On X-Men Forever - I'm not a fan but I'm not offended. In reality, it's not even "What I would have done" but rather "Here's what I would write now" as several of the developments are not things that editorial would have allowed. It is 100% out of continuity.

If I was writing it, I would start it at the close of the decade with a different ending to the Apocalypse Twelve storyline. Apocalypse was foiled and got away in Cyclops's body but everyone else who was there is dead. No more Prof, Magneto, Jean, Storm, Cable, Bishop, X-Man, Iceman, Sunfire, Polaris, Mikhail, or Living Monolith. The remaining X-Men from that time are Angel, Beast, Nightcrawler, Colossus, Shadowcat, Rogue, Gambit, and Marrow. Wolverine has been rescued but is still struggling to overcome Apocalypse's programming and cannot immediately rejoin the team.

From there, the team has to wrestle with how to move forward (picking a new leader, recruiting new or returning members, etc.) all while fighting a running battle with Cyclopalypse and his horsemen (who will be the new Death?) who is an unstable merging of two minds but with intimate knowledge of the team.

I don't want the world - I just want your half.