"Ja, vhat about t'is one?" Kurt asked and pointed upward.
"Nope." Scott replied. Evan groaned as a breeze swirled snow around. Clapping gloved hands together, he hunched deeper inside his coat layers.
"Man, we are never going to find the perfect Christmas tree. Give it up! We have been at this for hours!" He kicked at a nearby snow drift and glared.
"Hey, it's not that bad," Scott chided. 'I just want the right one, that's all."
"I understand. In Germany, tannebaum is very important." Kurt pretended to recoil from the look. "A snow angel you're not!"
"Just pick one!" He waved his arms back and forth, sprouting bone spikes in all directions.
"I will know when I see it." Scott encouraged and climbed up a nearby ridge, squinting against the reflected sunlight.
"What, you had trees every year I suppose? Ten feet high and huge around I suppose." Evan grumped, refusing to budge from his spot.
"Not really," Scott answered then saddened for a moment in thought. Adjusting his ruby glasses out of habit, he stared off into the distance. "My parent's trees I barely remember, except the last one. At the orphanage, we had a fake metal and wire one about three feet high."
"Vat small huh?" Kurt asked quietly and joined his friend on the small ridge.
"It worked. We never had many presents to put under it anyways." Scott shrugged and hiked forward, the smile off of his face. Evan rubbed the back of his head with one hand.
"Look, I'm sorry…I...didn't realize…"
"Uh, forget it. I...whoa whoa whoa!" He rushed forward and crowed disappearing from view. Kurt hopped off the ridge, tail high as Evan ran up the slope. Scott circled from behind a massive tree and gave enthusiastic thumbs up. Kurt raised his eyebrows in disbelief and Evan whistled.
"That will never fit. Too tall!" Evan pantomimed tall tree and lower ceiling.
"So? Ve can trim the top…a lot." Kurt tilted to see the top of the tree. "Maybe he is right. Ve could use the grand hallway instead of the den?" Kneeling, Scott lifted the lower branches and picked the blast point.
"Trust me," Scott purred then backed up. Grabbing his glasses, he closed his eyes and concentrated on what he had seen. *Bazzup* an optic blast shot out and severed the trunk. *Fawwahm* the tree fell over on its side into the snow. "Kurt, ready to take it back?"
"I don't know," he puzzled. "The largest thing I have ever moved is people. This is uhm...bigger?" he gestured.
"Distance shouldn't be a problem. We're only what…ten…twenty miles from the mansion?" Evan spouted sarcastically. Scott merely pointed at the distant roof.
"Look, we'll meet you inside." A quick pat on the shoulder, and Scott took off on foot. Evan sighed and hid his face in his hands. "Auntie O is gonna kill us." Then he followed but took one last backward glance. Kurt just stood looking at the downed tree, blank faced, tail coiled tight.
Back at the mansion, Logan was enjoying the quiet company of friends in the den. Kitty was learning chess from Hank while Jean wrote out Christmas cards to her family friends. Non one said anything to Logan; even the crackle of the fire seemed muted. Content, he didn't mind. 'Now that's how I like it. A steaming cup of coffee, the sports section and no interruptions.' A sudden tromp of boots alerted him to the boys return.
"Make way…" Scott ordered entering the room. He immediately began sliding the rocker recliner out of the way. Evan nodded "hi" at Kitty and Jean then began pushing an end table towards the far wall.
"What the?" Logan began, sensing trouble. Laying the newspaper down, "Where's Kurt?"
"Hold on…" Scott raised his hands to forestall questions. Nodding in satisfaction, he keyed the wrist communicator. "Good to go Kurt. And ta da…" he gestured like a maestro. Five seconds later, he wondered if something was wrong when a massive puff of blue sulfur pine tree smelling smoke appeared pushing a slap of wind with it. Shouts, gasps and the massive whoosh of branches dumping their collected snow mingled.
"Scott Summers!" Jean yelled.
"Uh oh," Logan commented and stepped back out of her range. A small bird flittered up and out of the tree, followed by two more. Kitty opened the window and watched them fly out.
"You killed a tree! A living thing! How could you?!" Jean gurgled, her cheeks turning a dangerous scarlet.
"It's a tradition?" He shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck, baffled at her reaction.
"That is like so lame." Kitty added. "It never had a chance." Snow fell onto the floor with a solid plump. Sighing, she grabbed the fireplace shovel and began scooping snow up. Jean whisked her hand and it all flew into the fireplace, burying the fire instantly.
Logan approached and lifted Kurt off of the floor, settling him into a chair. "When ya gonna learn elf? Ya got limits."
"Like ceiling heights?" Xavier added and rolled into the room. "I take it he misjudged the room?"
"Nope. This baby," Scott patted the tree then sheepishly backed away from the girls looks. "Is going up right here...with some minor adjustments."
"Like knocking out the ceiling?" Logan asked then nodded at Hank to check Kurt. Sweat covered and panting, his pale color was slowly deepening to his normal blue. Sprawled in the chair, he looked like a flop toy tossed aside by a small child. Hank expertly checked his pulse and listened to his raspy breathing. "Jean…" he called. "Can you lift Kurt to his room? He needs rest." Kurt mumbled something unintelligible while barely raising his hand.
"I'll do it!" Kitty stepped forward. "Hey, I can phase him up…like no weight at all!" she stressed. Phasing through the chair, she wrapped her arms around Kurt and began literally treading on air. Grunting with the effort, she walked them both up and out of sight through the ceiling.
"Anyone else around to help?" Evan asked while counting who and what power was present in the room. Jean folded her arms, snapping her hair back but answered normal toned.
"No. Rogue is out with Amara, the other new recruits are with Ororo shopping. It's just us."
"Hmmm…maybe we should wait? Or get some construction cranes?" Logan commented thoughtfully.
"Jean?" Scott pleaded then sighed as she unfolded her arms. Gesturing slowly, her Tk began raising the tree. The side effect moved her red hair up and around her head, swaying it into a phoenix shape for an instant. Slowly, the tree righted itself then stopped at a distinct tilted angle to the ceiling. She lowered it back down without a word.
* Snikt* Logan popped his claws. Wading into the branches, he raised one hand and stroked downwards. He nodded and she raised the tree up as Scott nearly cried.
"You cut it…in half!"
"More like two thirds I think." Charles Xavier observed as the girls giggled. Logan retracted his claws and absently rubbed the healing skin. Mumbling about being a wood cutter, he grabbed the remaining tree section and dragged it out of the room. The Professor followed, wanting to check on Kurt personally. And to enlist Kitty's help with the decorating. Jewish, she needed a little encouragement to help out instead of feeling like intruding on the other's celebrations. Rolling back into the room later, the Professor had a question.
"Uhm," He began. "Why did you only put tinsel wrap around the tree twice?"
"That's all we had," Kitty emphasized. "That twice 'round is five sets!"
"Hmmm…" he reached in his back wallet and pulled out a credit card. Kitty grinned and snatched it instantly. Grabbing her coat, she waved the platinum card at Jean and both girls began jabbering excitedly.
"More wraps…"
"Maybe a couple of boxes of balls…"
"Tons of lights…" their voices trailed off, followed by the front door opening then closing.
"Ya might wanna get that back later," Logan reminded. The professor merely smiled.
"Let them have their youthful memories.
"I agree." Logan stated to his surprise. "I ain't gonna forget this for awhile. " Finishing his coffee, he sat the cup down on the coaster and walked out.
Two hours later, Jean and Kitty returned with armloads of packaged tree decorations. Handing the card back, Kitty kept her thoughts shielded tight. Logan leaned over Charles shoulder and swore the silver lettering looked worn. The thought was apparently loud and clear. *I wouldn't doubt it* settled into his thoughts as Charles put it away.
*Glad it ain't mine* Logan concentrated, knowing Xavier would read it clearly. Kurt walked in, immediately greeted by a fretting Kitty.
"You should be in bed Kurt! We'd like save you some of the decorations."
"Quit worrin' half pint." Settled the matter. The students began opening, sorting and placing the decorations. Glass balls, bundles of ribbon twigs, birds, cats, dogs, even fish of glass and plastic were sorted. Clay doves, moose, mini cars, and tinsel followed. Rogue and Amara arrived home and joined in.
"I can't for the life of me figure out the pattern," Xavier mumbled.
"It was on sale." Kitty admitted. "Half off to be exact." She smiled. The professor smiled and wondered half off of what? Jean lifted the highest ornaments while Scott and Evan took turns balancing on the ladder. Kitty left part way through and returned about twenty minutes later, a very smug look on her face. The decorating of the tree was nearly complete.
"Fifty eight box sets later, and the tree still looks kinda bare. Only one last detail left," Jean commented and began gathering the cardboard boxes into a pile for recycling.
Kurt held up the star to Kitty. "Vant to phase down through the ceiling like you did last year and put it on top?"
"What top Kurt?" she snapped and pointed. "The ceiling is like covered!"
"Oh, ja. I guess I forgot." He glanced at the delicate porcelain angel and sighed.
"You could put it on the kitchen tree elf." Logan interrupted. Baffled looks appeared on every face but the Professor's.
"What kitchen tree?" Amara asked
"I took the top you discarded as its own tree. Lord knows there was enough of it left. Once I trimmed the top." He gestured with a closed fist, the meaning clear. Blushing, Scott remained quiet while Evan folded his arms with a knowing look. Rogue blew a strand of hair out of her face, "Ah gotta see t'is." The Professor rolled out first, followed by the other students. Scott hesitated, waiting for Jean to finish with her recycle pile.
"So what do you think?" he asked hesitantly.
"I think your heart was in the right place." She smiled and leaned over, kissing him lightly on the cheek. "But don't do it next year," she warned as the room temp noticeably dropped. His face was still red when they joined the others in the kitchen. A variety of voices and packages rustling began in the main hall.
"Sounds like they're back," Scott commented then straightened in pride as silence followed. "They saw the tree." Logan's enhanced hearing relayed every comment that followed. "Ya, they're impressed all right. Wondering who to blame for the clean up. Recruits got that job this year. Or did you forget?" He reminded.
"Oh, uh, kinda." Was the sheepish reply.
"Man, any other way this tree's gonna get us in trouble?" Evan moaned. Kitty snickered and phased out of the room. Rogue rolled her eyes. 'Ah'm going to ma room." Walking in, she noticed the flashing reflection on the wall. Turning, she grinned at the tiny lit tree setting between the beds then bent down for a better look.
"Like it?" Kitty asked and phased through her desk chair and walked over to retrieve something off of the nightstand.
"Ah love it! Wher' did ya get it?" Rogue knelt and guessed it was about three feet high but the perfect shape.
"Out back. It's the piece left from Logan's tree."
"Logan's tree?"
"The one he put in the kitchen." Kitty answered from her bed then giggled. "The part too tall for the ceiling in there.
"Ah'd thought that monstrosity in the main room was enough!" The giggling behind her burst into full laughter. "Whatever."
At the Brotherhood House, the kick at the door repeated. Lance sighed and sat the remote down. "I'll get the door!" he yelled then snipped, "No one else around here will." Opening it, he just stared. A green Christmas tree filled the entire view. That is, until he bent down. Two silver sneakers stuck out below. He bent closer then recoiled. "Uhg," he groaned and backed from the stench. "Gotta be Toad," he muttered and waved under his nose for more air.
Grunting, pushing and basically laying on the tree, it was squeezed through the doorway. A battered metal base was dug out from the closet and attached to the tree trunk. Walking over to close the closet door, Pietro tilted his head.
"Mystique is gonna blow if she sees that." He pointed at the scraped doorjamb.
"Qickie, there's no way she can miss it." Lance answered without looking, too busy pushing the tree into position.
"Yo, a…little paint…she…nev'r…notice." Buried under branches, Todd strained to lift the tree into place. Fred pulled on the rope attached to the center and between them, got it upright.
"Maybe we should wrap a blanket underneath? To catch any loose or dead needles that might fall?" Pietro asked.
Lance grinned. "Leave that to me."
"No!" they all shouted too late. Stomping his foot, the avalanche wave effect rocked the lower floor and the needles fell from the tree. Lots and lots of needles. 'Uh, oops. Sorry guys."
"Nice goin' shaker," Todd snapped. "Ya just turned my tree inta a Charlie Brown Christmas tree."
"Ya mean yellow and brown with a white dog?" Fred asked blankly.
"No, like no needles!" Todd yelled.
"Who is Charlie Brown?"
"Uh," no one answered Wanda directly. To reveal her lack of memeory due to being confined att the institution was something no one dared.
"It ain't important." Toad interrupted.
"What is," Lance chimed in quickly, "is getting this tree decorated."
"I got that covered!" Quicksilver pointed at his chest arrogantly. A blur of motion, a slight breeze and the entire tree was done. "Yo, froggy," he called. "Be a nice mutant and hop to the top hmm?" The Angel for the top sat on both his hands. Toad glared and snapped his tongue out, grabbing the plastic angel and hopped up the wall then tossed it onto the tree.
Hopping down, he landed next to Wanda. "Not as pretty as you cuddlebumps, my sweetie angel," he smiled then yelped as she hexed him backwards. Stomping across the floor, everyone moved out of her way. "Wait snookums! Ya gotta see the lights! I got 'em special this year!" She hesitated and he pressed on. "Lots an' lots'a lights! Ta match ya eyes…umm. Here we go." Toad hopped over to the base of the tree and turned the light knob in his hand. "Ta da!" Nothing happened. "Hmm...try this again." He unplugged it and redid the wall outlet connection. Still nothing. Pulling the plug out, he counted the prongs.
"Oh yah, brilliant." Pietro quipped while Lance pretended to shield his eyes from the glare.
"Very funny. Ah know, there's gotta be a loose connection somewh're." He began checking the wire strands and bulb connections from the cord into the tree.
"Yah. In his head, maybe," Lance joked to Fred while making a twirling gesture with his hand.
"Uh, I don't get it. How does that affect the wiring?"
Lance rolled his eyes and sighed. "Why me?"
Fred watched Todd circle the tree muttering and thought hard. Hard for Fred Dukes that is. He snapped his fingers. "I bet he didn't plug it in. I always forget to do that." Sure enough, when he walked over, the plug lay on the ground.
Todd bent closer at about the middle height of the tree and grinned. A frayed piece of plastic poked up and two wires barely touched. "Ah need some electrical tape to cov'r tha'. But fer now," he wet his fingers and twisted the two wires tighter together. "Ya can all relax, ah found…Yaaawwww!"
Fred looked up and quickly pulled the plug back out.
"Gee. I thought only insects did that on lights." Pietro quipped as Todd's clothes lightly smoked.
A minute later upstairs, Mystique sniffed. 'What on earth is that smell? Ugghh." Crossing to the window, she opened it partway and sucked crisp air into her lungs. "Those boys better not be trying to make carmel popcorn down there again. Dealing with the Environmental Protection Agency once was enough."
Pietro zipped around Todd like a mini cyclone then pulled the air out the door, pine needles and all. In a blur, he was back, rubbing his hands. 'No fuss, no muss, no smell. Mutant powers, the fixer for any problem." He snapped his fingers and zipped to his room, then returned carrying three small presents. Everyone craned forward, trying to read the labels.
"Uhm, I'll be right back" Fred commented then Lance left too. Both returned with a few small presents. Wanda snorted at her twin brother's look.
Smugly, he approached her. "Bet you saving my big one until last?"
"Don't be so sure my dear brother," she warned, raising her hands and watched him zip behind the couch.
"Now-Wanda-be-nice-it's-Christmas-and-you-don't-want-to-be-on-Santa's-bad-list-do-you?
"Santa doesn't exist." Her statement froze everyone in place.
"No Santa?"
"I agree Freddy. Agree with her tha' is." Everyone turned to look at Todd as he hopped over by her. "Santa nev'r brough' me squat as a kid. Momma work'd two jobs to feed us. I kno' he don' exist. All tha' bein' good fer nuthin!"
Lance wavered back and forth. "Good being relative but I gotta vote no too. My Christmas' were spent in one foster home after another. No presents!"
"Poor little boys. Learned the truth have you?" Mystique's biting voice cut from the staircase. "There is no Santa Claus. No Easter bunny. No tooth fairy. All lies told to children."
"And you are the purveyor of truth I suppose?" Everyone spun around as Magneto walked in. Clad in a brown suit and trench coat, the Master of Magnetism looked as mortal as any. Mystique glared at him then looked down first. He nodded, his top position secure, for the moment at least. "Not all truths are what they seem." He countered. "I say wait until Christmas morning then decide."
"You raise their hopes for nothing Erik Lehnsherr." She commented acidly and stalked back upstairs. The slamming of her door was her final comment on the matter. Magneto sat his hat on the table and prayed Mesmero's change of memories held with Wanda. Unsure, the boys and Wanda invited him in and began talking. He stayed only a short while and wished them all a good night. At various times, each teen looked at the tree with its' few presents and wondered. Then headed for their rooms, the possibility of what if only dimly there.
Two weeks later Christmas Day finally arrived. Todd turned over and groaned. "Snookums?" he cracked a bleary eye open and saw nothing move in his room. "Ah kne' ah was dreamin'…hey!" A clattering of sounds on his ceiling got his full attention. "Sounds like….nah." He pulled the covers over his head. A second later, he sat up. The fight of emotions on his face was plain. "Ah wond'r if?" Shaking his head negative, he slid out of his covers anyway and padded to the hallway. Fearing disappointment, he reversed back to his room. He paused at the door. Leaning against it, he considered the barest of possibilities. "Gotta look ta know." Turning around slowly, he walked to the top of the stairs. "One hop to the floor, then ah'll open my eyes." Gathering his courage and a little hope, he sprang forward.
"Arrrrgghhh! Todd's high pitched scream woke everyone. Dressed in night clothes, the Brotherhood piled out of their rooms and abruptly stopped. At the base of the tree lay presents. Ones that had not been there the night before. "It says from Santa!" Todd yelled and held a small blue box aloft. Ripping it apart while removing the bow with his tongue, he jumped nearly into the ceiling. "Blue suede sneakers. And my size too!" That did it. Everyone scuttled for the tree, grabbing presents.
"This one says to Wanda…."
"That one has my name on it…"
"Give me that Pietro or you'll…"
"Relax Wanda," he handed it over.
"Duh, thanks Lance. Here, this one has your name on it." A long box was handed over.
"Where did these all come from?" Mystique asked and was soundly ignored. Picking up the discarded wrapping, the writing on the labels looked familiar.
"Hey, boss lady." Toad called and tossed one at her. She opened her mouth to snap at him and saw writing that looked like her own. Baffled, she gently tilted the box. When nothing exploded, rang or shook, she reached down into her boot. Pulling out a lethal looking dagger, she slit the ribbon and pulled the box open. Raven Darkholme froze in shock. Inside lay the little Polly girl doll she had wanted as a child. From the little black button shoes to the red hair bow, it was the one. Outside the window, an unseen observer nodded in satisfaction.
"If ah had't touched her, ah wouldn't 'ave known. Wort' ev'ry fight on e-bay. Merry Christmas…mom." Careful not to disturb anything, Rogue tiptoed back towards the motorcycle. "Ah wander who the'r Santa was? Ah well. Gotta return this fer Wolverine notices it's missin'. A present taint worth him huffin'." From the rooftop eaves, Magneto grinned.
"You taught them well Charles. That was the one present I would not have thought of." Idly, he rubbed at the blank ink smudging his writing hand. Giving up, he slipped his red armor plated glove back on. And with a lift of magnetism, he flew off.