"Jubilee, why don't you come help us decorate the tree?"
"Frosty, why didn't you do that on Thanksgiving like everyone else instead of waiting till Christmas Eve?" For some reason, I'm not in the Christmas mood this year. I know very well that it's a Gen-X tradition to decorate the Christmas tree the night before, I just don't care. Soon, I am leaving the school and heading out on my own, away from Gen-X and away from the X-men. Two could play the shunning game. Well, ok, more like twenty, but who was really counting.
Right, back to why I'm not in the Christmas mood. Well, see, Thanksgiving, I had called the X-mansion to invite Wolvie over for Christmas Eve decorating. Kitty had abandoned him for that Wisdom dude, and he was takin' it really hard. I mean, not even the prof had heard from her since she left in September, and I was tempted to track the hellcat down myself. She had no right to use Wolvie that way. Ugh! It makes me all livid thinking about it. I wasn't there for the actual argument they had had, but Red had mentioned the highlights, and those were not pretty. Something about Wolvie guttin' Wisdom if he treated her wrong, then she got all pissy about him always wanting to protect her. I would have slapped her for that, but I wasn't there. Ya know Wolvie has a load of self-control when he wants to; it's just that most of the time he doesn't care.
Okay, off track, anyway, he called earlier and said that he wouldn't be able to make it through the snow and ice storms, and that he was really sorry. I guess that should have settled me a little; I mean, the Wolverine is never sorry. But no, I sit here all sour on Christmas Eve because my best friend and near-father ditched me because of some snowstorm. I mean, the guy was a frikkin' Canadian! Wasn't he supposed to be all into the snow and stuff?
As I sit very indignantly on the chair, Artie comes over to me. He holds out one of his and Leech's homemade ornaments, with my name on it.
"Put on tree!" He shoves it into my hand and pushes me out of the chair, guiding me to the tree. Giving into the little brat's pleading, I hang the piece of decorated paper (fireworks, how original) on the nearest branch, then move to sit back down.
Ya know something? I feel a lot like that tree. Someone cut it down and removed it from its natural habitat to decorate and make all pretty so people can stand there and "ooh" and "aww" at it. It's only admired at most five weeks out of the year, but after that, it becomes a burden, and it's chucked out onto the curb for someone else to pick up. I sigh and look out the window. The snow is coming down a lot harder than before; I can barely see past the window. Maybe Wolvie was right, I think, it is pretty bad out there. Sighing, I stand to go into the kitchen for some eggnog. If there's one thing Sean can make, it's great eggnog. I hear a knock on the door, but as I'm in the kitchen, I'll let someone else get it. And, of course, Jono and Paige race to open the door, crashing into it. I allow myself a smile, probably the first one tonight. Then I hear it; a voice that brightens even my darkest day.
"Hey Jubes," I almost dropped my glass, but thought long enough to set it down on the counter. I turn, a maniacal grin plastered on my face.
"Wolvie?!" I didn't really know I could leap that far; maybe I should try out for the WNBA. But none of that matters right now, as I wrap my arms around his rough neck. He spins me around a few times before setting me down right in front of Gambit. I look past him to find the entire X-men team behind him. Professor Xavier glides in, and smiles up at me.
"Merry Christmas, Jubilee. Have we missed the decorating?" Frost came in and nodded her hellos.
"Not quite, Charles. We were just about to put the star on top. Jubilee, would you care to do the honors?" The herd of X-people corral into the den, where Paige and Monet are arguing on whether it needs more decoration. Sean hands me the star just before I feel a pair of gruff hands lift me off the ground. I place the large star atop the tree, smiling as I'm carefully lowered to the ground. The moment my feet touch, I turn around and envelope him in a hug. Then I hear it, a soft guitar playing in the background. Rogue had brought her guitar (she just recently revealed her musical talent) and Angelo pulled his harmonica from his pocket. Together, they manage to get out most of the Christmas carols, and we spent the rest of the night singing and laughing, one family, finally united.
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Everyone together now…..AAAAWWWWWW!! Ok, now that the Kodak moment is over with, on with the humor. I'm working tomorrow (yeah, that's what I get for working in a chapel), so I'll have time to work on the humorous Christmas fic. I love this time of year! Happy Holidays! -- Rickman's Girl
