Here's a little seasonal story from me. Fairly light, only
one suggestive remark in it. Happy Holidays!


Characters are Marvels, no profit was made from this.


Keri 

             An  X-mas  Story


"A very Merry Christmas,
And a Happy New Year,
Let's hope it a good one,
Without any fears" (1)

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 flirtatously.

"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 Antartica! 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 sucidial 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 Antartica 
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 suceeded? That was what happened in her 
nightmares. Rogue shuddered. 

Stop thinkin' about that girl, it's over and we did suceed. 
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.

"Little baby
Pa rum pum pum pum,
I am a poor boy too
Pa rum pum pum pum.
I have no gift to bring,
Pa rum pum pum pum,
That's fit to give our king-"(3)

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 are."

They gazed into each others eyes, knowing at this moment 
they had both overcome one their inner obsticles. 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