( ) - Telapathy

~ ~ - whispered conversation

*************************************************

India carefully placed the finishing touches on her nail polish. The green sparkled cheerfully in the light, boosting her spirits a little. Very festive. Ever so slowly she screwed the lid back on the little bottle, taking great care not to get her still tacky nails in contact with anything.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!" There was only a few seconds of warning before Lexi came tearing through the room. "NO NO NO NO!!!!" Diving for cover behind the nearest body she tripped over India sending the two of them sprawling to the floor.

With a wail India realized that her nail polish job was ruined - little bits of carpet fluff imprinted into the green polish. She shoved Lexi.

"Bitch!"

"Look who's talking."

"Not again." Roused from her nap by the ruckus Moe entered in the room in investigation. "What happened this time?"

It was a sheepish looking Daemon who answered from the doorway, small puddles forming around his feet. "Uh, me and Lexi were having a snow ball fight and she kind of ran in here for cover."

"Hmph." Moe was, however, quite impressed that they had managed to find enough snow - but not quite so impressed with Daemon's grammer. "I thought you guys were supposed to be helping Jonathan get a tree."

"Uhhh..." Daemon refused to meet Moe's eyes. "Do you have any idea how much Christmas trees cost in New York?"

India rolled her eyes at Moe. They knew where this was going. "Please say you guys didn't."

"Of course not. Jonathan said we'd only get him caught."

"Oh and that makes it so much better."

The Parias were highly bummed. Their interdimensional travels had landed them in New York for Christmas. The traffic, lack of snow, and hordes of people were not what any of them had in mind for the season. Indeed, after last Christmas at the X-Men Mansion, Daemon had even developed a rather worrisome love of snow and his whining had been getting on everyone's nerves. At least he had finally found some.

"You know what?"

"What Lexi?"

"I think I would even be happy right now to see Cyke walk through that door."

"Really?"

"Yeah." She threw a pillow at Moe as the older girl pulled a face. "Come one - we had fun last year. Remember the three-headed wisemen?"

There was giggles as the Parias remembered. They hadn't laughed at the time but looking back it was pretty funny.

"Do you remember the look on Bishop's face when we finally found that Christmas tree?"

"How could you ever forget!"

**********

Up above the city a certain person heard the longing behind Lexi's voice and decided to give the Parias an early Christmas present. But she couldn't do it quite yet - one more person was needed.

**********

Jonathan trudged along the sidewalk dragging the tree behind him. He kind of wished he hadn't sent Daemon home - the damned thing was heavy. But it was a nice one. Not nearly as big as the one last year but still a nice one. They'd have to do something about decorations. Only another block or so and he'd be back at the apartment. Now how to get it up to their floor?

**********

Wrestling furiously with the tree, now a little worse for wear after it's abuse, Jonathan manhandled it out of the elevator. Mrs. Campbell gave him a dirty look as she brushed pine needles off of her shabby camel hair coat and muttered remarks about the evils of today's youth under her breath. Jonathan flashed her a sneer - bitchy old bat. She jumped back and franticly pressed the close button until the doors did so.

"And a Merry Christmas to you!" Jonathan shouted loudly as the elevator swooshed away. He banged on the door to their apartment with his feet, trying to keep the tree upright. Luckily the apartment was just across from the elevator.

"Hold your horses! I'm coming." He could hear the muffled, yet still shrill, tones of Lexi. "Whadda ya want?" He could see her pinched little face peering at him suspeciously from around the rape chain. "Jonathan!" She closed the door and threw the chain across. Flinging the door open she ran into the hallway. "Ooo - is that the tree."

"Yeah but be..." there was a crash as she caused him to lose his grip. "careful."

With the help of the others Jonathan managed to haul the tree and Lexi back into the apartment before the neighbours could come out and complain about the racket in the hall.

*********

All the players were now in place. With a twinkle in her eye the woman waved her hands in the generally direction of the apartment. Although it wasn't required, she also sprinkled a liberal amount of sparkly dust around - it was generally expected of her kind.

************

"Well what do you think?" Jonathan proudly help the tree upright in the middle of the tiny living room.

"It's uh... kind of small don't cha think." Lexi was a little critical. "And kind of bashed looking."

Jonathan rolled his eyes. "It was fine until you made me drop it."

"As if."

"Don't give me that..."

"It's great Jonathan." India quickly headed off the argument without even looking up from the fluff she was still picking out of her nails.

"Uh guys - how are we going to keep it up?"

**************

The X-Men were gathered around the expansive living room of their mansion. There was a fire roaring away in the large fireplace, red and gree decorations sprinkled the room and a tall pine tree stood reslendantly in the centre of the room. Members of the team nursed eggnog while placing final touches upon the amazing tree. It was even better then last year's.

"Isn't this wonderful Jean." Scott lounged contentedly on an easy chair, whiskey laced eggnog in one hand and a beautiful wife on his lap. Outside large perfect flakes of snow tumbled down. It was the ideal Christmas Eve.

"It's great dear." And she meant it. Things were going well for them now, well for all of them. She gave him a kiss.

"And now for the final touch my esteemed team members." Beast gleefully clasped his hands together. "Jubilation if you'd please."

"Gladly Dr. McCoy!" The chipper Gen-Xer snapped her gum before bending over to plug in the Christmas lights as Hank switched off the room's overhead lights.

"Ooooo" there was a collective gasp from the audience as the tree lit up. It was beautiful.

The little lights twinkled cheerfully for a few seconds before brightening and dying; plunging the room into total dark. There was a popping sound and and then an ominous creaking noise.

"Hank?"

CRASH

"The lights Hank!"

"What the hell?"

"The lights! The lights!"

"Lexi!"

"Oh no!!! Tell me I didn't hear that!!! The lights man, the lights!!!"

"That voice sounds kind of familiar guys. What cha think?"

"The lights!!!"

"I'm doing my best Scott. There seems to be a slight fuse problem. Ah, here we go."

The overhead lights came back on.

Six pairs of eyes met ten pairs of eyes.

"See - I told you I recognized it."

There was a second thump.

"Good going Lexi - I think you made him faint....again."

"Who me?"

"Ummm.... guys - does anyone else smell..."

"Fire!"

"How'd that happen?"

"I dunno - probably caused by that big tree falling into the fireplace. Although I would have thought the X-Men would know better then to keep such a fire hazard around."

"Oh good - I thought we might have been responsible."

"Looks like he's coming around Jean. Stand back everyone - give him some room."

"Uh guys - fire. Hot. Burns. Maybe we should do something?"

"They don't seem too concerned about it. Don't see why we should be."

(Lexi!)

"What did I do now?"

"Scott? Honey?"

"Lindsey's right. I don't think just standing by will making us anymore popular."

"I guess you re right. Uh, we'll need something to beat the flames out. Jonathan - your shirt."

"My shirt!?! Why my shirt. Why not your shirt?"

"Plee-ase Jonathan - don t make me even picture that."

"Sorry Daemon. India's shirt?"

*Wham!*

"Just a joke. Honest."

"Hurry up Jonathan - it's getting closer. Here - give Lexi the tree to hold. We don't want her to make it any worse."

"Jean? What happened?"

"You fainted dear."

"You start a fire once and no one let's you ever forget. Why?"

"Shut up Lexi."

"Ummm guys... these flames are spreading. I don't think this is helping."

"Well obviously if you just whine it isn't going to get any better. Just beat harder."

"Jean - did I hear someone say flames?"

"What dear?"

"Uh, Dr. McCoy. Do you sm...?"

"Jubilation please do not disturb me now."

"Hey guys I have an idea."

"Just hold that tree Lexi... Lexi!... I said to hold the... damn... Daemon!"

"Got it!"

"See guys - we can just pour this on the fire."

"Uh - is that eggnog?"

"So?"

"Um, Lexi I don't think you want to do that before... "

WHOOSH!!!!!!!!

" ... we uh determine if there is any alcohol in it."

"Whoops. Um... I think we should run now."

"DR MCCOY!!!"

"What now Jubil... oh my stars and "

"SHIT!!!"

"Uh guys. I don't think Cyclops is out of it any more."

"Run!"

(Too late.)

"Uh hiya guys. Long time no see. Umm... Merry Christmas."

~ Shut up Lexi. ~

"Storm."

"Certainly Professor. Powers of wind and rain I command thee."

********************

"Okay I think the fire's out. You can stop that rain at any time Ms. Storm... anytime now... yep, anytime would be just fine... whenever you're ready you can just go ahead and... "

"Well now. If it isn't the Parias."

(Scott!)

~ I'm fine Jean, honest, in complete control. ~ "I thought you guys were gone for good."

~ Quit pushing at me! ~

~ You're the leader - lead! ~

~ Bastard! ~ "Uh... Merry Christmas."

"That s a joke right?"

"Uh... here - have a tree."

~ Hey! That's my tree. I stole... uh liberated that tree. ~

~ Not now Jonathan. ~ "Please take it, it's the least we could do."

~ I agree with J - why let them have the tree. I mean, they were the ones who didn't take care of the first one. ~

~ Lexi! ~

"Arghh "

~ Oooo - look, he's turning all sorts of cool colours. Do ya think he ll explode. ~

"Thank you very much for your generous offer India. We would be most honoured to accept it."

"No problem at all Professor X. We would like to apologize "

~ Like hell! What for? I didn t ask to be dragged here and then have some tree nearly kill me. ~

~ Shut up Lexi! ~ "We would like to apologize for dropping in on you so unexpectedly. Actually - we have no clues ourselves as to why we're here. We were just setting up our own Christmas tree when pow - everything went black."

"How very tragic for you all."

(!SCOTT!)

"Headache Mr. Cyclops?"

~ Lexi - please! I'm begging you. ~

~ But it's so much fun. Ah, you never let me have any fun. ~

"I know our tree isn't anything as great as your's but I m sure we could salvage some of these ornaments and... "

"It will be wonderful India - won't it be everyone."

~ Why is the Professor always so damned cheery? ~

~ I dunno bub but it's even starting to get on my nerves. ~

*************

"See guys - isn't this great. I told you it'd be great."

"Whatever Lexi. Pass me that blue thingy."

"Here you go. Catch!"

"Noooo!!"

"Ooops. Don't worry Cyke. I'll clean it up."

"Mrph... "

~ Wow! I didn t know someone could actually make that noise. ~

~ Please Jean. Make them go away. She's driving me crazy. ~

~ Now don't you think you re just over-reacting a tad Scott. She hasn't done any of this on purpose. ~

~ And how can you be so sure of that? ~

"Oh - it's so beautiful. Isn,t it wonderful guys."

"Uh, you might want to tone the enthusiasm down a little Lexi."

"Oh. Sorry. But it is great. See."

"Actually guys. I think I'll have to agree with her for once. It does look pretty nice now that the raggedy bits are all hidden."

"Hey - how many times do I have to tell you that it was fine when I got it. Not my fault Lexi kept knocking it over."

"Sigh. Do you always have to be so negative J?"

"Would you quit it with that J stuff! My name is Jon-a-than."

"Shesh. Somebody sure got up on the wrong side of the bed."

"What do you think Professor?"

"You know Ororo. I think that having the Parias here is actually going to improve the season."

"What do you mean Professor."

"Look at them - they're so happy... "

~ Happy! What!?! Did he not hear anything that devil child said?~

(Scott!)

" ...and they re really lifting everyone else's spirits. No, there's nothing quite like having young people around to really liven up the holidays."

"Okay everyone. Looks like we're done."

"Hmmm... I'm not so sure."

"What are you doing Lexi?"

"I'm just trying to get the full picture here. Excuse me... pardon me... excuse me... ah - there we go. Much better."

"So? Does it look finished to you from there?"

"Yep. What do you think Cyke?"

(Be nice Scott.)

"Uh ... it looks... uh wonderful... uh... Lexi."

"I completely concur. Oh look, mistletoe."

~whimper~

THUMP

"What? What? Why is everyone looking at me like that?"

MERRY CHRISTMAS!