By: Kryptonite (No clue why I was writing 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, and 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. Rogue's father is dead. Rogue, Scott and Toad are taking the journey to go to Rogue's father's funeral. That's our story so far.
"Rogue, are you sure you know what you're doing?" Rogue nodded, taking a deep breath before moving to get out of the car. Toad followed closely behind while Scott turned off the engine and stepped out of the driver's side door.
The three walked into the crowded Mississippi home. Once people saw who it was that had walked in the door, they stopped talking and backed as far away as they could manage. It was like a ripple effect. The silence spread out from Rogue and a path was cleared immediately.
"Marie."
"Mother." Marie answered the slightly plump woman with bushy brown hair sitting at the kitchen table. "I'm sorry about Daddy." Marie had stopped maybe three feet from where her adoptive mother was sitting but wasn't making any move to go any closer.
"I see you brought more freaks to your mother's house." The speaker came up to put a comforting arm around her shoulders.
"Aunt Rosa, please don't talk about my friends like that." Rogue was very quiet, her eyes glued to the floor. Toad stepped a half-step closer, placing one hand on her elbow. The movement wasn't lost on Scott, nor was the instant loss of anger missed either.
"Friends?" The woman continued to sneer. "You're defiling your mother's house. Get out of here before we forget why we're here." Rogue's eyes snapped up to look at the woman.
"I am here to mourn my father just like everyone else. I am here for the funeral just like everyone else." Aunt Rosa's smug look and her mother's heightened tears brought Rogue to a halt. Looking around Rogue realized something she should have realized before. "You lied about when Daddy's funeral was."
"No, you were just a little late. No respect, can't even make it here on time."
"I was told the funeral was tomorrow!" Rogue's Aunt's, thankfully gloved, hand snaked out and slapped Rogue hard across the face.
"Don't you use that tone with me little girl. The funeral was today. Don't blame someone else because you couldn't remember the correct date." Rogue's hand stopped Toad from stepping forward. A discreet shake of her head and he backed down completely, contenting himself with leaving his hands on her waist.
"Mama I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I must have heard the wrong time for the funeral. You know I would have been here if I could have." Rogue placated her mother, begging to be forgiven.
"I'm sure you would have been. It's just… such a disgrace to your daddy." Her mother sniffed back real tears and turned to glare at Rogue. "There's no excuse for you not being here on time." Rogue tried to explain but she was cut off. "I'm assuming you aren't staying long?"
"We have a room for the night." Her mother and aunt both turned to glare at her.
"A room?" Her aunt questioned, hoping for another scandal. Just what Rogue needed, more ammunition against her.
"No Aunt Rosa, we have two separate rooms." Her aunt just 'humped' showing she didn't believe a word Rogue was saying. Rogue was having trouble speaking as the crowds of people seemed to move forward, to block the exits and encircle her, Toad and Scott.
"Mother-"
"Rogue, leave. I don't want to see you in this house again." Her mother's tears had dried up at the idea of someone she could blame for her husbands death, at the fact that it was someone else to be angry with.
"Yes Mother." Rogue answered turning to go and finding an almost impenetrable wall of angry faces. Toad stood to her right and Scott to her left; both had a hand holding her elbows firmly.
"Mutant freak." Someone spat off to the left. Rogue flinched but didn't move her head to look. She continued to stare straight ahead, trying to take a step forward but not able to without leaving Scott and Toad behind.
"Shouldn't have come back." Another voice muttered. The whole crowd was getting riled up, ready to fight against this threat that had returned so willingly to their midst.
"Just leave me alone." Rogue answered, focusing her eyes on the face in front of her. She blanched when she realized that it was Cody, one of the boys she'd accidentally hurt. The look on his face made tears prick at her eyes.
"Stupid bitch." He muttered, glaring fiercely at her.
"I'm sorry." She whispered, keeping the tears from actually falling.
"Not good enough." Pain exploded between her shoulders as her arms were ripped from Toad and Scott's grasp.
She stumbled forward into Cody, hands clutching at his shoulders to stop herself from falling. He pushed her away into the reaching hands of the crowd that wanted to tear her apart.
"No!" She screeched as someone attached themselves to her hair and another grabbed at her flailing arms, trying to keep her still. Rogue was swamped, quite literally, her body hitting the floor along with all of the other pain that the crowd was inflicting on her. A bright red light and falling plaster were the last things Rogue saw before her head was knocked unceremoniously against the floor and she slipped into dreamland.