Re-edited the chapter...some stuff got cut. Thanks for the reviews! feels special Glad people haven't thrown rotten cabbage at me for the whole Rogue/Toad thing. Yay for the Terrible Toad King indeed!
One more chapter to go. X-men an' all (c) Marvel. Not mine.
"...and three broken ribs." Xavier finished the list of damage that Toad had taken during the fight and looked up from the papers on his desk to Rogue. She bit her lip nervously.
"So, what's gonna happen to him after he's better?"
"That is a small problem. It will cost a considerable amount of money to send him to the same mutant holding facility that Erik is kept in now." Xavier paused somewhat guiltily when he mentioned his former friend. "However, sending him to a mostly human, high-security jail will probably cause several problems itself. We don't want any riots starting, or for him to kill someone in self defense in prison." Rogue shuddered...there was quite a list of people that Mortimer --Toad-- had killed or hurt badly in self defense. Many before he was her age. Xavier studied her curiously.
"Why don't you keep him here?" she ventured. "I mean, with Logan and the other X-men around, he won't be able to start anything." Xavier sighed.
"I had considered that option. The problem there lies with the fact that this institute is a school and a sanctuary, not a prison."
"He needs sanctuary. If you knew some of the things people have tried to do to him--" Xavier raised a hand.
"I understand that. And I do know...some of them, at least. But in the time that I have spoken to Mortimer, he has expressed no wish to change, nor any remorse towards his actions."
"He does, though! I mean, he feels bad about what he's done. Some of it. He's not what he tries to be. Inside, he's just...he's just like any of us. He's not proud of what he's done."
"But he's not sorry for it either. I'm sorry, Marie, but he can't stay here. He's a dangerous killer."
"So was Logan!" Rogue protested. "And Ororo, for that matter!" Sometime over the past week, the weather-witch had spoken to Rogue of her past, trying to let the girl know that she understood just what it was like to be feared by other mutants as well as humans. "They were both angry and abused, just like Mortimer, and they've both killed people for the same reasons. You gave them a chance, though. Why not him?" Rogue raised her eyes to Xavier's and he saw tears there. "Please, Professor?"
Xavier sighed and nodded.
"Very well. I will speak to him about it. But please keep in mind, Marie, that he may choose not to say of his own accord. You must remember that to him--we're the enemy."
"Good afternoon, Mortimer," Xavier said pleasantly as he wheeled into the room behind Jean. Toad, who had finally managed to sit up, shot him his customary annoying smirk.
"'Allo, Chuck. Nice o' you t'drop by." Xavier sighed and fought back the beginnings of a headache. Jean glared at the injured mutant from over a clipboard.
"I'd appreciate it if you would call me 'Professor,' Mortimer, or 'Xavier,' or at least 'Charles.'"
"An' I'd 'appreciate it' if you'd stop callin' me that name." Toad paused and looked around. "Hell, come down ta that, I'd 'appreciate it' if you'd jus' let me out."
"In you're condition, Morti--Toad?" Charles corrected himself indulgently. Toad shrugged.
"Couple broken ribs, some burns, a week healin' already. I walked away from worse." He leaned forward, ignoring the pain in his side, and met Xavier's eyes with a hard grin. "'Course, we're just puttin' off th' inevitable, ain't we, 'Charles?' The real question is: how much longer b'fore ya ship me off t'a 'permanent state-paid vacation?'" His voice was steady, but in his eyes Xavier could see fear...and a condemned man's resignation. For some reason, that gave him hope.
"Actually, Toad, that's what I came here to talk to you about." Toad cocked his head and raised an eyebrow, a silent "I'm listening." Encouraged, Xavier went on. "Recently, one of my students brought to my attention that it would be hypocritical of me to simply turn you over to the authorities."
"Lemme guess. Little gel wiv the 'death-touch?'"
"Rogue. Yes." Toad nodded and Xavier continued. "This institution is about giving mutants like yourself a second chance. While your actions at Liberty Island and at Silicon Valley were illegal--"
"You know about that?" Toad's eyes were wide with surprise...and just a little fear. Xavier nodded.
"Yes. It's the only other crime that is connected to you. I suspect there may be more."
"Blooded botched job. 'Tooth bollocksed th' whole thing up," Toad muttered under his breath.
"As I was saying. Rehabilitation might suit you better than incarceration. I believe I can convince the authorities that my school will the best place for you to be. Both for your own safety, and for that of the public." Toad raised an eyebrow and smirked.
"A'you sayin' I couldn't get outta 'ere if I really wanted to?" Xavier frowned and leveled his gaze with Toad's, calmly applying enough mental force to keep him from moving, while letting the injured mutant realize just what he was doing.
"No, Toad," he replied evenly. "I don't think you could." He released his control and Toad drew in an angry breath.
"So I got my choice of goin' ta jail, an' bein' someone's senorita, or stayin' 'ere an' 'avin' you pokin' aroun' in my 'ead all th' time. 'Least in jail I got the chance that no one'll come near me. I remember that whole thing with the police, mate."
"I promise you, Toad, I do not go into people's minds lightly. I respect the privacy of their thoughts. What happened outside of the train station was not something I usually chose to do, but an act of desperation. While you are in my house, I promise you that I --or any other telepaths I teach-- will not go into your mind without your leave."
"Gonna be a long time waitin' for that, mate," Toad sneered. "Y'used me as a means t'your end. Tell me, what's th' difference, really, between you an' Magneto."
"There are many differences, Mortimer," said Xavier, who was becoming annoyed. "The main one that concerns you for now is that you are here, in my Institute, and Magento is a convicted terrorist, who is being held in a containment facility." Xavier sighed and dropped his head. Toad's attitude was bordering on infuriating, and he knew that was exactly what the other mutant wanted. He had seen it so many times with raw and hurt new students, angry at the wild card that life had dealt them, and had found that patience was the answer, but that it must have it's limits. He had tried his best; the offer was on the table. Now it was Toad's choice to pick it up, if he wanted. But Xavier knew if he pushed for an answer too quickly, the Brotherhood member would reject him out of pride and anger. He moved his chair to the door as Jean readied a painkilling hypodermic for Toad's IV.
"Let me know when you've made a decision." Just as he had opened the door, he heard Toad speak again.
"'Ey. That gel...Rouge..." he began, hesitantly. "She doin' okay?" Xavier paused, surprised by this.
"She's doing fine, Mortimer. Why do you ask?"
"Eh..." Toad shrugged, not bothering to correct Xavier's use of his name. "She tol' me she was having some nightmares..."
"Ah, yes." Xavier nodded, understanding. Maybe Rogue was right about him. "We've made progress with those. I'm sure she'll be glad to hear you were worried about her." Xavier suppressed a chuckle at Toad's shocked expression as he wheeled out of the infirmary.