Class was killer this time around for Rouge. It was nice outside and she was in class listening to Storm lecture about math. She and Bobby had not seen each other for a while because the time for testing had come, and they had to study.

Storm waved her hand in front of Rouge's face.

"Rouge? Are you still with us?" She asked.

Rouge smiled, "Yeah. Sorry. I was daydreaming."

"Well, try to pay attention." Storm said as she walked up to the front of the class.

It had been one month since the incident at Alkali Lake. Jean had died trying to save her friends' lives, and Scott and Logan hadn't been the same since. They hadn't been out of their rooms since she died, so Kurt had reluctantly taken over Scott's classes.

Storm continued her lecture and Rouge continued her day dreaming. It was hot in the mansion and she desperately wanted to go outside and enjoy some fresh air. Finally, class let out and everyone ran out of the stuffy room.

Rouge met up with Bobby outside by the basketball court and they went to find a nice shady place to study.

"How have your classes been?" Bobby asked.

Rouge shrugged, "It's class." She said, "Tests and stuff, you know?"

"Yeah. I know. Plus all the teachers seem on edge after the thing at Alkali Lake."

"Considering all of the teachers saw Jean die, I'd say they have a pretty good excuse." Rouge said with a sad look to her eyes.

Bobby gave her a quick, one-handed hug. He was careful not to touch any of her uncovered skin.

"I know. I miss her, too." He said.

"I hope Logan's OK. I mean, he took it pretty hard."

"Yeah… he did." Said Bobby, looking at the ground. He couldn't help but think that Logan had been in love with Jean Grey from the moment they had met. It would explain a lot of the tension he and Scott had toward each other.

Rouge tried to look Bobby in the face, "Bobby, are you all right?" She asked.

Bobby snapped out of his daydream, "Huh? Yeah. I'm fine. Why?"

"You just looked really weird there for a second." Said Rouge.

"Nope. I'm fine." Bobby said. For some odd reason, he felt that he couldn't tell Rouge about Logan and Dr. Grey. He didn't feel that Rouge would take it well for some reason.

They found a nice place to sit-- a bench under some trees-- and sat down. Rouge took her books out of her bag while Bobby stared at the mansion. No one had seen Logan and Scott since they got back from the White House. They hadn't come out of their rooms.

Rouge gently touched Bobby's shoulder with a gloved hand, "Are you sure you're OK?" She asked when he jumped about a mile high.

"Yeah. Just…thinking. Why?"

"You seem extra jumpy today."

"I'm fine, Rouge. Now are we going to study or not?"

"I was planning on it, but you don't even have your stuff out." Rouge said. She was giving Bobby a look like she had just seen the strangest thing in the world.

"I guess my head hasn't been right since we got back from the lake, that's all." Said Bobby, looking at the ground, "It's kind of hard to register. You know? Watching someone die like that?"

Rouge badly wanted to kiss him, but knew she couldn't. She didn't want to hurt him. And she knew she would, no matter what he said.

They began to study, each one asking the other a random question in a subject like English or Physics. Before long, their studies were forgotten and they began telling jokes and laughing. It had been just a little over an hour when they saw Storm walking toward them, a stern look on her face.

"The Professor wants to talk to us." She said, "You included."

"About what?" Bobby asked.

"Something I'm not happy about. Come on."

Despite the fact that she was angry, Storm couldn't be mad at Rouge and Bobby. They hadn't done anything wrong.

To convey this to them, she gave them a little smile and helped them put their books back into their bags.

A few minutes later, they all came into the Professor's study. The others were all there, including (it surprised Rouge) Logan and Scott.

Scott was standing at the window, not talking or making eye contact with anyone. Logan, on the other hand, was staring people down with a stern glance. Rouge noticed that Kurt, who had always seemed afraid of Logan, had made himself comfortable in a chair in the corner, and was avoiding Logan's glare.

"Ah, Rouge! Bobby! Have a seat." came Professor Xavier's cheerful voice. Rouge and Bobby took two chairs across from the Professor's desk.

The Professor wheeled around to reveal another, unwelcome face; the face of Toad.

"What is he doing here?" Rouge asked, leaping up out of her seat. Storm put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"Toad is here because he needs our help." The Professor said.

"Since when do we help members of the Brotherhood?" Bobby asked from his seat next to the horror-stricken Rouge.

"Since they ask nicely." Said the Professor with a slight grin, "Toad has come here to tell us that he and the Brotherhood have been beaten by a rather powerful mutant."

"So why'd you come here to warn us?" Storm asked before Rouge could.

"Because this mutant managed to put Magneto into a coma." Said Toad with a smirk, "Mystique was badly burned. Pyro is barely alive."

"Why should this matter to us?" Asked Logan in a harsh tone. He'd never liked Magneto or Mystique and he'd always found Pyro to be rather annoying.

"This mutant took Sabretooth down in a matter of seconds," Toad said, "and kept him down."

This grabbed Storm's interest. She knew that Sabretooth was not an easy mutant to beat in a battle. Any mutant that managed to take him down had to be strong.

"Again, why should this matter to us?" Logan asked.

"Mystique told me to get some help to find this mutant. You were the only other mutants I could think of who could possibly even get close to taking her down."

"Where were you when all of this happened?" Storm asked.

"I was out doing some lackey work for Magneto." Said Toad, his smirk gone now, "But hey, it's a job."

"I would like you to bring this mutant back here, to the mansion." Said Professor Xavier, "Maybe we can get her to join us."

"Good luck with that!" Toad huffed, "That's what we were trying to do when she attacked! I don't think she wants to be recruited."

Professor Xavier looked at Toad, "I can be very persuasive." He said.

"Not with this one, you can't."

"What does she look like?" Asked Storm.

Toad thought for a moment, then pointed at Kurt, "Like him. Except she was a girl… obviously." He said.

Kurt looked Toad right in the eye then turned his gaze to the Professor. He had a look of complete confusion on his face. He never thought there would be another person to look like him in a million years.

Professor Xavier looked at Storm, "I will try to find her." He said.

Now things were getting interesting.