Characters are Marvels, no profit was made from this.

~ Keri

The skaters glided or stumbled around Rockefeller Center's ice rink to the music. Others watched from the sides. Two of those observers were the X-men Gambit and Rogue.

"Whew Remy, yah gonna buy out all o' Macy's next?" Rogue nodded her head toward the substantial pile of purchases beside him.

"Oui, and I'll give it all to you." Remy grinned flirtatiously.

"Yah never change." She smirked.

"An dat why you love me, neh?"

Rogue playfully stuck out her tongue at him.

"Could t'ink of a few t'ings I like dat tongue t' be doing..."

"Shame on yah Remy, there are children nearby..." Rogue mock scolded him, but blushed as well.

"I'm sorry chere, Remy just a bad boy." The tone was light, but Rogue saw a touch of sadness in his eyes.

"Remy...ah'm not judging yah. Yoah the most kindhearted, generous-"

"No I'm not."

"Yes, yah are Remy LeBeau! Yah just too hardheaded tah see it! Yah have the lowest self-esteem- oh god Remy, ah'm sorry. Ah'll go get us some coffee tah warm us up."

Rogue got up fast and almost ran away. When she got far enough away that Remy couldn't see her she slapped herself on the forehead.  Girl, yah an expert at openin' yoah mouth and insertin' yoah foot!

First yah insult him foh somethin' that's not his fault, then yah have
tah say somethin' about warmin' up from the cold, remindin' him of
Antarctica! Sometimes yah'd be better off keeping yoah mouth shut.
 
Rogue continued to berate herself while she waited in line for the coffee. She blamed herself in part, because she hadn't been able to overcome Remy's momentary suicidal urge when she absorbed his thoughts.

She had later and searched for him numerous times, but by that time that horrid green mist woman had sunk her claws into poor Remy. Remy had ridden himself of the parasitic creature only recently. She knew he still had nightmares about Antarctica and that monster.

She and Hank had helped Remy fight the "bebette"(2) out of him and into a containment system. She had a few nightmares herself about that experience.

First watching Remy scream with pain as he tried to force it out of himself. Then feeling that stabbing ice cold agony herself as she used her power to pull it out of Remy. Then as it became tangible Hank slammed a containment field around it. If they hadn't succeeded? That was what happened in her nightmares. Rogue shuddered.

Stop thinkin' about that girl, it's over and we did succeed. Think about Christmas. Wonder what surprise dish Remy will make this year? If it was like last year...

Rogue grinned, remembering how the members who hadn't sampled Remy's Cajun food had got a surprise as all the spices hit their tongues. Experienced members had wisely taken small bites of the wonderful, but highly spiced food.

As she weaved her way back through the crowds she caught glimpses of Remy just staring at the ice skaters, not looking at anything else. As she got closer she realized he wasn't really looking at the skaters. His eyes had a far away look to them and he was singing something very softly. He was singing the song playing for the skaters. And she swore she saw some tears there in his eyes.

Remy abruptly cut off his singing when he saw Rogue and quickly blinked his eyes several times and grinned.

"Merci, chere. Both de lady an de coffee are welcome sights to dis Cajun."

Rogue snuggled up to Remy, and said, "Ah heard yah singing. Yah have a nice singin' voice."

"So do you, chere. A pretty alto."

"Yah have any music trainin' when yah were a kid?"

"A little. Was a choir boy for a year, before my voice changed."

"Cain't-" Rogue stopped herself, she wouldn't say it, wouldn't insult him.

"See me as a choirboy." Remy completed the sentence and smirked at her. "Sound like something more like Scott do, neh?"

Rogue laughed, "But have yah heard him sing?"

Remy winced, "Poor Jean, neh?"

"Well yah cain't be great at everything."

"Dat's true..."

Remy was about to drift back into self hate mode, Rogue recognized the tone of voice.

"Remy, ah'm gonna convince yah that yah are a good person, even if it takes me fifty years!"

Silence from Remy. Then, "You t'ink so chere, you t'ink dis Cajun boy isn't so bad?"

"Ah know so!"

"I...merci, chere."

Rogue looked Remy in the eyes, did she see a little spark of hope there? Maybe there was something else she could say to make sure that spark was there and stayed alive.

"Ah love yah Remy. Ah know what and who yah are and ah love yah."

"An I do you, mon amour, jus' as you you are."

They gazed into each others eyes, knowing at this moment they had both overcome one their inner obstacles. The road ahead wouldn't be easy for them, but maybe now it wouldn't be quite so difficult.

Snow began to fall.

"Bleech. Snow, let's go home Remy."

"Whatever ma cherie wishes is dis Cajun command."

Rogue smiled, "Don't yah ever stop doing that." She said mock sternly and then giggled.

"Okay, chere." He said as he winked at her.

(1) "Happy X-mas/War Is Over"- John Lennon and Yoko Ono

(2)  Bebette- what Remy called the green mist woman, it means parasite in French.

(3) "Little Drummer Boy" -Harry Simeone and Harry Onorati