Summary: Five birthdays that Rogue remembers.
Disclaimer: Property of Marvel and Fox and Stan Lee and blah blah blah...
A/N: Dedicated to Crystal Luna to whom I promised a really REALLY belated birthday fic. This wasn't my original idea, I know, but I hope you like it anyways! ;) Happy birthday!!
Ten.
She can only remember her tenth birthday by color.
The blue streamers blowing in the backyard, the pink donkey piñata hanging on the tree, the purple Kool-Aid that turned everyone's tongues the same color, the white frosting on her cake, the yellow paper flowers on the tables, the green tent where the food was being served…
Everyone's faces were a blur…
Fourteen.
Her fourteenth birthday was her last one in Meridian – the last one she had with her parents.
Nothing was planned – no big get-together with relatives and friends – just a simple dinner of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and iced tea.
But then at the end of dinner, her father turned off the dining room lights while her mother came in holding a small cake with lighted candles, both of them singing 'Happy Birthday' to her.
Her mother had made her favorite – a carrot cake with a cream cheese frosting.
Sixteen.
She never thought that they would remember that it was her sweet sixteen, let alone throw her a party.
There were lots of singing and dancing, lots of opening of presents, lots of eating and drinking. But it seemed to her that something was missing. Or someone.
She picked up a slice of cake and went upstairs to look for him. She knocked at his door, half-expecting him to tell her to go away. But instead, the door opened and they were both not-so surprised to see each other.
She shoved the plate into his free hand (his other hand busy flicking open and close his lighter), saying something about chocolate-mocha and how she thought he might like it.
She wanted to tell him that he should come downstairs and have some of the cheese puffs Ms Munroe had made, that Jubilee was making a complete fool out of herself singing 'Don't Stop Dreaming' at the top of her lungs and he should see it, that she doesn't want to spend the evening being shadowed by Ice…
Instead she turned away without saying another word.
But then he called out to her, asking her to wait.
He handed her a small box wrapped in a plastic bag. He doesn't apologize for the wrapping paper, or the lack thereof, and she doesn't comment on it either.
He closed his door, mumbling his thanks for the cake.
She doesn't open his present until much later when she was alone in her room and away from prying eyes.
And what he got for her made her want to cry…
He remembered…
Eighteen.
She hadn't planned on spending her eighteenth birthday standing in line outside of a medical clinic. She hadn't actually realized it was her birthday until someone asked what the date was when they were filling out their information sheets.
While she waited her turn, she twirled her necklace charm around her finger, clutching at it momentarily.
She thought about him. She couldn't help it. He was the one who gave her the charm – was it only two years ago?
She wondered what he was doing now…where he was…if he missed them…if he missed her… Because she missed him…
There were too many things they'd left unspoken and she wanted a chance to tell him everything that had been in her mind, her heart, her soul…
She was startled out of her thoughts when a nurse tapped her on the shoulder, directing her toward an empty examining room.
The doctor asked her to take off her gloves. She stared down at her bare hands – not because she couldn't remember the last time they were this naked when other people were around but because she thought she must have held her charm a little too tightly.
A perfect little indentation in the shape of a magnolia was on the palm of her hand.
Twenty-one.
It was nearly midnight. Her twenty-first birthday was almost over.
She supposed she could have gone out with Jubilee and Kitty, drank themselves silly, maybe hit on some equally drunk boys, maybe done some things that would have been maybe memorable but most likely, regrettable…
But this day…this day of spending the whole day in bed was good too.
She propped herself on one elbow, smiling at the person lying next to her. She brushed back a lock of hair that fell on his forehead, hoping that the bleach will grow out of it soon because she really did prefer brunettes over blondes. Even when they snored like a tractor…
But she didn't care…
He came back to her.
He told her he was sorry she thought killing a part of her was her only solution but he understood in the end.
He made her feel things she thought she would never experience with anyone.
He showed her how much he loved her.
She rested her head against his shoulder, laying a hand over his chest and watching as the clock turned to midnight.
She closed her eyes and thought he was the best birthday present ever.