(I don't know what this is called anymore, some mix b/w disclaimers and an author's note) Anyway, wow! Chapter five! Wasn't that last chapter so full of fluff and sap? *sigh* I'm a hopeless romantic, I just can't help myself. And trust me, things are about to get a little weirder. And obviously, if I own Lucky, I own his relatives too. So hang on tight to your Barbie gelt (yes, that's *gelt,* with removable stickers!) and take out your pink alien ears! It's gonna be a wild ride from now on! (aren't I insane?) Oh, and can anyone lend me a life? At least until I'm eighteen and can buy one of my own!
WHAT?!
"Marie? Marie, wake up! Ms Grey wants you in at least five minutes!"
Marie groaned and opened her eyes. Jubilee was vigorously, almost violently, shaking her awake.
"What... Jubes? What's..."
"Ms Grey just walked in, she said she needs to see you in the Professor's office in *five minutes!* You might get to see your father!" Rogue said from behind Jubilee, an excited look in her eye.
Marie sat up in her bed, eyes wide. "Really? She said that?" she asked hopefully.
"Well, no, but it's a possibility!"
Three years had passed, and Marie was beginning to feel at home. She still had not heard anything from her father, besides a few presents, including a cat to replace Kit, who Marie named Bernadette.
"Speaking of the devil..." Marie said to herself as she saw her fat cat sleeping at the end of Kitty's empty bed. Marie suspected that Bernadette depended on Kitty more than her true owner, but Kitty had gone to Chicago for winter break early this year, so Bernadette would have to rely on Marie for once.
Marie rushed out of bed and hurried through her morning routine. She was in the middle of putting on her shoes when there was a knock at the door.
"I know, Ms Grey! I'll be there in two seconds, I swear!"
"Tsk, tsk, Princess! Swearing isn't nice at all!"
Marie smiled and opened the door. There stood Lucky, a grin on his face, his hands behind his back.
"Morning, m'Lady. Is a faithful knight allowed to say 'Happy Sweet Sixteen' to his Princess?"
Before Marie could say anything, Lucky pulled from behind his back a pillow, taken from his bed (but Marie didn't know that... shhh...). On the pillow were two things. One, a sparkling tiara. It wasn't real, of course, but still, it looked pretty. Two, a beautiful rosebud, the deepest red Marie had ever seen.
Marie stared in shock, her cheeks blushed with crimson.
"I thought it was time for you to be my official Princess, for all the world to know. Will you accept your crown? Of course, their beauty is nothing compared to your own..."
"Lykeios! What do you think you're doing?" Rogue pushed her way past the frozen Jubilee till she stood beside Marie, still in her nightgown.
"What does it look like I'm doing, the macarena?"
"Haha, did I mention ha?"
"Umm, guys..." Marie tried to intervene, but Rogue and Lykeios were just getting warmed up.
"You know what I said about you and Marie, twerp. I've stood by, I've said mah input, for *three long years,* but no more! This is the *last straw,* Army Brat--"
"Hey, my parents weren't the Army, they were the Marines, and you'd BETTER not go there, Streak Girl!"
"Streak Girl? Oh, no, help me, help me!"
"At least I'm not so low as to say something about your past!" By now Lucky's face was almost as red as the rose, which had passed through Marie's hands to her bed, along with the tiara, unnoticed. "We all got buried histories here, and some of us are quite content to let them stay buried, so why are you trying to dig 'em up?!" Lucky yelled. "I could say a million things, about how you're a hick, and stuff like that--"
"I ain't no hick!" Rogue yelled, then looked at Jubilee. "Am I?"
Her close friend was quick to shake her head in disagreement.
Rogue turned back to Lucky, whose hands were clenched in fists with rage.
"Why do you hate me so much, Rogue?" he asked.
"Me? I don't... Okay, I do hate you, but that's just because..." Rogue stared at Lucky coldly. "Because! You're annoying as hell, you're a brat, you're a heartbreaker, I don't need you puttin' on this act everyday, especially with those I care about, and GODDAMMIT, you get to do the one thing I can't, even with your mutation!"
Silence filled the room. Even the people watching from the hallway were afraid to breathe. Suddenly Rogue looked around.
"Ah, hell, you might as well come inside."
As Rogue closed the door behind Lucky, she noticed Marie wasn't there.
"Hey, where's Marie?"
"Marie? Oh, she left about twenty seconds ago," Jubilee explained. "Yeah, Ms Grey came and got her. She said thank you for the gifts, Lucky. And she told you, Rogue, not to worry. She'll be back soon. And she told both of you not to fight anymore. You guys know she hates it when people fight, especially you two..."
"Hey, Rogue?" Lucky said, changing the subject.
Rogue turned back to Lucky and glared. "What, you little--"
"Alright, enough with the names! Okay?" Jubilee said. "No more names! None! That's it, over with, finito, kaput! Please?"
The two ignored Jubilee. The battle was just beginning.
Lucky looked at Rogue. "Rogue, is that why you hate me? Because I have to touch people for my mutation?"
"No. I have to do that too," Rogue said. "It's because you *can* use your powers. Me... I can sock you in the jaw right now, and you'd be out for at least three days. And that ain't because I'm strong, either. 'Cuz I ain't allowed. *You might get hurt!* But you, you can touch people all you want, use your powers whenever you want... and no one cares."
"Well, sheesh, I can't help the way I mutated, neither can you--"
"Well, you can help at least lyin' to mah friends when you say you love them!"
"But I wasn't lying!"
Rogue glared at Lykeios, her hands on her hips.
"Well... at least not this time. I mean what I say, this time, and I really do--"
"BS, Lykeios. *Bull.* *Shit.* You'll never change. Never."
"But you don't know how she makes me feel! It's like..."
"God, Lykeios, you're almost *seventeen!* How can you say you love her?"
"Love at first sight." Lucky noticed Rogue's skeptic look and scowled.
"I'm serious! God, it... it's like my mutation was happening to me, when I saw her. And you know that can't happen. You wanna find out the truth? Go ahead, take me! Touch me, you'll see."
Marie looked at Lucky oddly, as he held his wrist in front of her face.
"Go ahead! I know you take memories too. Take mine! You'll see how I felt."
"I'm warning you, it'll hurt..."
"I don't care!" Lucky said madly. "If this is what I gotta do to earn Marie..."
"Go ahead, Rogue," Jubilee said, "he looks like he means it."
Rogue took a deep breath.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn ya..."
Then she grabbed Lucky's wrist, and she screamed as the rush flowed into her. Jubilee caught Lucky as he fell backwards, unconcious, and Rogue sank to her knees, overwhelmed at what she saw.
"Should I ask what was happening back there?" Jean asked, as she and Marie walked down the hallway to the Professor's office. "By the way, happy birthday!"
"Thanks, Ms Grey... I'm not sure I can put it into words." Marie looked up at the teleknetic and grinned. "I don't understand it myself. I've... I've never felt this way about anyone else before... And, it's like... undescribable... but Marie is somewhat against Lykeios and me..."
"Somewhat?" Jean raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Marie sighed. "I should probably just shut my mouth right about now..."
Jean laughed. "Don't worry, it'll pass. I'm glad you've made such good friends that care about you as strongly as Rogue does, Marie."
"Yes, well, friends are good... especially those who've stuck with you 'till the end, and were there for the beginnning..." Marie's eyes focused on the floor.
'Coralie! Aurelie! Oh, Rose and Margeurite... I made a promise, so long ago... The poor girls! If only I could get in touch with them again...' Marie couldn't help but think.
"Marie? ...Do you want to make a very *brief* phone call before we meet with the Professor?"
Marie looked up at Jean, excited. "Could I, Ms Grey?"
Jean looked at Marie's pleading eyes and sighed. "Alright. Be brief!"
"Oh, je serai, je promis! Vraimment!" Marie grinned and squeezed Jean tight before running off. Jean shook her head to herself, wondering where she would find a phone so easily, and entered Professor Xavier's office.
"You're WHERE?!"
"Oh, don't worry, Marguerite, I'm safe..."
"You're WHERE?!!"
"Now, Marguerite..."
"You're WHERE?!!!"
"Marguerite! I promised I'd be brief..."
"But... How? Why? When?!"
"I don't have *time* to explain all that, dear, just tell the girls that I'm fine..."
"New York, for Chrissake! Sheesh..."
"And that I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise..."
"... Jus' up and leavin' us, without no warnin' or nuttin'..."
"... and I wrote, but I never got any replies..."
"... and without a phone call, or letters, tellin' us how you are and stuff!"
"... and I missed you guys so much!"
A pause.
"Marie? You ain't comin' home, are ya?"
"I... am home, sort of. But, cheer up! Treat everyone to ice cream, for me. Please, doll?"
"Sure, I'll do that. Oh, here's Rosie."
"Marie?"
"Hey, Rose! How are you?"
"I'm okay... Oh, Marie, is it true you're dying?"
"What?! No, of course not! Who told you that?"
"Well, a friend of an acquaintance of my mother's first ex-husband overheard some people talking in the street about how their brother-in-law knows the wife of the police chief who's in charge of that crime scene down the block from your apartment building..."
Marie laughed. "Rose, dear, nevermind. Well, I can't be dead yet, if I'm talking to you!"
"Well, how do I know it's really you? Those people there that have you hostage..."
"What?!"
"... could've killed you, but before they did that, they could've pre-recorded your voice, and manipulated it somehow using a big, complicated machine that goes WHIZZ every seven seconds, allowing them to say anything they wanted, but with the sound of YOUR voice... Hey! What the..."
"Hello? Rose?"
"Nope, it's Coralie. And you guys think I'M crazy!"
Marie laughed. "I suspect *think* is too weak of a word, but..."
"Marie! Oh, hey, you're not dead!"
"Honestly, I don't know where that rumor started..."
"So you're fine?"
"Yes! In fact, I think I'm in love!"
"WHAT! Oh dear Lord, spill!"
"Well, it's a long story, and..."
"Come on! I now have you on speaker phone, you'd better tell us all the details!"
Marie laughed, then proceeded to tell the whole story of Lucky, and Rogue's personal opinion.
"Sounds like something's shoved up *her* ass, and pretty far up there, too, I believe," Marie heard Aurelie say.
"Aurelie!"
"Hey, Marie, it sounds like you've got a cutie pie on your hands! Take him, and keep him, no matter what anyone says!"
"And a sweetheart! He sounds like a sweetheart too!"
"I'll keep that in mind..."
"Speaking of hunks, how's Monsieur LeBeau?"
"I... Oh SHIT I said I'd be brief! I've got to go girls, I'll try to call more often, there's something seriously wrong with the postal service! I'm sorry, you'll always be the best friends any girl could ever ask for... I promise to keep in touch! Bye Aurelie, take care of the others for me!"
"Already taken care of, Marie."
"Bye Coralie, please don't do anything dumb!"
"Hey! Marie!"
"Bye Marguerite! Keep everyone in check for me, including Aurelie..."
"Okay, Marie..."
"And Rose, dear, don't lose that childish aura about you, no matter what happens..."
"Kah, Marie!"
"Oh yeah, Marie, one more thing..."
"Yeah, we haven't been able to say this for three years!"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Marie heard her friends yell into the speaker phone.
Marie smiled, the tears getting to her. "Thanks, you guys. I'll truly miss all of you... Oh, I've got to go! Toodles, light love and pixie dust, etcetera, etcetera... Bye!"
Hanging up was one of the hardest things Marie had ever done in her life.
All Rogue could remember was traveling. Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America... she'd been everywhere. She could speak at least five foreign languages fluently. A typical military brat.
He had never stayed in the same place for over three years.
This boy wanted a home.
FLASH! Rogue looked up at the cieling. It was familiar, but... something told her different...
"Lucky! Happy birthday, son!"
Suddenly she was looking at what appeared to be an older version of Lykeios. She smiled.
"Thanks, Daddy..." she heard herself say. "Can we go to the park today?"
"Well, first, Mommy and I have to work..."
"But, it's my birthday! And Aunt Dorothy is scary, and the planes that go zoom in the sky shake the house..."
"Oh, I know. But, just be the tough five year old you now are, and we'll be home soon! Then we'll go to the park. We'll fly kites, and have a picnic, and we'll push you on the swings, all the fun things you like to do, I promise. And we'll have a birthday cake, with candles... Alright, champ?"
"Okay... Kiss goodbye?"
"Without a doubt!"
FLASH! A wave goodbye. A young, pretty woman in military uniform glanced back and threw a kiss before getting into the car, with the same man from before, in the same type of outfit.
Rogue felt sick inside.
FLASH! Rain. It felt good on her head, and distracted her from the strangers and from crying.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." The priest said in a German accent.
She saw two coffins being lowered to the ground. She didn't need to read the tombstones to know what the names were...
"May Suzanne LaCoeur Zacharia and James Nathaniel Zacharia rest in peace, forever more, together in Heaven above, with the almighty Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit... They are survived by their young son, Lykeios, and his great-aunt Dorothy Talonacia."
FLASH! A bed, with an old lady lying upon it, her eyes half closed.
"I'm so sorry, Lykeios, that I could not take care of you better..."
"Don't worry, Aunt Dorothy, you did your best..."
"Dear child, may God bless you..."
A hand in hers. The old woman's. She took it and held it tightly. She only wished her happiness, in return for taking care of her for seven years...
"My... I'm floating, Lykeios!" The woman had a wide grin on her face. "I'm flying in the clouds! I am not afraid, boy... I am not afraid."
The old woman sighed and closed her eyes, for the last time.
"... Goodbye, Aunt Dorothy..."
FLASH! A muscular man, with red sunglasses.
"Think about it, Lykeios, we're giving you a home, for free! And you'll learn to control your gift--"
"You mean this wimpy ability?"
"It may come in handy one day."
"... Free meals?"
"Everyday, three times a day!"
"Fine. Deal."
FLASH! Girl, after girl, after girl... Most were unfamiliar, but something was screaming at her that they weren't... Hanging out with friends...
FLASH! A funny-looking crowd in the middle of a hallway.
"Hey, party time! Whose up for Pin The Frown On The Angry Mutant?" Bobby said. She liked picking on him, just because he was so immature, even more then she was.
She watched the scene before her unravel. No one noticed her, though, until she said something. People do that sometimes.
But she couldn't stop staring at the girl's face. She looked so alone, so scared... She couldn't help but feel like throwing her arms around the poor girl and protecting her from the world that caused her so much pain...
FLASH! Marie's face.
"Do you know that you're the most beautiful person I've ever met?"
It was true, too. Out of all the girls she dated... Out of all the broken hearts... They meant nothing, now. She just wanted to hold her in her arms...
"Please work your magic with me."
"I'm sorry, Princess... but no."
It tore her to see her hurt like that.
FLASH! Chaos.
"Marie!"
Rogue fought off the Danger Room defenses as she rushed to save Marie.
"Come on, Mr Logan, she's hurt, bad!"
Wolverine shut down the Danger Room, and all the missles and cannons and lasers were sucked back into the wall as the lights came on.
Rogue rushed over to Marie, who lay crumpled on the floor.
"Marie, Marie say something?"
"My knight... you've rescued me again..."
"Marie! No!"
"She'll be okay, just gotta get her to Jean..."
"No, don't take her from me!"
"Fine then, you carry her! Hey, you, watch over things while I take Hero-boy and his girlfriend over to the hospital wing."
"I have a name, you know."
"Yeah, well... Come on, Hero, let's go."
Rogue wanted to correct Wolverine, to tell him, Marie wasn't her girlfriend... yet.
Ah, let him think what he wants. With those claws, he has every right.
"Well, I know somebody who won't be back in that room for a while."
"Or again."
FLASH! A hospital bed, with Marie laying down in it, looking tired and weak, and burnt up.
"Thank you for saving me, my knight."
"Ah, all in a day's work."
Laughter.
"So have you decided yet?"
"I don't think Rogue would be too happy... Remember last time we tried to pull it off?"
"Actually, no, I blacked out before I reached the floor. Sorry 'bout that."
"It's really Jubilee's fault. Her and her big fat mouth. That girl loves to talk, doesn't she?"
"Don't worry, Princess. We'll find a way to win Rogue over. And it'll all turned out okay in the end. All fairy tales have happy endings, right?"
Right?
FLASH!
"Rogue! Rogue, you alright? Oohh, Lucky! Dammit, open your eyes!"
"Jubes?"
Rogue looked up at Jubilee's worried face from where she knelt on the floor.
"Great, finally! You're talking. You've knelt like that for over an hour. Your legs must be killing you! Dammit, girl, you got me worried..."
"I'm okay now, Jubilee. How's Lucky?"
"He's fine... Wait, you're actually concerned? Stop the presses!"
"Stop it, Jubilee."
Jubilee frowned. "What did you see?"
Rogue got up and walked over to her bed, failing to hide the winces. She barely noticed Lykeios lying on Marie's bed, fast asleep.
"Rogue? You okay?"
"Yeah... Just as soon as I lay down..."
"Okay, okay, don't fall asleep on me! Tell me what you saw!"
"I think I took more than I needed..."
"Oohh, gossip!"
"No, Jubilee. I can't tell."
"What?!"
"Sorry, Jubes. I just can't. I... I believe him, though. He does love Marie. He does... I'm tired now. An hour, you say? Get Lucky to the Prof, or Ms Grey..."
A wide-eyed Jubilee, running from the room, was the last thing Rogue saw before falling asleep.
"Yes, Professor, I understand," Ororo said, just as Marie burst into the room.
Marie blushed as all eyes turned to her. She didn't meet the faces of Ororo, Jean, Scott, Professor Xavier, even Logan's constant stare, as she sat down next to Ororo.
"Sorry..."
"I don't know *how exactly* you define 'brief,' Marie, but I normally--"
"Hey, 'Ro..." Scott cut Ororo off, "it's okay." He turned to Marie. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble."
Instantly Marie gave a sigh of relief. She laughed, a bit.
"So, when will I see my Papa?" she asked, absentmindedly playing with her earrings.
Everyone looked at the Professor, who sighed.
"Marie... that's why we asked to see you here."
"Why? He's here?" Marie asked, growing excited. "He's finally come to visit me? Where is he? Il est--"
"Marie!" Logan warned. Marie looked at him, silent.
"Now, before you get your hopes all high and everythin'," Logan looked around the room, his eyes resting on Ororo, "... Ororo here has somethin' to tell ya."
"Coward," Ororo muttered under her breath. Logan glared, but said nothing.
Ororo turned to Marie and sighed. "Marie," she began, "your father... He's..."
"He's what, Ms Monroe?"
"He's dead, Marie."
Marie stared in shock. "Wha... what?" she asked, confused. "He, he can't be... It's not possible!"
"I'm sorry, Marie," Professor Xavier said. "We're all suffering with you, and if you need anyone to talk to, we're here for you. Your father left no will, but I assume he would've left everything to you. His possessions will arrive in a week or two."
Marie barely heard the Professor. She felt the tears fall from her eyes, and she buried her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh, mon Dieu, je veux mourir! Je vais mourir! Oh, comment je poudrais penser quelquechose comme ça... Il me revient! Ha! Plus comme dans un cercueil! Oh, si seule je mourrais de la tristesse! Quelqu'un là-haut me deteste! Pourquoi? Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait mauvais? Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait? Oh, Papa, pourquoi tu as menti? Tu m'a parti! Qu'est-ce que je vais faire maintenant? Papa, tu ne me partirais pas..."
Marie then looked up and looked into Ororo's eyes, her own eyes red from crying. She shook off the hand that soothed her and stood up.
"Je ne vous crois pas! Vous mentez! VOUS MENTEZ! Il ne me partirais JAMAIS! Il vit, je sais!"
"Marie, please calm down..."
"CALM DOWN?! My father, you tell me, is... You ask me to CALM DOWN?! God damn you, God damn you all to a horrible, violent death in the inner depths of HELL!"
With that said, Marie ran from the room, sobbing. Shocked, the X-Men remained in the room, thinking over what their pupil had said.
"Well, that went better than I planned..." Jean said.
Everyone stared at her.
"Jean, Marie's in hysterics!" Scott exclaimed. "And she just condemned us all to Hell! How is that 'better...'"
"Well, she could've fainted, or something..."
"Why do I feel like what just happened is worse than fainting?" Logan said to himself.
Jubilee ran down the hallway, worried about her friends. She was almost at Professor Xavier's office when she literally ran into Marie.
"Marie! Oh, sorry, are you alright?"
Marie continued sobbing on the floor, ignorant of her friend.
Jubilee was worried before. Now she was beginning to panic.
"Marie! Oh, I didn't hit you *that* bad, did I?... Marie, you okay?"
"Just leave me alone..." Marie said in between sobs.
"Marie, what happened?" Jubilee knelt next to her friend and placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, only to have it thrown off as Marie stood up, tears streaming from her face.
"My papa's dead!" she wailed, then ran down the hallway. Jubilee began to run after her, but Logan held her back.
"Let her go, kid... She needs some time to herself for a while."
Jubilee was as pale as ever. "Her father's really dead?" she asked.
"Well... She's gonna be going through some hard times now," Logan said.
"Hard times, for sure... Especially if she finds out that Lucky's unconcious on her bed!"
"What?!"
"Lucky? You awake?"
Lucky groaned, then sat up and held his head. He felt like his head was about to explode, and even more dynamite was added to the pile when he saw Rogue and Jubilee by his bed.
Then he reailzed it wasn't his bed.
"Jubilee? Rogue? Where..."
"The hospital wing. You've been asleep for a long time," Rogue said quietly.
Lucky laid back down, upset.
"How long, exactly..."
"Four days."
"Aww, I missed Christmas?"
"Don't worry, you still got presents!" Jubilee exclaimed.
"Yeah, I kinda took too much from ya. Sorry, sugah," Rogue said.
"It's okay, I guess. Wait a minute, you're apologizing to me? And since when do you call me 'sugah?'"
"You should've seen her when she woke up! 'How's Lucky?' she asked. Then she told me to get the Prof, or Ms Grey! She was actually concer--"
"Jubilee, sugah? Shut your mouth."
Jubilee glared. Lucky grinned at Rogue.
"So what brought about this change in attitude?"
Rogue looked down. "I saw you... your past..."
Logan's grin faded. "Yeah," he said," my life ain't been one big huge skip through the apple orchards. You okay?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Just a little tired."
And finally Jubilee understood. Peace had been achieved. 'And then the angels broke out into song for no apparent reason whatsoever... Hey, is that a chicken?'
Jubilee burst into laughter at her random and crazy thought. Lucky and Rogue looked at her wierd, but said nothing.
"So, where's Marie?"
Jubilee stopped laughing. Rogue winced.
"Lucky... Marie's father is dead."
Lucky's eyes widened. "Holy shit," he muttered.
"Yeah. I don't know how he died, but Marie's taking it pretty badly. Hey, Rogue, good thing we didn't tell her about the talent show!"
"What talent show?"
Rogue and Jubilee turned around to see Marie standing behind them, wearing her black dress. Bernadette was at her heels.
"Marie..." Lucky sat up and held her hand.
Marie pulled her hand away. "What talent show?" she repeated.
Jubilee looked at Rogue. "Umm, nothing! Absolutely nothing at all!"
"Yeah, heheh... nothing you need to worry about!"
"Guys..." Lucky glared. "Tell her the truth."
Jubilee looked down, afraid to meet her friend's eyes.
"We signed you up for the talent show."
When Jubilee looked up, she saw Marie's face was pale as powder.
"You *what?*"
"Signed you up for the talent show. We knew we should've asked you first..."
"You *what!*"
"... but Lucky was going on and on about how great a voice you have..."
"You WHAT!?"
"... so we just *had* to do it, 'cuz it was the last chance to do it, and you were at the *library* for Gabe's sake! I mean, who spends lunch in the *library?*"
"Jubes? Shut up."
"Why am I the object of everyone's torture?"
"Je ne peux pas vous croire!"
"Here we go again..."
"Oh, maintenant vous VRAIMENT l'a fait!"
"I'm not translating this time!"
"MAINTENANT je suis furieuse!"
"You know, I'm guessing she's mad..."
"Comment vous poudriez faire quelquechose comme ça?"
"Gee, thanks for that stunning report, Captian Obvious!"
"Je ne sais pas ce que faire pour le spectacle! Qu'est-ce que je vais faire?"
"Tu peux chanter. It's what we signed you up for."
Marie looked at Lucky. After a while she sighed.
"Lucky... I'm sorry. I can't sing. Not anymore."
"Why not? You can choose something fast-beat, and you can dance..." Jubilee said.
"I always did that with... The people gave me tips, when I performed in the streets."
"Well then, something that releases your grief..." Rogue chipped in.
"I can't do that, Marie, I'll cry!"
"How about something you've known forever? So you won't have to think onstage," Lucky explained.
"The only ones that let me do that are the ones he sang to me."
"He sang?" Jubilee asked, shocked. Everyone glared at her. She scowled.
"How many did he sing to you?"
"Two. One of them was 'Marie' so don't even think about it. Guys, can't you see? Either a song is too sad, or... Well, I just can't do it, alright?!"
The four friends were silent for a while. Then Marie turned to Lucky.
"Are you alright, Lykeios?"
"Yeah, just messed around with Rogue for a while. I'm fine."
"Guess what?" Jubilee asked excitedly. "He and Rogue made peace!"
Marie forced herself to smile. "That's great..." she said, trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Guess who won?"
"Jubes..."
"Fine, well, I'll tell you who *didn't* win..."
"Jubilee!"
"Rogue!"
Rogue then grabbed Lucky's pillow out from under him and smacked Jubilee with it.
"This means war!"
The three of them laughed as they had the biggest pillow fight of the century. Unseen, depressed, Marie slowly left the room, Bernadette once again at her heels.
Winter break had come and gone. No matter how much her friends tried, Marie still cried during night, and looked silently out the window, thinking, when she should be doing schoolwork. Her grades began to suffer. Her teachers offered her help, but everything was a daze to her. Why should she care? It's not as if anything were important anymore.
"Marie, come on, cheer up, you've got to eat something!"
"Marie, hey, I just got an idea for the talent show! How about we all do Lady Marmalade?"
Everyone stared at Kitty, except Jubilee, who grinned.
"Ooh, ohh, can I be Mya?"
"Kitty, that is the most insane, crazy, suicidal idea I've ever heard, ever since I listened to Bobby ramble on about how we had to plan a missle attack on the killer Italian pigs who are trying to take over the world, starting with the Pope."
"Ahhh! This is ham! Get it away, GET IT AWAY!"
Everyone's gaze shifted to Bobby for several seconds before continuing the conversation.
"As much as I would love to do something with all of us, I'm sorry, but I'm going to tell Ms Monroe that I'm dropping out today, the first chance I get..."
"Aww, Marie!"
"I'm sorry, Jubes, but I just can't..."
"Marie!"
Marie looked up to see Ororo smiling down at her.
"I'm so glad you decided to stick with the talent show, with everything that's been happening lately. I knew you wouldn't let this get you down! Now, rehearsals are this Friday, so I expect to see you there!"
With that, Ororo walked off, leaving Marie with the feeling that all was hopeless.
"I'm doomed..."
"Don't worry, Marie, we'll help you think of something!"
"... I'm doomed!"
"Oh no! THE eeeeeeVIL GENES OF THE eeeeeeeVIL PIGS ARE SEEPING INTO YOUR BODY AND WILL SOON USE YOU IN THEIR eeeeeeeVIL PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION! HELP!"
"Bobby? Shut up," Rogue said. She nodded at Jubilee, and soon lunches were all over the place, as well as fireworks. Then Bobby got into the game, and soon almost everything was covered in ice. Soon everyone was using their powers in the most strangest food fight in history.
Marie hid underneath the table.
WHAT?!
"Marie? Marie, wake up! Ms Grey wants you in at least five minutes!"
Marie groaned and opened her eyes. Jubilee was vigorously, almost violently, shaking her awake.
"What... Jubes? What's..."
"Ms Grey just walked in, she said she needs to see you in the Professor's office in *five minutes!* You might get to see your father!" Rogue said from behind Jubilee, an excited look in her eye.
Marie sat up in her bed, eyes wide. "Really? She said that?" she asked hopefully.
"Well, no, but it's a possibility!"
Three years had passed, and Marie was beginning to feel at home. She still had not heard anything from her father, besides a few presents, including a cat to replace Kit, who Marie named Bernadette.
"Speaking of the devil..." Marie said to herself as she saw her fat cat sleeping at the end of Kitty's empty bed. Marie suspected that Bernadette depended on Kitty more than her true owner, but Kitty had gone to Chicago for winter break early this year, so Bernadette would have to rely on Marie for once.
Marie rushed out of bed and hurried through her morning routine. She was in the middle of putting on her shoes when there was a knock at the door.
"I know, Ms Grey! I'll be there in two seconds, I swear!"
"Tsk, tsk, Princess! Swearing isn't nice at all!"
Marie smiled and opened the door. There stood Lucky, a grin on his face, his hands behind his back.
"Morning, m'Lady. Is a faithful knight allowed to say 'Happy Sweet Sixteen' to his Princess?"
Before Marie could say anything, Lucky pulled from behind his back a pillow, taken from his bed (but Marie didn't know that... shhh...). On the pillow were two things. One, a sparkling tiara. It wasn't real, of course, but still, it looked pretty. Two, a beautiful rosebud, the deepest red Marie had ever seen.
Marie stared in shock, her cheeks blushed with crimson.
"I thought it was time for you to be my official Princess, for all the world to know. Will you accept your crown? Of course, their beauty is nothing compared to your own..."
"Lykeios! What do you think you're doing?" Rogue pushed her way past the frozen Jubilee till she stood beside Marie, still in her nightgown.
"What does it look like I'm doing, the macarena?"
"Haha, did I mention ha?"
"Umm, guys..." Marie tried to intervene, but Rogue and Lykeios were just getting warmed up.
"You know what I said about you and Marie, twerp. I've stood by, I've said mah input, for *three long years,* but no more! This is the *last straw,* Army Brat--"
"Hey, my parents weren't the Army, they were the Marines, and you'd BETTER not go there, Streak Girl!"
"Streak Girl? Oh, no, help me, help me!"
"At least I'm not so low as to say something about your past!" By now Lucky's face was almost as red as the rose, which had passed through Marie's hands to her bed, along with the tiara, unnoticed. "We all got buried histories here, and some of us are quite content to let them stay buried, so why are you trying to dig 'em up?!" Lucky yelled. "I could say a million things, about how you're a hick, and stuff like that--"
"I ain't no hick!" Rogue yelled, then looked at Jubilee. "Am I?"
Her close friend was quick to shake her head in disagreement.
Rogue turned back to Lucky, whose hands were clenched in fists with rage.
"Why do you hate me so much, Rogue?" he asked.
"Me? I don't... Okay, I do hate you, but that's just because..." Rogue stared at Lucky coldly. "Because! You're annoying as hell, you're a brat, you're a heartbreaker, I don't need you puttin' on this act everyday, especially with those I care about, and GODDAMMIT, you get to do the one thing I can't, even with your mutation!"
Silence filled the room. Even the people watching from the hallway were afraid to breathe. Suddenly Rogue looked around.
"Ah, hell, you might as well come inside."
As Rogue closed the door behind Lucky, she noticed Marie wasn't there.
"Hey, where's Marie?"
"Marie? Oh, she left about twenty seconds ago," Jubilee explained. "Yeah, Ms Grey came and got her. She said thank you for the gifts, Lucky. And she told you, Rogue, not to worry. She'll be back soon. And she told both of you not to fight anymore. You guys know she hates it when people fight, especially you two..."
"Hey, Rogue?" Lucky said, changing the subject.
Rogue turned back to Lucky and glared. "What, you little--"
"Alright, enough with the names! Okay?" Jubilee said. "No more names! None! That's it, over with, finito, kaput! Please?"
The two ignored Jubilee. The battle was just beginning.
Lucky looked at Rogue. "Rogue, is that why you hate me? Because I have to touch people for my mutation?"
"No. I have to do that too," Rogue said. "It's because you *can* use your powers. Me... I can sock you in the jaw right now, and you'd be out for at least three days. And that ain't because I'm strong, either. 'Cuz I ain't allowed. *You might get hurt!* But you, you can touch people all you want, use your powers whenever you want... and no one cares."
"Well, sheesh, I can't help the way I mutated, neither can you--"
"Well, you can help at least lyin' to mah friends when you say you love them!"
"But I wasn't lying!"
Rogue glared at Lykeios, her hands on her hips.
"Well... at least not this time. I mean what I say, this time, and I really do--"
"BS, Lykeios. *Bull.* *Shit.* You'll never change. Never."
"But you don't know how she makes me feel! It's like..."
"God, Lykeios, you're almost *seventeen!* How can you say you love her?"
"Love at first sight." Lucky noticed Rogue's skeptic look and scowled.
"I'm serious! God, it... it's like my mutation was happening to me, when I saw her. And you know that can't happen. You wanna find out the truth? Go ahead, take me! Touch me, you'll see."
Marie looked at Lucky oddly, as he held his wrist in front of her face.
"Go ahead! I know you take memories too. Take mine! You'll see how I felt."
"I'm warning you, it'll hurt..."
"I don't care!" Lucky said madly. "If this is what I gotta do to earn Marie..."
"Go ahead, Rogue," Jubilee said, "he looks like he means it."
Rogue took a deep breath.
"Okay, don't say I didn't warn ya..."
Then she grabbed Lucky's wrist, and she screamed as the rush flowed into her. Jubilee caught Lucky as he fell backwards, unconcious, and Rogue sank to her knees, overwhelmed at what she saw.
"Should I ask what was happening back there?" Jean asked, as she and Marie walked down the hallway to the Professor's office. "By the way, happy birthday!"
"Thanks, Ms Grey... I'm not sure I can put it into words." Marie looked up at the teleknetic and grinned. "I don't understand it myself. I've... I've never felt this way about anyone else before... And, it's like... undescribable... but Marie is somewhat against Lykeios and me..."
"Somewhat?" Jean raised an eyebrow skeptically.
Marie sighed. "I should probably just shut my mouth right about now..."
Jean laughed. "Don't worry, it'll pass. I'm glad you've made such good friends that care about you as strongly as Rogue does, Marie."
"Yes, well, friends are good... especially those who've stuck with you 'till the end, and were there for the beginnning..." Marie's eyes focused on the floor.
'Coralie! Aurelie! Oh, Rose and Margeurite... I made a promise, so long ago... The poor girls! If only I could get in touch with them again...' Marie couldn't help but think.
"Marie? ...Do you want to make a very *brief* phone call before we meet with the Professor?"
Marie looked up at Jean, excited. "Could I, Ms Grey?"
Jean looked at Marie's pleading eyes and sighed. "Alright. Be brief!"
"Oh, je serai, je promis! Vraimment!" Marie grinned and squeezed Jean tight before running off. Jean shook her head to herself, wondering where she would find a phone so easily, and entered Professor Xavier's office.
"You're WHERE?!"
"Oh, don't worry, Marguerite, I'm safe..."
"You're WHERE?!!"
"Now, Marguerite..."
"You're WHERE?!!!"
"Marguerite! I promised I'd be brief..."
"But... How? Why? When?!"
"I don't have *time* to explain all that, dear, just tell the girls that I'm fine..."
"New York, for Chrissake! Sheesh..."
"And that I'm sorry that I couldn't keep my promise..."
"... Jus' up and leavin' us, without no warnin' or nuttin'..."
"... and I wrote, but I never got any replies..."
"... and without a phone call, or letters, tellin' us how you are and stuff!"
"... and I missed you guys so much!"
A pause.
"Marie? You ain't comin' home, are ya?"
"I... am home, sort of. But, cheer up! Treat everyone to ice cream, for me. Please, doll?"
"Sure, I'll do that. Oh, here's Rosie."
"Marie?"
"Hey, Rose! How are you?"
"I'm okay... Oh, Marie, is it true you're dying?"
"What?! No, of course not! Who told you that?"
"Well, a friend of an acquaintance of my mother's first ex-husband overheard some people talking in the street about how their brother-in-law knows the wife of the police chief who's in charge of that crime scene down the block from your apartment building..."
Marie laughed. "Rose, dear, nevermind. Well, I can't be dead yet, if I'm talking to you!"
"Well, how do I know it's really you? Those people there that have you hostage..."
"What?!"
"... could've killed you, but before they did that, they could've pre-recorded your voice, and manipulated it somehow using a big, complicated machine that goes WHIZZ every seven seconds, allowing them to say anything they wanted, but with the sound of YOUR voice... Hey! What the..."
"Hello? Rose?"
"Nope, it's Coralie. And you guys think I'M crazy!"
Marie laughed. "I suspect *think* is too weak of a word, but..."
"Marie! Oh, hey, you're not dead!"
"Honestly, I don't know where that rumor started..."
"So you're fine?"
"Yes! In fact, I think I'm in love!"
"WHAT! Oh dear Lord, spill!"
"Well, it's a long story, and..."
"Come on! I now have you on speaker phone, you'd better tell us all the details!"
Marie laughed, then proceeded to tell the whole story of Lucky, and Rogue's personal opinion.
"Sounds like something's shoved up *her* ass, and pretty far up there, too, I believe," Marie heard Aurelie say.
"Aurelie!"
"Hey, Marie, it sounds like you've got a cutie pie on your hands! Take him, and keep him, no matter what anyone says!"
"And a sweetheart! He sounds like a sweetheart too!"
"I'll keep that in mind..."
"Speaking of hunks, how's Monsieur LeBeau?"
"I... Oh SHIT I said I'd be brief! I've got to go girls, I'll try to call more often, there's something seriously wrong with the postal service! I'm sorry, you'll always be the best friends any girl could ever ask for... I promise to keep in touch! Bye Aurelie, take care of the others for me!"
"Already taken care of, Marie."
"Bye Coralie, please don't do anything dumb!"
"Hey! Marie!"
"Bye Marguerite! Keep everyone in check for me, including Aurelie..."
"Okay, Marie..."
"And Rose, dear, don't lose that childish aura about you, no matter what happens..."
"Kah, Marie!"
"Oh yeah, Marie, one more thing..."
"Yeah, we haven't been able to say this for three years!"
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Marie heard her friends yell into the speaker phone.
Marie smiled, the tears getting to her. "Thanks, you guys. I'll truly miss all of you... Oh, I've got to go! Toodles, light love and pixie dust, etcetera, etcetera... Bye!"
Hanging up was one of the hardest things Marie had ever done in her life.
All Rogue could remember was traveling. Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America... she'd been everywhere. She could speak at least five foreign languages fluently. A typical military brat.
He had never stayed in the same place for over three years.
This boy wanted a home.
FLASH! Rogue looked up at the cieling. It was familiar, but... something told her different...
"Lucky! Happy birthday, son!"
Suddenly she was looking at what appeared to be an older version of Lykeios. She smiled.
"Thanks, Daddy..." she heard herself say. "Can we go to the park today?"
"Well, first, Mommy and I have to work..."
"But, it's my birthday! And Aunt Dorothy is scary, and the planes that go zoom in the sky shake the house..."
"Oh, I know. But, just be the tough five year old you now are, and we'll be home soon! Then we'll go to the park. We'll fly kites, and have a picnic, and we'll push you on the swings, all the fun things you like to do, I promise. And we'll have a birthday cake, with candles... Alright, champ?"
"Okay... Kiss goodbye?"
"Without a doubt!"
FLASH! A wave goodbye. A young, pretty woman in military uniform glanced back and threw a kiss before getting into the car, with the same man from before, in the same type of outfit.
Rogue felt sick inside.
FLASH! Rain. It felt good on her head, and distracted her from the strangers and from crying.
"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust..." The priest said in a German accent.
She saw two coffins being lowered to the ground. She didn't need to read the tombstones to know what the names were...
"May Suzanne LaCoeur Zacharia and James Nathaniel Zacharia rest in peace, forever more, together in Heaven above, with the almighty Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit... They are survived by their young son, Lykeios, and his great-aunt Dorothy Talonacia."
FLASH! A bed, with an old lady lying upon it, her eyes half closed.
"I'm so sorry, Lykeios, that I could not take care of you better..."
"Don't worry, Aunt Dorothy, you did your best..."
"Dear child, may God bless you..."
A hand in hers. The old woman's. She took it and held it tightly. She only wished her happiness, in return for taking care of her for seven years...
"My... I'm floating, Lykeios!" The woman had a wide grin on her face. "I'm flying in the clouds! I am not afraid, boy... I am not afraid."
The old woman sighed and closed her eyes, for the last time.
"... Goodbye, Aunt Dorothy..."
FLASH! A muscular man, with red sunglasses.
"Think about it, Lykeios, we're giving you a home, for free! And you'll learn to control your gift--"
"You mean this wimpy ability?"
"It may come in handy one day."
"... Free meals?"
"Everyday, three times a day!"
"Fine. Deal."
FLASH! Girl, after girl, after girl... Most were unfamiliar, but something was screaming at her that they weren't... Hanging out with friends...
FLASH! A funny-looking crowd in the middle of a hallway.
"Hey, party time! Whose up for Pin The Frown On The Angry Mutant?" Bobby said. She liked picking on him, just because he was so immature, even more then she was.
She watched the scene before her unravel. No one noticed her, though, until she said something. People do that sometimes.
But she couldn't stop staring at the girl's face. She looked so alone, so scared... She couldn't help but feel like throwing her arms around the poor girl and protecting her from the world that caused her so much pain...
FLASH! Marie's face.
"Do you know that you're the most beautiful person I've ever met?"
It was true, too. Out of all the girls she dated... Out of all the broken hearts... They meant nothing, now. She just wanted to hold her in her arms...
"Please work your magic with me."
"I'm sorry, Princess... but no."
It tore her to see her hurt like that.
FLASH! Chaos.
"Marie!"
Rogue fought off the Danger Room defenses as she rushed to save Marie.
"Come on, Mr Logan, she's hurt, bad!"
Wolverine shut down the Danger Room, and all the missles and cannons and lasers were sucked back into the wall as the lights came on.
Rogue rushed over to Marie, who lay crumpled on the floor.
"Marie, Marie say something?"
"My knight... you've rescued me again..."
"Marie! No!"
"She'll be okay, just gotta get her to Jean..."
"No, don't take her from me!"
"Fine then, you carry her! Hey, you, watch over things while I take Hero-boy and his girlfriend over to the hospital wing."
"I have a name, you know."
"Yeah, well... Come on, Hero, let's go."
Rogue wanted to correct Wolverine, to tell him, Marie wasn't her girlfriend... yet.
Ah, let him think what he wants. With those claws, he has every right.
"Well, I know somebody who won't be back in that room for a while."
"Or again."
FLASH! A hospital bed, with Marie laying down in it, looking tired and weak, and burnt up.
"Thank you for saving me, my knight."
"Ah, all in a day's work."
Laughter.
"So have you decided yet?"
"I don't think Rogue would be too happy... Remember last time we tried to pull it off?"
"Actually, no, I blacked out before I reached the floor. Sorry 'bout that."
"It's really Jubilee's fault. Her and her big fat mouth. That girl loves to talk, doesn't she?"
"Don't worry, Princess. We'll find a way to win Rogue over. And it'll all turned out okay in the end. All fairy tales have happy endings, right?"
Right?
FLASH!
"Rogue! Rogue, you alright? Oohh, Lucky! Dammit, open your eyes!"
"Jubes?"
Rogue looked up at Jubilee's worried face from where she knelt on the floor.
"Great, finally! You're talking. You've knelt like that for over an hour. Your legs must be killing you! Dammit, girl, you got me worried..."
"I'm okay now, Jubilee. How's Lucky?"
"He's fine... Wait, you're actually concerned? Stop the presses!"
"Stop it, Jubilee."
Jubilee frowned. "What did you see?"
Rogue got up and walked over to her bed, failing to hide the winces. She barely noticed Lykeios lying on Marie's bed, fast asleep.
"Rogue? You okay?"
"Yeah... Just as soon as I lay down..."
"Okay, okay, don't fall asleep on me! Tell me what you saw!"
"I think I took more than I needed..."
"Oohh, gossip!"
"No, Jubilee. I can't tell."
"What?!"
"Sorry, Jubes. I just can't. I... I believe him, though. He does love Marie. He does... I'm tired now. An hour, you say? Get Lucky to the Prof, or Ms Grey..."
A wide-eyed Jubilee, running from the room, was the last thing Rogue saw before falling asleep.
"Yes, Professor, I understand," Ororo said, just as Marie burst into the room.
Marie blushed as all eyes turned to her. She didn't meet the faces of Ororo, Jean, Scott, Professor Xavier, even Logan's constant stare, as she sat down next to Ororo.
"Sorry..."
"I don't know *how exactly* you define 'brief,' Marie, but I normally--"
"Hey, 'Ro..." Scott cut Ororo off, "it's okay." He turned to Marie. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble."
Instantly Marie gave a sigh of relief. She laughed, a bit.
"So, when will I see my Papa?" she asked, absentmindedly playing with her earrings.
Everyone looked at the Professor, who sighed.
"Marie... that's why we asked to see you here."
"Why? He's here?" Marie asked, growing excited. "He's finally come to visit me? Where is he? Il est--"
"Marie!" Logan warned. Marie looked at him, silent.
"Now, before you get your hopes all high and everythin'," Logan looked around the room, his eyes resting on Ororo, "... Ororo here has somethin' to tell ya."
"Coward," Ororo muttered under her breath. Logan glared, but said nothing.
Ororo turned to Marie and sighed. "Marie," she began, "your father... He's..."
"He's what, Ms Monroe?"
"He's dead, Marie."
Marie stared in shock. "Wha... what?" she asked, confused. "He, he can't be... It's not possible!"
"I'm sorry, Marie," Professor Xavier said. "We're all suffering with you, and if you need anyone to talk to, we're here for you. Your father left no will, but I assume he would've left everything to you. His possessions will arrive in a week or two."
Marie barely heard the Professor. She felt the tears fall from her eyes, and she buried her head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Oh, mon Dieu, je veux mourir! Je vais mourir! Oh, comment je poudrais penser quelquechose comme ça... Il me revient! Ha! Plus comme dans un cercueil! Oh, si seule je mourrais de la tristesse! Quelqu'un là-haut me deteste! Pourquoi? Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait mauvais? Qu'est-ce que j'ai fait? Oh, Papa, pourquoi tu as menti? Tu m'a parti! Qu'est-ce que je vais faire maintenant? Papa, tu ne me partirais pas..."
Marie then looked up and looked into Ororo's eyes, her own eyes red from crying. She shook off the hand that soothed her and stood up.
"Je ne vous crois pas! Vous mentez! VOUS MENTEZ! Il ne me partirais JAMAIS! Il vit, je sais!"
"Marie, please calm down..."
"CALM DOWN?! My father, you tell me, is... You ask me to CALM DOWN?! God damn you, God damn you all to a horrible, violent death in the inner depths of HELL!"
With that said, Marie ran from the room, sobbing. Shocked, the X-Men remained in the room, thinking over what their pupil had said.
"Well, that went better than I planned..." Jean said.
Everyone stared at her.
"Jean, Marie's in hysterics!" Scott exclaimed. "And she just condemned us all to Hell! How is that 'better...'"
"Well, she could've fainted, or something..."
"Why do I feel like what just happened is worse than fainting?" Logan said to himself.
Jubilee ran down the hallway, worried about her friends. She was almost at Professor Xavier's office when she literally ran into Marie.
"Marie! Oh, sorry, are you alright?"
Marie continued sobbing on the floor, ignorant of her friend.
Jubilee was worried before. Now she was beginning to panic.
"Marie! Oh, I didn't hit you *that* bad, did I?... Marie, you okay?"
"Just leave me alone..." Marie said in between sobs.
"Marie, what happened?" Jubilee knelt next to her friend and placed a concerned hand on her shoulder, only to have it thrown off as Marie stood up, tears streaming from her face.
"My papa's dead!" she wailed, then ran down the hallway. Jubilee began to run after her, but Logan held her back.
"Let her go, kid... She needs some time to herself for a while."
Jubilee was as pale as ever. "Her father's really dead?" she asked.
"Well... She's gonna be going through some hard times now," Logan said.
"Hard times, for sure... Especially if she finds out that Lucky's unconcious on her bed!"
"What?!"
"Lucky? You awake?"
Lucky groaned, then sat up and held his head. He felt like his head was about to explode, and even more dynamite was added to the pile when he saw Rogue and Jubilee by his bed.
Then he reailzed it wasn't his bed.
"Jubilee? Rogue? Where..."
"The hospital wing. You've been asleep for a long time," Rogue said quietly.
Lucky laid back down, upset.
"How long, exactly..."
"Four days."
"Aww, I missed Christmas?"
"Don't worry, you still got presents!" Jubilee exclaimed.
"Yeah, I kinda took too much from ya. Sorry, sugah," Rogue said.
"It's okay, I guess. Wait a minute, you're apologizing to me? And since when do you call me 'sugah?'"
"You should've seen her when she woke up! 'How's Lucky?' she asked. Then she told me to get the Prof, or Ms Grey! She was actually concer--"
"Jubilee, sugah? Shut your mouth."
Jubilee glared. Lucky grinned at Rogue.
"So what brought about this change in attitude?"
Rogue looked down. "I saw you... your past..."
Logan's grin faded. "Yeah," he said," my life ain't been one big huge skip through the apple orchards. You okay?"
"Yeah. I'll be fine. Just a little tired."
And finally Jubilee understood. Peace had been achieved. 'And then the angels broke out into song for no apparent reason whatsoever... Hey, is that a chicken?'
Jubilee burst into laughter at her random and crazy thought. Lucky and Rogue looked at her wierd, but said nothing.
"So, where's Marie?"
Jubilee stopped laughing. Rogue winced.
"Lucky... Marie's father is dead."
Lucky's eyes widened. "Holy shit," he muttered.
"Yeah. I don't know how he died, but Marie's taking it pretty badly. Hey, Rogue, good thing we didn't tell her about the talent show!"
"What talent show?"
Rogue and Jubilee turned around to see Marie standing behind them, wearing her black dress. Bernadette was at her heels.
"Marie..." Lucky sat up and held her hand.
Marie pulled her hand away. "What talent show?" she repeated.
Jubilee looked at Rogue. "Umm, nothing! Absolutely nothing at all!"
"Yeah, heheh... nothing you need to worry about!"
"Guys..." Lucky glared. "Tell her the truth."
Jubilee looked down, afraid to meet her friend's eyes.
"We signed you up for the talent show."
When Jubilee looked up, she saw Marie's face was pale as powder.
"You *what?*"
"Signed you up for the talent show. We knew we should've asked you first..."
"You *what!*"
"... but Lucky was going on and on about how great a voice you have..."
"You WHAT!?"
"... so we just *had* to do it, 'cuz it was the last chance to do it, and you were at the *library* for Gabe's sake! I mean, who spends lunch in the *library?*"
"Jubes? Shut up."
"Why am I the object of everyone's torture?"
"Je ne peux pas vous croire!"
"Here we go again..."
"Oh, maintenant vous VRAIMENT l'a fait!"
"I'm not translating this time!"
"MAINTENANT je suis furieuse!"
"You know, I'm guessing she's mad..."
"Comment vous poudriez faire quelquechose comme ça?"
"Gee, thanks for that stunning report, Captian Obvious!"
"Je ne sais pas ce que faire pour le spectacle! Qu'est-ce que je vais faire?"
"Tu peux chanter. It's what we signed you up for."
Marie looked at Lucky. After a while she sighed.
"Lucky... I'm sorry. I can't sing. Not anymore."
"Why not? You can choose something fast-beat, and you can dance..." Jubilee said.
"I always did that with... The people gave me tips, when I performed in the streets."
"Well then, something that releases your grief..." Rogue chipped in.
"I can't do that, Marie, I'll cry!"
"How about something you've known forever? So you won't have to think onstage," Lucky explained.
"The only ones that let me do that are the ones he sang to me."
"He sang?" Jubilee asked, shocked. Everyone glared at her. She scowled.
"How many did he sing to you?"
"Two. One of them was 'Marie' so don't even think about it. Guys, can't you see? Either a song is too sad, or... Well, I just can't do it, alright?!"
The four friends were silent for a while. Then Marie turned to Lucky.
"Are you alright, Lykeios?"
"Yeah, just messed around with Rogue for a while. I'm fine."
"Guess what?" Jubilee asked excitedly. "He and Rogue made peace!"
Marie forced herself to smile. "That's great..." she said, trying to sound enthusiastic.
"Guess who won?"
"Jubes..."
"Fine, well, I'll tell you who *didn't* win..."
"Jubilee!"
"Rogue!"
Rogue then grabbed Lucky's pillow out from under him and smacked Jubilee with it.
"This means war!"
The three of them laughed as they had the biggest pillow fight of the century. Unseen, depressed, Marie slowly left the room, Bernadette once again at her heels.
Winter break had come and gone. No matter how much her friends tried, Marie still cried during night, and looked silently out the window, thinking, when she should be doing schoolwork. Her grades began to suffer. Her teachers offered her help, but everything was a daze to her. Why should she care? It's not as if anything were important anymore.
"Marie, come on, cheer up, you've got to eat something!"
"Marie, hey, I just got an idea for the talent show! How about we all do Lady Marmalade?"
Everyone stared at Kitty, except Jubilee, who grinned.
"Ooh, ohh, can I be Mya?"
"Kitty, that is the most insane, crazy, suicidal idea I've ever heard, ever since I listened to Bobby ramble on about how we had to plan a missle attack on the killer Italian pigs who are trying to take over the world, starting with the Pope."
"Ahhh! This is ham! Get it away, GET IT AWAY!"
Everyone's gaze shifted to Bobby for several seconds before continuing the conversation.
"As much as I would love to do something with all of us, I'm sorry, but I'm going to tell Ms Monroe that I'm dropping out today, the first chance I get..."
"Aww, Marie!"
"I'm sorry, Jubes, but I just can't..."
"Marie!"
Marie looked up to see Ororo smiling down at her.
"I'm so glad you decided to stick with the talent show, with everything that's been happening lately. I knew you wouldn't let this get you down! Now, rehearsals are this Friday, so I expect to see you there!"
With that, Ororo walked off, leaving Marie with the feeling that all was hopeless.
"I'm doomed..."
"Don't worry, Marie, we'll help you think of something!"
"... I'm doomed!"
"Oh no! THE eeeeeeVIL GENES OF THE eeeeeeeVIL PIGS ARE SEEPING INTO YOUR BODY AND WILL SOON USE YOU IN THEIR eeeeeeeVIL PLAN FOR WORLD DOMINATION! HELP!"
"Bobby? Shut up," Rogue said. She nodded at Jubilee, and soon lunches were all over the place, as well as fireworks. Then Bobby got into the game, and soon almost everything was covered in ice. Soon everyone was using their powers in the most strangest food fight in history.
Marie hid underneath the table.