FYI:

~Personal Thoughts~

~"Inner Voices"~

ESP

[Flashback]

"Normal Conversation (Duh)"

ROGUE

~Fall's gone by so quickly. Where'd all the time go?~

~"Y' spent it all wit' Remy, remember?"~

~"Like how can she forget, you're like constantly gloating on that fact."~

~"Would you two mind shutting up?"~

Mah inner voices were at it again. For the most part they stayed quiet except for when Ah made the mistake of thinkin' a question. Usually, it was mostly inner Remy who did all the talkin', inner Kitty would butt in when it had somethin' ta do with fashion or gossip, an' mah inner Logan kept quiet except when he was tellin' them ta be quiet or threatin' ta kill Remy.

Ah sat up in bed an shook mah head tryin' ta clear the voices out. It was December 18, the first day of Christmas break. We'd all made plans ta go shoppin' for Christmas an' Hanukkah gifts (for Kitty) today as part of our celebration. In three days everyone would be leavin' the institute for where ever they called home—well almost everybody. Remy an' Ah were the only students stayin' since we really didn't have a home or even a boy/girlfriends home ta go ta. Ah thought about everyone who lived at the institute an' tried ta remember wear all they were goin'.

~Let's see…Kitty an' Piotr are goin' ta Kitty's place, John's goin' home with Tabitha since they're now official, umm…Scott's goin' with Jean, big surprise there, then ta Hawii ta see his brother, Kurt's spendin' most of it in Germany than the last few days with Amanda, most of the younger students are just goin' home, Evan still hasn't come back so Storm's goin' home alone, that's pretty much everyone.~

Ah'd walked over ta the mirror an' started ta dig around for the makeup Ah wanted ta use.

~Damn, where is it…~

~"Like there's the cotton candy eye shadow, like my absolute favorite shade of pink and blue!"~

Ah picked up the eye shadow an' applied the blue shade only. ~Why did Ah buy this with pink in it?~ As Ah finished changin' an' applyin' mah makeup Ah headed downstairs ta the livin' room where Ah found Piotr an' John hard at some PS2 game. Remy was leanin' over the back of the couch refing for the two of them.

"I win again."

"No way, Mate, you had to have fucking cheated."

"Non cheating, homme. He's beaten y' ten times in a row."

"Come on Mate, you play me now."

"Oui, only if y' want me t' kick y' ass as well, mon ami." Remy jumped down on the couch an' took the controller from Piotr. Ah took his place behind the couch an' two minutes later Remy had won. "What did I tell y'? Y' horrible, homme." Ah placed mah hands on Remy's shoulders an' gave them a little squeeze. He turned around an' smiled his cockiest smile. "Bonjour, mon Cherie!"

"He cheated, come on Sheila tell me he fucking cheated."

"Ah don't think so, John. He beat ya fair an' square." John slumped down in his seat an' turned the PS2 off. "Aww…don't be a sore loser, Ah'll play ya one before we hit the mall."

"You any good, Sheila?" He looked at meh warily as Ah sat down on Remy's lap takin' the controller from him.

"Truthfully, Ah don't even know what the game is called."

"Good, it's Mortal Combat."

"Umm…how do ya play this anyway."

"Just try and beat up y' opponent, Cherie. I'll help y'."

"No way, Mate. It's just me and the Sheila." Ah shrugged mah shoulders as the game started. Ah lost the first round but durin' the second one Remy put his hands over mine an' guided meh ta win the second round, an' the third one. "Shit, you helped her cheat, Mate!"

"Non, I'd never do t'at." Piotr an' Ah grinned as Remy threw his hands up in innocence as he winked at us.

"It is really sad when you lose to a girl as well, John."

"She fucking cheated! You all did!"

"Forget it, Ah'm goin' ta get some breakfast. Ah'll be back in a minute." Ah went ta stand up but Remy grabbed meh around mah waist an' pulled meh back down. "Somethin' ya wanted, Swamp Rat?"

"One kiss, before y' leave."

"An' if Ah don't?"

"I'll tickle y' until y' scream." He said this with such seriousness it made meh laugh as Ah went ta stand up again. True ta his word he started ticklin' meh an' Ah fell back onta the couch screamin'.

"Stop that! Remy, cut it out!" He stopped an' kissed meh quickly on the lips before lettin' meh back up. It still got ta meh, that he could touch meh without getting blasted by mah powers. "Are ya happy now?"

"Oui, I t'ink I'll join y'."

"I will too."

"Yeah, what the hell."

GAMBIT

De four of us walked int' de dining room t' find Kitty on a shopping buzz. Kurt was also on a buzz, but his came from all of de sugar he was eating—glazed doughnuts, sugar-cinnamon toast, and Count Chocula cereal.

"Like, I can't wait to go shopping and like find all the most awesome gifts for everybody."

"Girl, vhat have ja been smoking?"

"Like what do you mean, Kurt?" She was talking a mile a minute and she did remind me of someone who was on a high. Piotr sat down next t' her and tried t' get her t' slow down for a minute.

"Kitty, you need to calm down because we cannot understand you."

"Like why not? I'm just excited about going shopping. I'm like gonna find you guys the like most awesome Hanukkah gifts ever."

"Yeah, that's great Kitty, but Ah'm not lettin' ya near mah car until ya slow down. Ya sound worse than Quicksilver an' that's sayin' a lot." I smiled as I pulled de pieces of toast out of de toaster and brought t'em t' de table as I sat down next t' Marie. She took a slice of it and munched on it t'oughfully as she watched Kitty continue to yammer on 'bout what all she was going t' buy.

"…For Jean, I was thinking about like getting her a necklace; for Scott, I was going to get a sweater; for Tabitha, I was going to find the most awesome belt I could…" Kitty kept up her chatter for de entire time we were eating and for as long as it took us t' walk t' de garage.

I bent down and whispered int' Marie's ear. "Does she keep t'is up in her sleep?" She looked up at me wit' a smile as she nodded yes. Kitty continued t' walk ahead wit' Kurt as Piotr hung back for a moment t' ask us somet'ing.

"I do not understand Hanukkah. What is the difference between it and Christmas?"

"Well, mon ami, one starts before de ot'er and is a Jewish holiday…" Marie elbowed me hard as she took over.

"Piotr, Hanukkah lasts eight days, each day they light a candle and exchange a gift. The first seven days are small gifts but the last night it's a more decent sized one. So ya probably will need eight gifts for Kitty an' her parents." Piotr got a worried look at de t'ought of so many gifts. "Don't worry, the first seven days are tiny thin's like M&Ms or somethin'." He nodded wit' understanding t'is time as he quickened his pace t' catch back up wit' Kitty before she destroyed someone's car in her excitement.

"Eight gifts, huh. I'm glad y' Christian." She gave me anot'er sharp jab as we walked int' de garage.

ROGUE

We caravaned ta the mall so Ah followed Kurt ta Amanda's house before we hit the mall. Once there we split up inta couples with the promise of meetin' up in the food court later on. Ah dragged Remy inta the dollar store first.

"Chere, what are we doing here?"

"Ah just thought Ah should respect that Kitty's Jewish an' go with the whole eight gift thin'. Ah mean she buys everyone else Christmas gifts, so it would only be fair if someone got her Hanukkah gifts." Ah walked around the store handin' Remy different items--a bag of M&Ms, Skittles, some new chap sticks, a small compact of eye shadow, another compact with matching blush, the latest Teen People, an' a new romance novel. Remy peered down at meh from over the top of the pile of stuff in his arms.

"T'ink y' got enough, Cherie?" Ah shook mah head no as Ah handed the cashier the money an' we left.

"No, Ah still need ta get her an eighth gift." We walked past a jewelry store an' Ah saw a pair of matchin' "best friends" necklaces. "Ooo…that would be perfect." Ah dragged Remy inside an' bought them.

"What am I supposed t' give her t'ough?" Ah thought it over as we passed Deb's an' saw a gorgeous sweater even for pink.

"How 'bout that, we can wrap them up tagether." He led meh inside an' bought the sweater. "Well, that takes care of Kitty, now for everybody else." We walked around the mall an' picked out gifts for Piotr, Kurt, Amanda, John, Tabitha, Jean (as much as Ah hated buyin' her somethin'), Scott, Bobby, Ray, Amara, the other younger students, Beast, the professor, Storm, an' Logan. Ta keep it simple Remy an' Ah bought stuff from the two of us except when we saw somethin' special for one of our close friends.

We met the others in the food court an' talked about our plans for the break over burgers, fries, an' shakes.

"I like can't wait to go back home! You're going to love my parents, they're like the best."

"Kurt when are you coming back to Bayville? my parents are actually looking forward to seeing you."

"I'll be back ze 28th. I'm surprized ja parents want to zee me again, after vhat happened lazt time."

"They forgave pretty easily, especially once I explained."

"My mom is just gonna love you, John. She's huge on foreign guys."

"Well, at least one Sheila will like me on this shitty break." John winked at us as Tabitha got flustered.

"Are you saying I don't like you! Fine stay at the institute, see what I care." John spent the rest of the meal tryin' ta apologize.

"Remy, are ya goin' home ta New Orleans?"

"Non."

"Don't ya think ya family misses ya?"

"Non."

"Don't ya miss ya family?"

"Non."

"Do you still love meh?"

"Oui! Why do y' ask?"

"Just wanted ta make sure ya were listenin'." Ah frowned at him as he tried ta change the subject.

"So Piotr, t'ink y' can handle Hanukkah?"

"I suppose so."

"Like, girls are you ready to go shopping for the boys?"

"Vhat are ve supposed to do?"

"Duh, Kurt, you shop for your girlfriend, me, remember?"

"Mon Cherie, will have de best gift ever."

"No fucking way Mate, I'm getting Tabitha the best gift." We walked away leavin' them to argue over who was gonna find the best gift.

"So like what are you going to get Remy?"

"Ah don't have a clue. Ah've never had ta shop for a boyfriend before."

"Don't worry, we'll help you."

"And like when did you get experience in this department Tabby?"

"I've had tons of boyfriends." Ah walked a little apart from Tabitha an' Kitty an' beside Amanda.

"What are you gonna get for Kurt?" She looked lost in her thoughts as Ah tried talkin' ta her.

"Hmm…what did you say?"

"Ah asked what ya were gonna get for Kurt?"

"I don't know, I mean what do you get for a guy that seems to have everything?"

"That's mah same problem."

GAMBIT

"So Mate, what are you going to get the Sheila?"

"I don't know, maybe jewelry?" ~What do y' get de girl who has everyt'ing.~

"No way, you have to get her something special."

"Like what, homme?"

"Shit, I don't know, she's not my girlfriend."

"Piotr, what are y' getting Kitty?" He shrugged as he continued walking along looking int' de shop windows.

"Hey, I know. Ve could get zem all matching gifts."

"Hell no, those Sheila's are not going to all go for the same fucking thing."

"Besides, mon ami. T'ere's no t'ought involved if we do t'at."

"Good point, so vhat do ve do?"

"Non clue, mon amis." I peered int' a jewelry store window and saw a ring t'at I t'ought she might like. ~Non, I've already given her a ring, and a necklace. What do I get for her?~

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I just loved that scene with Bobby and Ray running around like a motor bike! That was sooo funny!!!!!!! Yeah for new episodes!

Ok, I hate to admit this but I seriously need reviews! I don't have a boyfriend so I don't have a clue as to what they should get each other as gifts! HELP ME PLEASE! *groveling I'M BEGGING YOU! *more groveling PLEASE REVIEW!