Prologue

Notes: This part is little more than a quick update of what, in my version, happened after the movie ended. It brings to story up to my current timeline, adding in the characters I want to use and setting the stage for future parts.

In the two months since Logan's departure, Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters had undergone numerous changes. With the sudden influx of mutants seeking asylum at the mansion (no doubt stemming from the recently passed Mutant Registration Act), Professor Charles Xavier had taken on several new instructors. Some of the new instructors were former students who hoped to join the X-Men, such as Lorna Dane, code name Polaris. Other instructors were new to the school and the X-Men. One such instructor was known as Dr. Henry McCoy. Dr. McCoy had been employed at the Brand Corporation until his mutation became agitated thanks to exposure to a chemical serum. The serum altered McCoy's physical appearance to that of a large blue beast. His new physical appearance had isolated him to his home until the day Dr. Jean Grey appeared on his doorstep, bearing an employment offer from Xavier.

After Liberty Island, anti-mutant tension had risen to an all-time high. Friends of Humanity, previously considered a radical fringe group, found their membership numbers swelling by the week. Loud debates broke out between the FOH and the American Civil Liberties Union. It seemed that everyone had an opinion on the mutant situation.

There was even dissension among mutants. While Xavier's nonviolent approach appealed to the vast majority of mutants, there were those in the community who sympathized with the Brotherhood's less diplomatic resistance. One underground mutant magazine had even declared Magneto as "Mutant of the Year," comparing his actions to Malcolm X and even the American colonists who fought in the Revolutionary War. After Magneto's imprisonment, however, the Brotherhood was disbanded. Toad and Sabretooth were missing in action, and Mystique had disappeared after staging Senator Kelly's withdrawal from politics. A month earlier, the news media had reported that Senator Kelly was missing and presumed dead after failing to return from a solo fishing trip. Mystique hadn't shown up since, and the X-Men could only assume she was laying low. It was too optimistic to hope she would stay out of trouble, especially with whispers of a Second Brotherhood of Mutants banding together.

Rogue had finally found a niche in the school. She and Bobby Drake had officially been together for over a month. Kitty Pryde and Jubilee occupied the bulk of her time, usually involving her in Jubilee's harebrained schemes.. The rest of her time was spent with St. John Allerdyce, her new best friend. St. John, a runaway himself, was the only person since Logan to take an active interest in protecting Rogue, which often got on Bobby's nerves. Unlike Logan, St. John had shown romantic interest in Rogue, only backing off because of Bobby's interest in her. He had recently started up a relationship with the new Scottish student Rahne Sinclair, although St. John maintained they were "completely casual." Rogue didn't bother to inform St. John about the little doodles proclaiming "Mrs. Rahne Allerdyce," that decorated the Scot's notebooks.

Despite the high scrutiny on mutants, the School had garnered little attention. With the Brotherhood temporarily broken up, the X-Men were indulging in a well-deserved break. Ororo Munroe had even departed on a much needed sabbatical to New Orleans. Life at the mansion stayed fairly quiet until Logan's sudden reappearance at the gate early one morning.

When he returned, he wasn't alone.

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