Scott and Jean came downstairs only to see most of the mutants sitting around the tree, wrapped in blankets, and had a nice, healthy buzz on. Seconds later they saw Remy come down the steps, supporting a none to steady Rogue.

"Oh, my God, you've all been drinking!" Jean stated, shocked.

Remy was about to say that he hadn't, but then again, he had. He had just been too preoccupied with Rogue to feel the buzz. "Get ov'r it. Dis be Christmas cheer!" He said instead, helping Rogue with sitting down and wrapping an extra blanket around the two of them. She snuggled against his warm body and fought a hiccup. Remy glanced to the others. "Y' didn' drink too much, did y'?"

Jubilee shook her head happily, fighting another giggle attack. "Nope. We all had to share so we had a sip and a half. Each!" That set it off. She collapsed against Bobby who had started sharing in her laughter. Amara smacked them with a pillow to shut them up, but after successfully knocking them out for a few seconds, she laughed on her own.

"I can't believe this!" Jean said. "Where are all the adults here? This is exactly like the time you had a party and tried getting rid of us!"

Evan smiled hazily. "But this time we didn't even have to get you outta the house to have fun." Roberto gave him a high five for shutting Jean down.

She looked to Scott, her eyes ordering him to say something. "Just let them do this. They'll be easier to handle," he whispered as he sat down by the tree. 'I hope.'

"So... how's about anyone grabs a present and gives it to whoever and... yeah." Kitty suggested.

The others nodded in approval and several people grabbed presents. Remy grabbed a small red box off the tree and handed it to Rogue. "Dere y' go, cherie."

She mustered up the biggest smile she could with her head still a mess. She pulled the cover off the box and looked inside. "Oh mah... Remy!" She pulled out a white gold choker studded with emeralds. "This is so pretty! Ah'm afraid ta ask where ya got it."

"Den don'." He grinned back. He kissed the top of her head. "Glad y' like it."

"Ah love it. Thank you." She took off her usual spiked dog collar and replaced it with her new one. "How's it look?" She asked everyone.

"Wow." Amara said, eyes open in amazement, since she truly knew luxury. "That's beautiful." Rogue smiled in agreement.

"Ooh. And Ah got ya somethin' too." She got up, clutching her head for a mintue. She frowned and grabbed Ray's bottle, much to his dismay and took a swig. She wasn't sure quite what it was since he had peeled the lable off but it tasted good and made her head feel a bit better. Then, after handing back the alcohol, she made her way to the tree and crawled toward the back, giving Remy a rather nice view of her ass in the process. The other males got a good look as well, the attached ones getting hit by their respective significant others, and the unattached ones recieving Remy's patented look of death. Rogue came out with a large fairly flat box and handed it to Remy as she flopped on the couch beside him.

"Here ya go." He tore it open, and opened the box, finding a brown, butter soft leather trench coat in exactly his size.

"Yoah othah one was gettin' pretty worn an' this one has LOTSA pockets." She giggled and he grinned. She knew him so well. It was also clearly a nice coat, the hide thick, but supple and the seams nearly invisible.

"Merci, chere." He got up to try it on. It fit perfectly.

"Wait, this too!" She reached into the box and pulled out a deck of cards. "Hate ta be cliché but you could always use some more." She smiled sweetly.

He emptied the pack into one of the pockets. Then he tested pulling one out and charging it. Instead of just pretending, he actually did charge it. Upon seeing this, he threw it to get it away from him and Rogue. And just their luck, it landed a foot or so away from Jean. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged. She only growled deep in her throat.

Then he turned back to Rogue. "Best gift ev'r." He sat back down again and hugged her.

The others tore into the presents. The gift giving was a success. Except for the gag gifts, they had all gotten things they liked. Also, since each person had bought at least one thing for everyone else they all had managed to do quite well for themselves.

Rogue let out a moan that mirrored Kurt's as he began waking up on the other couch. "Welcome back to the world of the living, dude." Bobby laughed.

Kurt sat up unsteadily, blinking a few times and surveying everything around him. He was warmer now... didn't remember too much of what happened before that. Maybe it was a blessing. "How long vaz I out?"

"Hard to tell," Jubilee started. "You went crazy and Rogue's drunk so that could have had an effect. No idea though."

Kurt looked to Rogue who glared weakly. "Thanks foh the images by the way. An' foh the powers... got mah stomach JUST raht," she said sarcastically.

He just shrugged somberly. "Oops."

Ray stood, remarkably steady for the amount of alcohol he'd consumed. "I'm gonna go get that egg nog I saw in the fridge and some cookies. Anyone else want some before we start cleaning?" The only ones who declined were Jean and Scott. Ray rolled his eyes. "It's non-alcoholic, you wusses."

"Well, if it's nonalcoholic..." Scott aquiesced, though like Jean, he continued to glare at him for the "wuss" remark.

"Yes, fearless leader," Ray mocked before vanishing into the kitchen. He got out the eggnog, eyed the contents which were already close to half gone, added as much brandy as he could without the container overflowing, then shook it. He grinned. "Well, it WAS non-alcoholic. What they don't know won't hurt them."

He brought in a tray filled with drinks for everyone along with some of Ororo's gingerbread cookies. He handed Jean and Scott theirs and walked to sit with everyone else. Jamie sipped the drink and almost snorted with laughter into the glass, but Ray just gave him a 'keep it quiet' look and continued to sip normally.

Giggling, Rahne took one of the gingerbread cookies. She held it up to her face. "Hey, Jubes. Do you know the muffin man?"

Instantly catching on, Jubilee asked, "The muffin man?"

"The muffin man!"

"Yes... I know the muffin man... who lives on Drewy Lane?"

"Well," a choked on giggle. "She's MARRIED to the muffin man..."

"The muffin man?"

"The muffin man!!" They both toppled over with laughter. Bobby and Roberto luckily grabbed their eggnog before it feel as well.

Remy sipped his eggnog and instantly tasted the overload of brandy. He saw Jean about to sip it and laughed to himself. He got up off the couch and took a seat next to Scott. "Hey, dat's a nice sweater Jeannie got y' dere."

Scott smiled proudly. "Yeah, it's definitely my color from what I can tell." Then he leaned in to whisper. "Unlike what Evan got me."

Remy laughed along with him, watching Jean in the corner of his eye. She had just watched the drunken exchange of Rahne and Jubilee and was ready to gulp down some eggnog to keep herself from sighing. That'll be a nice kick for her. 'Jus' have t' keep Cyke preoccupied...' "Oui, be lucky y' couldn' see de real colors on dat t'ing. Dogs could hear dem colors." Then Jean drank big time and coughed up at the same time.

Scott turned to see what was the matter. Remy wasn't about to let Scott miss out on the drink though. "Damn, Jeannie. Did it go down the wrong pipe?" His voice, along with his "charm" convincing Scott of his version of the "truth" before Jean could relay any sort of telepathic message.

She glared at him, obviously saying something directly to his mind. "That's crazy, Jean. They wouldn't do that. You just drank too fast, that's all." Then he took a sip on his own... and his eyes watered up. He spun around to glare at Remy, but the Cajun had swiftly made it back onto the couch into the protective arms of Rogue.

"Somethin' wrong, Scott?" She sipped her eggnog like it was water.

He opened his mouth to say something, but decided to let it go. One more dagger filled glare to Remy and he turned his attention to Jean once again. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow expectantly. "What was it you just said? 'That's crazy, Jean'?"

Scott looked sheepish, "Um... There's always the chance I was mistaken."

"Ya act like ya've never had a drop o' alcohol in yoah entire lives," Sam muttered. Scott and Jean just looked at him. "Oh, now that's just sad. Drink the eggnog. Ya both could use a little loosenin' up anyway."

"Just because we're not into reckless and illegal behav-"

"SHUT UP, JEAN!!!" the entire room chorused. She looked quelled and sipped her eggnog. Scott looked put upon and did the same.



Amara stood up suddenly. "Umm... do you guys remember that the prof told us to clean up?"

The other students looked around at each other with dread at the damage they had made. "Ooh! I've got it!" Ray said. "Jamie, c'mere."

Jamie shakily crawled over to him. "What?" Without a single warning, Ray punched him hard in the upper arm. Jamie, and the several that poured out of him, rubbed their arms. "What was that for?!"

Ray smirked. "Our own personal cleaning crew."

"You know that's not a bad idea..." Remy said thoughtfully from his place on the couch where Rogue was happily cuddled up in his lap.

The Jamies looked around the room for support which was not in the least forthcoming. "You guys are MEAN!!" They wailed, wearing identical sulkily expessions and crossing their arms.

"Well, Ah, foh one, agree with him... them..." A confused expression flitted briefly over Rogue's face before she continued. "We should at least bribe-"

Remy interruped her. "Come on, Rogue. Dis is-" he cut off the statement with an involuntary groan as Rogue stretched against him, rubbing along his body like a cat and giving him a great view of a lot of tempting skin in the process.

"We're ya sayin' somethin', sugah?" she purred, her voice full of southern heat.

"No, chere," he sighed, defeatedly.

There was suddenly a lot of suspicious coughing from the majority of the other males of the room. In fact it sounded a lot like they were saying "whipped." Remy glared.

The Jamies, on the other hand, were not liking the situation but willing to milk it for all it was worth. "Did we hear something about a bribe?" The original Jamie asked. Rogue offered him a smile but looked to the others to negotiate. Besides, her head still hurt.

"How about this," Kitty said. "Bobby will do your chores for a month too!"

"What!?" Bobby said, finally paying attention to the conversation. "No way!"

"You think of something better than if you don't wanna clean all night," Roberto said. "This mess is basically is YOUR fault..." he trailed off with a smile on his face.

Bobby buried his face in his hands. "Can we just let it go already?"

All of the girls chorused, "NO!"

"Weeell..." The Jamies considered. They formed a huddle and furious whispering could be heard. Finally one of them broke away. "We agree... on two conditions. Jubes will replace, WITH double the interest, my candy stash that she stole..." The Jamies turned, scowling at her, and she turned bright red as everyone else laughed and yelled, "Busted!", "and you stop leaving us out of things just 'cause we're younger," he finished, unconsciously switching from the singular to the plural pronouns as he talked.

They all weighed these options very carefully. Sure, they'd left the poor kid out a couple times, okay, most of the time, but that didn't mean they wanted him tagging along. With a collective sigh from most of the teens, Jubilee spoke up, "Fine. Just get it done quick in case the Professor changes his mind about when it has to be done."

The Jamies stood up, about eight of them total. The original Jamie walked out ahead, turning to them all. "Okay. We've got a job to do guys!" Then he started telling each one was he was responsible for. They all nodded after being given their duties and scrambled about. The rest of the team just watched in astonishment as the room was picked up before their eyes by the same boy.

In no more than fifteen minutes, the room was spotless. The Jamies collapsed and disappeared, leaving one very exhausted boy. He reached his hand out to anyone and Kurt supplied him with his eggnog. Everyone followed suit and drank along with him.

TBC...