I wake up and groan as the light hit me, I gaze at the alarm clock, it blinks the time at me 6:30am I groan, I know I didn't set it for this time, and it hasn't gone off, heck I never set it on Christmas day, Scott doesn't give us a day off training for THAT at least, I wonder why I woke up.

Oh yes it's Christmas.

CHRISTMAS!

Shit that means the Christmas prom, I have to get up the nerve to ask Ebony… damnit. Silly really there are other people to go with, yet I can't imagine dancing with anyone but her.

I shave quickly, managing not to cut myself with razor thank god! I dress, Khaki slacks and A white sweater, Green and white, Christmas colours, I wonder what she's wearing.
I wonder whether to go down to the Christmas tree yet, or to wait. Ebs gets up early, she might be there, but not to many other people with, maybe I can give her my Christmas present and if there's no one a round to see her slap me in the face when I ask her out that sure would make it easier.

Damnit I hate asking girls out, I'm the definition of nervous..

I rush down to the basement, composing myself to look like I haven't before I go in, I push open the door to the room with the X-men team's Christmas tree and see her standing there, she looks beautiful, as always, she's dressed in a white skirt and red sweater, for once her hair isn't fixed tightly in a ponytail and it softens her whole appearance leaving her looking vulnerable, like an angel, I smile at her, about to say hello, but before I can, she steps forward…

And she kisses me.

I wrap my arms around her waist without thinking, not sure I want to think, after all the woman of you dreams just suddenly deciding to kiss you? Who wants to think about that.

As she pulls away and out of the kiss I remember the mistletoe above our heads, and for a second I'm disappointed, maybe that meant nothing to her but Christmas fun, that's what I think till I here her whisper to me.

"Merry Christmas bobby, I'm yours if you still want me" She smiles.

"Ebs…" I say, I'm so stunned I can't react like I should, can't tell her that I've always wanted her and always will, that it goes beyond that, I love her, whatever she saw on my face however, must have been different, because her eyes suddenly fill with hurt, and I can't bear it.

"Forget it" she whispers, removing her hand from round my neck, and pulling out of my grasp, she turns to walk away from me, towards the Christmas tree, where I can here storm and forges chatering voices. I can't let her go and think I don't care for her. I grab for her hand, her nearest one, the left one. I hold her still, and she tenses under my touch, I expect her to break away.

"Wait" I say, louder than I intended, as both adults swivel their heads to look at us intently, She turns towards me, looking hurt and confused, a look I know I have to wipe off her face.

I pull her too me and kiss her, hard, she tenses a second, then relaxes. Responding to the kiss, I don't care that Ororo and that guy are looking at us, I don't care that logan might come through the door and gut us or something, he seems to consider every one of the younger female team member his little protégés, I don't care who knows but I love Ebony.

She's all I care about

We pull out of the kiss, but I leave my hands around her waist, and she stays where she is, head leaning on my chest, for just a moment, nothing at all is wrong in my life, nothing, I could stay like this and hold her forever and I wouldn't mind a bit.

As long as I could hold her

"HuM HUM" Ororo coughs from over by the tree; "If you two are quite finished Ebony, forge and I have a Christmas present for you"

"Huh?" She asks turning round. "But when did you have time I mean, I didn't get you anything I…" she says nervously

"Oh stop it child it is not necessary, just come down to the med lab and we'll explain it to you."

"Can Bobby come?" she asks, clinging to my arm, she doesn't look hurt or angry any more, but she sounds so puzzled it downright cute, I move behind her and wrap my arms around her waist, burying my head in her hair protectively. She leans back against me quietly

"Yes he can come" Ororo smiles.