Home for Christmas

Disclaimer: I do not own X-Men

It was Christmas time at Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters. Xavier was holding a party for the students before half the school left to visit their families for a few weeks. On Christmas Day, there would be a Christmas dance for the students who remained at the school. There were decorations, junk food and drinks, Christmas music playing on the stereo, snow in huge piles outside, smiles and laughs as the students and teachers exchanged gifts.

Rogue was also smiling and enjoying herself. She loved her life at the Mansion where she was safe and had family and friends, but at that moment, she would've given anything just to have the one person who mattered most to her there. Logan.

She'd met him after discovering her powers and she'd run away from home. He'd given her a ride before they met Xavier and then he saved her life more than once when she was captured by Magneto. He had no memory of his life before fifteen years ago and had left to the Canadian Rockies to search for his past. Before leaving, he'd give her his dog tags and promised to come back.

She promised she was going to wait for him and she had. She'd even found a way to control her powers and had told no one of this. She'd wanted Logan to be the first one to know and even more, she wanted him home for Christmas. She kept fingering his tags and gazing out of the window, hoping to see him ride up on his motorcycle, but she saw nothing but the snow that blanketed the world.

"Rogue?" said Jean, startling her. "Are you okay? You've been a bit quiet."

"I'm okay," said Rogue. "It's just…"

"You miss Logan," said Jean.

Rogue nodded, sadly. "I know he's a lone wolf, but I just…I really thought he'd be back by now."

Jean nodded understandingly as she wrapped a comforting arm around the girl's shoulders. "He'll be back soon, Rogue. Logan's a bit rough, but I think he's missing you as much as you're missing him right now."

"I hope so," said Rogue.

Jean squeezed her shoulder and then went to join Scott.

Rogue sighed and looked at the clear night sky. It'd stopped snowing and the moon was out, making everything look beautiful and peaceful.

"Logan, please come home. I miss you," she whispered.

XXX

The chill wind nipped Logan's skin as he drove the motorcycle up the highway. He'd found nothing when he'd gone off searching for his past and was heading back to New York.

As much as he didn't want to admit, he had missed some things about the school. More importantly, he missed Rogue. She'd never said it, but he knew she missed him by the way she wrote in their letters or the sound of longing in her voice when he called her on the phone.

I'm dreaming tonight of a place I love
Even more then I usually do
And although I know it's a long road back
I promise you

In his fifteen years of traveling, he hadn't gotten attached to anything or anyone as much as he had with Rogue. He knew she hadn't wanted him to go, but she'd let him, knowing how much finding out about his past had meant to him. He'd promised to come back and now he was going back for her. It would take a while, but he would be back soon.

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have snow and mistletoe
And presents under the tree

He didn't remember much about his past, but he remembered a lot about Christmas and despite his rough nature, he had found himself smiling a bit over the holidays and he'd even found a gift for Rogue when he'd been wandering some stores.

Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams

One way or another, he was going to one place he'd never left—home.

XXX

Christmas Eve had come at last and everyone was asleep except for Jean, who was putting Christmas gifts under the tree. Rogue had been helping her with the last-minute preparations, but she'd fallen asleep on the couch and Jean had decided to let her sleep.

She had just hung up some mistletoe when she heard a motorcycle pull up. Smiling to herself, she opened the door and hugged Logan when he came in.

"Hey, Logan," she said.

"Hey, Red," said Logan. "Merry Christmas. How is she?"

Jean smiled, knowing he meant Rogue. "She's been missing you, but I think she'll be fine when she sees you."

"Where is she?" asked Logan.

Jean took him to the living room where the tree was lit and Rogue lay asleep on the couch with a blanket covering her and a gift wrapped in green was tucked under her arm. The label read: To my Wolverine.

"A few weeks ago, the students made their wish list and she wrote this." said Jean, handing him a slip of paper.

Logan took it and read the following.

What I Want For Christmas.

All I want for Christmas this year is to have Logan, my Wolverine, home. He's a bit rough on the outside, but I know him and I know he's a great guy underneath it all. He saved my life, he protects me and he's there for me. What more could I ask for? If I could just have him come back for Christmas, I'd be the happiest girl in the world. —Rogue.

Logan smiled a little. Then without another word, he gently picked up Rogue and carried her to her bed. He tucked her in and left the gift she was going to give him on her bedside table. Jean had come up with the perfect plan for surprising her and he was looking forward to it.

XXX

Rogue was shaken awake the next morning by Jubilee.

"Rogue, wake up! It's Christmas!"

"I'm awake, I'm awake," said Rogue, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. "What time is it?"

"Six-thirty," said Jubilee. "Come on, we should be ripping open presents by now!"

"Okay, okay, I'm coming," said Rogue.

She was surprised that she'd woken up in her bed. She even panicked for a moment when she realized Logan's present wasn't under her arm, but she was relieved when she found it on her bedside table. Deciding to let it go for the moment, she joined Jubilee downstairs to open presents.

She got an assortment of CDs, movies, books and jewelry from her friends and teachers and had a fine dinner. Then came the dance.

She was wearing a flowing emerald green satin dress with silver flowers and matching high heels. The sleeves of her dress went to her elbows and she had some white gloves on. Light green eye shadow, black mascara and red lipstick decorated her features and her brown and white hair was in loose waves.

She enjoyed the dance for an hour or so, but eventually left when "I'll Be Home For Christmas" began playing.

I'll be home for Christmas
You can count on me
Please have some snow and mistletoe
And presents by the tree

Grabbing her cloak, she went out back as the snow gently fell and stood alone for a few moments. She missed him so much. "Logan, where are you?" she whispered.

If she could just have him home, she'd be happy.

Rogue? said Jean, telepathically.

Yes, Jean?

Could you come in for a minute? I need some help in main hall.

Yeah, sure, I'll be right there.

Sighing, she went back inside and went to the main hall, but Jean wasn't there. Instead, standing there with a smile on his face was the one person she'd been longing to see for months.

"Logan!"


Immediately, she hugged him tight and smiled when he returned the embrace.

"I missed you so much," she whispered.

"I missed you too," he said, as he stroked her hair. "More than you know."

"When did you get back?" she asked, when they let go.

"Last night. Jean and I decided to surprise you. Speaking of which…" he pulled out a small gift wrapped in red. "Merry Christmas, kid."

Rogue opened it to reveal a silver heart locket with the word, Forever, engraved on it. "Logan, it's beautiful," she said. "Thank you."

He just smiled and fastened it around her neck before she picked up his present from the table and handed it to him. He opened it to reveal a memory book filled with small mementos of the time he'd been at the school. The rest of it was blank.

"I know you don't remember much about your past, but I thought you'd like this. The empty pages are for anything else you want to write down," said Rogue.

"It's great," said Logan. "Thanks."

She smiled as she slipped off his tags and handed them to him. "These are yours."

"Nah, you keep them. Come on, you're missing your dance."

Rogue smiled as she slipped her hand into his and he led her to the dance floor. They danced slowly as he held her hand and she rested her head on his chest. She cast a look up and noticed there were under the mistletoe.

"Uh, Logan?" she said.

"I noticed," he said. "Rogue, I…"

"Shh," said Rogue. She yanked off one of her gloves and stunned him by touching his face. "I can control it. I'm okay."

"You're more than that, you're perfect," said Logan.

With that, he gently kissed her as she wrapped her arms around his neck and he held her.

"I love you," she said, when they broke apart.

"I love you too," said Logan.

She smiled. "Merry Christmas, my Wolverine."


Christmas Eve will find me
Where the love light gleams
I'll be home for Christmas
If only in my dreams
If only in my dreams.

The End.