New Beginnings

By: Krystopher

A/N: Extremely AU. First movie only (no Stryker, no Gambit, no Nightcrawler). Toad got hit by lightening but was then found and taken in by Robbie, he was contacted by the Professor, escaped Robbie. Rogue is no longer with Bobby. Toad is at the mansion and spending the large majority of his time in Rogue's company. The X-men don't like it. That's our story so far.

" Logan?" Storm questioned, knocking on the door to his room. " Can I come in?" She neglected the fact that she was already partially in the room.

" Sure." Logan shrugged from his lying down position on the bed, staring at the ceiling.

" What's wrong?"

" Nothing." Storm rolled her eyes before coming to sit on the edge of the bed next to him.

" Something's wrong otherwise you wouldn't have stormed out of the kitchen."

" I don't need you telling me that there's something wrong with me." Logan snapped, leaning on one elbow so he could look straight at Storm. " What's wrong is we didn't blast Toad the minute we saw him standing in the doorway. We shoulda ripped him limb from limb for all the stuff he's done."

" And in the process destroyed Rogue?" Storm questioned quietly as Logan's words echoed around the room. At this Logan flopped back down on to the bed, out of steam for the moment.

" No." He answered after a few moments of silence, eyes turned towards the open window.

" That's the right answer." Storm commented with a small smile. Just as she was going to leave Logan grabbed her.

" Stay?" His question was more of a statement but Storm nodded anyway, moving to lie down next to him.

&

" Professor?" Rogue questioned as she and Toad came back in through the kitchen to see the Professor waiting for them.

" May I speak with you a moment in private Rogue?" Toad and Rogue looked at each other before Rogue nodded her assent. Toad touched her shoulder lightly, before moving down the hallway.

" Is something wrong Professor?" Rogue questioned lightly, trying to review her moves for the past couple of days to see what she had done wrong.

" There is nothing wrong at all. Rogue… we received a phone call from your mother just a few moments ago… your father's had a heart attack." Rogue fell, hard, completely dazed.

" Are you… how?" She wasn't questioning the heart attack but her mother calling.

" After The Statue of Liberty incident I made it a point to call your parents. Your mother seemed most concerned about you. I gave her my personal phone number and told her that if anything happened to give me a call. I'm sorry Rogue."

Rogue stared into space, inside screaming as loud as she could. Her father had always been the one that would take her places, show her things, and let her do what she wanted. It had been him that had helped her get away from the angry crowds at school the day after the dance.

" Is he." Rogue couldn't finish the thought, afraid of what the answer would be.

" I'm sorry." The Professor's answer was drowned out as Rogue's screams finally passed her lips, becoming real sobs.

&

" Logan?" Storm questioned as the bigger man finally sat up, totally alert.

" Something's wrong with Rogue." The two of them hurried out of the room, running into Scott and Jean.

" We were just about to get you. The Professor wants to see us."

" We find Rogue first." Logan spoke adamantly. The other three agreed and the group made their way down the stairs into the kitchen they had all been in not an hour before.

" What did you do?" Logan questioned as he saw Rogue crying on the floor and Toad trying his best to comfort her. Rogue's face was buried in Toad's shoulder and their arms were wrapped tightly around each other as they rocked back and forth.

" I didn't do anything." Toad snapped before going back to cooing at Rogue.

" Logan-" Professor Xavier started, turning his chair to face the newcomers.

" So help me if you did anything I'll rip you apart!" Logan thundered, ignoring the people around him who were talking. Logan took a step forward before he couldn't move a muscle, he could barely twitch.

" Logan it is not Toad's fault!" Rogue managed to get out between sobs. " My father is dead." Rogue snapped, turning back to Toad as fresh tears started to fall.

" Oh God, Rogue, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" Rogue cut him off by forcing him out of the room, stopping him from hitting the wall on the other side of the hall.

" I see she retained more than Magneto's memories." Scott commented as the three walked out to see Logan slumped on the floor.

" A lot more. If you four will come with me I think we'll leave them in peace."

Professor Xavier led the four X-men into his office and closed the door behind them.

A/N2: For those who don't know, the dance part comes from the book. In the book, Rogue kissed David(?) at her house and then a few weeks later went to a dance with another boy (Cody). When she kissed him he collapsed much as David had. The next day at school she was stopped from entering. That's when she left.

Like I said, very AU from the movies.