"How is it that we're up at 8 in the morning when we don't have to be again?" Bobby asked, bleary-eyed, hair still tousled from sleep and clad in blue flannel pajamas. "How'd you talk us into this, Rogue?"
"Ah asked, dummy," the girl sitting beside him replied with a grin. She wore a long, red plaid flannel nightgown and red gloves, hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. "You and the Cajun are easily led."
"What man in his right mind wouldn't want t' be led by you, chere?" Remy asked with a grin.
Rogue groaned. "It's too damn early for that, Cajun. And why the Hell are you not wearin' a shirt?"
"Just be happy he put on pants," Bobby interjected with a scowl. "Me 'n' John dumped cold water all over his bed one morning-y'know, initiation-and he jumps up wearing nothing but a blood thirsty grimace. Not pretty."
"No more sharing!" Rogue commanded, wrinkling her nose. "It's Christmas. Ya don't need to be talkin' 'bout Remy naked." She caught Remy's mouth opening to speak and held up a hand. "Ah told you it's too early, an' I meant it."
"Rise and shine, Logan!"
Rolling over with a growl, the man in question snapped back, "I'll rise, but I refuse to shine."
"Suit yourself," Jean called through the door.
Logan could feel her smile and growled again. "You aren't goin' away, are ya?"
"Not until you get out here."
"Dammit. I'm coming." Logan heaved a sigh and forced himself to stand and walk to the door, jerking it open, fixing his most evil glare on the woman before him. "Why'd you hafta come wake me up?"
"Merry Christmas to you too."
Logan almost responded with a snippy comeback, but he was distracted by the sudden realization that Jean wasn't wearing anything but a long, blue flannel nightgown. "Nice outfit, Jeannie."
"Not too bad yourself," she returned, raising an eyebrow at his bare chest and sweatpants. "Cozy."
"I don't get cold easy." He tilted his head. "So why am I awake?"
"Christmas. Gift exchange. Since Ororo and the Professor are in Washington, it'll be just you and me and Scott."
"Why'd ya wake me up?" he pressed.
"Because otherwise Scott would have."
Logan nodded in sudden understanding. "In that case."
"So who first?" Bobby asked, rubbing his eyes with back of his hands. "I think I'm awake. Mostly."
"Ladies first," Remy answered with a smile, holding a box out to Rogue. "It ain't much, chere, but Gambit's not used to havin' anyone to give gifts to."
"Aw, Remy, you know Ah'd love anything ya got me," Rogue assured her friend, carefully untying the gold bow holding the box closed. Inside she found a slip of folded stationary with a scrawled note reading "I owe you a picnic as soon as spring gets here. Love, Remy."
Grinning, Rogue grabbed Remy's hand and squeezed it. "That's real sweet, darlin'. And Ah'll collect just as soon as Ah can."
"You better, petit."
"Okay, kiddies, break it up," Bobby said, slipping a long package into Rogue's gloved hand with a blinding smile. "Open," he ordered her.
"Yes, Mr. Drake," she replied, sticking out her tongue.
Sliding off the paper, Rogue saw that it was a package of cling wrap. She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "And just what'm Ah supposed to do with this?"
"I'll show you." Bobby took the package from Rogue's hands and opened it, pulling off a small square of the plastic. Then, holding it up to her lips, he leaned forward and gave her a quick kiss. "That's what it's for."
Rogue's cheeks were bright red and she looked up at Bobby from under lowered lashes.
"You're incorrigible. Ah swear... it's about the sweetest thing..." There were tears shining in her eyes when she raised them. "You guys are too much. Ah don't deserve friends like you."
"Course you do," Bobby protested. "We'd be too good for anybody else, but you, you're just the right sort of lady."
"God, Bobby, shuddup before Ah start cryin' or somethin'."
"And before you make me sick, homme." Remy caught the pillow before it smacked into his head. "Good throw."
Jean curled up on the floor next to Scott, resting her head on his shoulder. "Merry Christmas," she whispered.
"Could you two cut it out for a damn minute? Too damn early," Logan growled, shifted uneasily in his place across from them.
Jean lifted her head from Scott's shoulder and smiled at Logan. "In the interest of the Christmas spirit..." Reached toward the base of the lavishly-decorated Christmas tree in the living room, she picked up a small present wrapped in shiny red paper. "This is for you, Logan."
He accepted the package. "You didn't hafta, Jeannie."
"I know," she responded with a smile. "I just wanted to. Now open it before you get all mushy."
Logan popped a claw and cut the paper off, smiling when he saw the contents, a silver cigar box fully stocked with Cubans. "Where the Hell did you get this?"
"If I tell you, I'll have to kill you," she teased. "I'm just glad you like it."
He smiled up at her. "I love it, darlin'."
"Good." She fished another box from under the tree. "And this is from Scott... he wouldn't let me see what it was." A slight frown appeared on Jean's face as she passed Logan the package.
"I'm sure it's somethin' real nice." When the paper was finally shed, Logan frowned at the package.
"It helps keep hair from clogging up shower drains," Scott offered with a grin. "I figured you might be able to use one."
Logan's eyes narrowed and an evil approximation of a smile spread across his face. "Remind me to thank you for this later. When there aren't any witnesses."
"Oh, you have got to be kidding me." Bobby stared at the ice pick in his hands and shook his head.
Remy grinned. "Seems like you've needed that a few times, homme. Don't exactly have control, non?"
Bobby shot the Cajun a glare. "I'm not the one who charged the remote control last week."
"Honest mistake."
Rogue held up a hand. "Don't you two start again. Ah don't want to have to send you boys to your rooms," she mock-scolded, holding out Bobby's present.
"You thought the ice pick was bad..." she smirked.
Eyebrow raised, Bobby tore off the wrapping paper. "An ice tray." He groaned and then laughed. "You two are evil."
"Guilty as charged," Rogue responded, grinning and giving Bobby's arm a squeeze. "Actually, though, Ah think it has more to do with us bein' cheap."
"And after all that cash I burned buying you cling wrap... Ow! You hit hard for a girl. OW!"
"Your turn, Jeannie." Logan held out a package to the woman, who accepted it with a smile.
"Speaking of unnecessary gifts... Logan, you didn't have to get me anything."
"Sure I did. Needed to show Scooter up," he replied with a devilish smile. "Now open the damn thing before you go getting' all emotional about it."
Jean gently removed the paper and smiled as her fingers traced the raised gold writing on the cover of the book. "Byron... How did you know I like Byron?"
"Chuck might've mentioned it when I asked him," Logan said, shrugging off the 'this is the sweetest thing' look Jean was giving him. "Just figured you'd like it." He jerked his head toward Scott. "What'd you get 'er, Scottclops?"
Smiling slightly, Scott pulled a large box wrapped in gold paper out from under the tree and handed it to his fiancé. Jean gave him a kiss on the cheek and then ripped the paper off of the box, then opened it. Her jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. "Oh my dear Lord... Scott!"
Logan, unable to resist seeing what had such obvious anger blazing in Jean's eyes, leaned forward, catching sight of some skimpy black lace before Jean slammed the lid of the box shut and gave him a file://look//. "Just curious..."
"Thank God the Professor wasn't here!" Jean swatted Scott's shoulder, and he just grinned wider. "What is so funny? How could you even think-"
"Here." He pulled a small box from his robe pocked and gave it to her. "This is the real deal."
Looking unconvinced, Jean pulled the red ribbon loose from the package and then opened the box's lid. Inside were two plain gold bands. "Scott-"
"I thought maybe we could use these pretty soon. Say... Valentine's Day?"
Jean laughed and threw her arms around Scott's neck. "I should've known you'd have something sweet like this. I love you. And Valentine's Day is perfect."
The sound of someone loudly clearing their throat made Jean pull away slightly. "Sorry, Logan."
"Just don't let it happen again unless you want to have some nice festive puke all over this nice carpet."
To be continued