire room was beginning to look familiar.
"Grandma?" he asked, slowly. The blurry shape in front of him nodded. Rob could feel wet tears on his hand. He slowly raised one hand up towards the figure and wiped away some of the tears.
"Rob, I'm so glad you're ok. We're so sorry that we kicked you out. I wish it had never happened. I wish that we'd allowed you to stay. Please forgive our errors and stay home." The words were lost in the immense weeping coming from his grandmother. Her face started to take shape. Rob sat up, ignoring the pain and placed his arms around her.
"It's not your fault," he whispered. "But I don't think I can stay here anymore."
~~
A sullen Rogue walked the perimeter of the estate for the fifth time that day. She hadn't found anything better to do in awhile. Rob had been gone for almost two months now. He'd only been there a few days, but he had left his mark on the entire group. Evan could hardly play basketball without commenting on a better person to play against. And she was just moping around.
"Rogue," she heard from behind her. Scott stood tall, his ruby glasses sparkling in the sun.
"What do you want." Rogue asked.
"We have a training session now, don't you remember?" Scott said. He placed his arm around her shoulder and started to walk in, practically pushing Rogue. Rogue angrily shrugged his arm away.
"There are tons of new recruits. Use one of them." She said, turning her back. Scott sensed the distress coming from her.
"It's your turn," he said gently, still not getting that this wasn't about the training session. "Let's go." Rogue tried to walk away again, but this time Scott wouldn't let her. "The Professor wants to see you, anyway."
"Fine." Rogue stomped her feet all the way back to the entrance to the mansion. She opened the door and slammed it in Scott's face. She ran all the way up the stairs and to the Professor's office. She placed her hand on the door, then pulled back.
Rob had been the first recruit ever to be so seriously injured at the Institute. He hadn't been the first one they lost, but he had been the first one they lost to injury. She tried to hold back her tears once again, but she knew that they would start flowing any moment. She quickly wiped off her eyes and turned the doorknob. Now was a time to be strong.
"I'm here, Professor." Rogue said.
"Very good, Rogue," the Professor said. "There's somebody here I'd like you to see. Meet our newest recruit, Rob Lewis."
Rob stepped out of the curtains and towards Rogue. He looked a little paler, a little taller, and a little stronger then before. But he was Rob. Rogue ran towards him and swung her arms around his neck.
"Welcome home," she whispered.
"It's good to be back," he said back. And this time he really meant it.
