A/N: I'm still here! And I'm still alive and writing! (sorta) Also, I'm Canadian, which means I use the Celsius temperature measurements, just like the rest of the world, minus the most powerful country of all. And a toque is a hat! :p And yes, this is a Christmas chapter in August. FYI, tis hasn't been bete-ed.
(6 am, Christmas Morning)
Xavier wasn't sure if he was happy, concerned or frightened watching Jean train in the Danger Room. A side glance at the control panel showed that she was training at a level seven program; a program four levels higher than what she was use to. Xavier watched as Jean used her telekinesis to deflect objects coming her way and redirect them towards the attacker. Jean was getting better, and using her telekinesis, for once, on the offensive rather than a defensive reaction like she usually did.
A yellow disc flew through the air towards her, hitting her hard directly in the middle of her back. She fell forward on her hands and knees. Her eyes narrowed as she looked up at the disc that continued on its way. One gloved hand rose, and when her outstretched fingers became a tight fist the disc crumpled in midair and fell to the ground. To her left, a large metal ram shot out from the wall and barreled towards her. Jean rolled over on her left hip and raised her arms to shield herself from the impact. The ram never touched her. A telekinetic shield came between her and the ram, but she was still pushed across the floor and against the far wall as the ram's hydraulics tried to pin its target against the wall. Jean cried out softly from the mental exertion of preventing the ram from pinning her physically. She could hear the machinery that moved the ram strain and creak against her shield, but she wouldn't give in. Her breathing came through gritted teeth for minute or so as she managed to push the ram backwards. But in the end, her mind tired, and she was barely able to twist her body away before the ram crashed into the wall she had been previously pinned to.
Xavier watched this and frowned. His hand went to the Danger Room computer consol to shut the program down, but Jean knew he was there.
No. I'm almost done.
Xavier's frown deepened, but he heeded Jean's request.
Jean stood up a little shakily, shifting away from the ram that had begun to retract to prepare for another attack. From the upper parts of the Danger Room, eight slots in the wall opened and one red discs shot out from each. Xavier's eyes widened. Without safeties, the red discs acted as concussion explosives, and were only used in Wolverine or Cyclops' training programs. Xavier clicked on the consol, and to his dismay, the safeties were off. He began typing in the override codes, but his fingers slowed as his eyes followed Jean's actions.
Jean braced herself against the wall. Her eyes locked on the discs that flew her way. In her mind, she could see herself reaching out with ethereal hands and pushing the discs to a new direction. She almost failed, but at the last moment, the eight discs spun around and headed towards the wall where the hydraulic ram was preparing to shoot out again. As Jean crumpled to the floor, the discs impacted, and destroyed the ram before it had a chance to strike again.
"End program." Jean said breathlessly, as she pulled herself up a couple seconds later.
Xavier came through the entrance of the Danger Room, his face a mix of emotions.
"I've been training a bit more." Jean said as she led her mentor back out of the Danger Room.
"I can see." Xavier knew that Emma's last conversation with Jean probably spurred Jean to train harder, but it still bothered him that something negative motivated her to do so. When Jean first developed her powers, she always held back. She never felt quite as good as Storm or Scott, and resided to take a supporting role within the team as a doctor. Xavier sighed imperceptibly, and let this issue fade as he brought up a more pressing topic.
"I know Dr. Adler has arranged for you to have a head position in the Muir Island Institute."
Jean nodded and sat down on the bench in the change room.
"News travels fast. I only got the letter three days ago."
"And?" Xavier positioned his wheel chair in front of Jean.
"I'm taking it. None of the schools here are offering anything nearly as good." She paused for a second. "And I need to get away. I know it looks like I'm running from problems, especially the ones with Scott, but look at everything that has changed."
"Nothing has changed." Xavier replied so quickly that even he didn't believe it.
Jean started to pull off the boots of her X-Man uniform.
"I feel less, and less at home." Jean looked Xavier in the eyes, and the truth shone bright in her green eyes. Aside from the rift between her and Cyclops, Xavier's Institute almost didn't have a role for her anymore. She hadn't taught a class in almost two semesters, and with the Moira and Hank, there wasn't a need for her to teach a class in the next semester either. With Moira around, the load on her as a medical doctor lessened dramatically. Originally, this fitted her well because of her role as a public spokesperson for mutants, but Xavier was starting to become active again in that realm.
"I haven't really left the school ever since I came here as a girl, Charles. Even when I went to medical school, I always found myself back here on my free time. But back then, this was my home; I was supposed to be part of the X-Men." Jean twisted around and looked at the three other black leather uniforms that hung on the glass lockers. "I won't lie and say that Emma's actions and my broken relationship with Scott aren't reasons why I want to go, but it's more than that now."
Xavier frowned. Jean was one of his first students, and the one that he wanted to eventually take over the school.
"You know that I would rather have you stay with us. The school would not be the same place without you."
Jean nodded.
"I know. A part of me doesn't want to leave. But I don't think I could be happy here. I need time," Jean paused, searching for the right word, "away to let myself catch up with my own life."
"You know you can always come back to us at any time."
Jean smiled at her mentor.
"Thank you."
Xavier gave his favorite student a slightly sad smile, and cleared the small knot that suddenly developed in his throat.
"Your powers are developing more and more."
Jean shrugged.
"I'm learning to refine it. I don't know how much more I will develop it though. I guess we will see."
Inside Xavier's heart and mind, a hint of concern formed, but it was nothing he felt should be dealt with now. Jean had opened her locker and was pulling out her normal cloths.
"I'll be here for another two weeks at the minimum. Marie and I need to make sure everything is taken care of before we leave." Jean continued as she gathered her things before heading towards the shower. "I'll see you at the Christmas dinner tonight."
---
(8 am, Christmas morning)
"You okay, kid?" Logan shouted over the howling wind that he was driving Scott's motorbike through. Wrapped tightly around his back was Marie, miserable from the –30 degrees weather she was being driven through. The only thing saving her from a freezing death was Jean's X-Man uniform and trench coat she had borrowed earlier this morning.
"Thanks for driving me!" She yelled into Logan's back. With her head encased in a helmet, and with the wind blowing, Rogue wasn't sure if Logan heard her.
"No problem!" He yelled back. Apparently, his heightened senses had picked up what she said.
Rogue closed her eyes and pressed herself more securely into Logan's back. She had spent most of the night frantically writing up her application for entrance the Muir Island. The deadline had passed, but Rogue wanted to try anyway. When she woke up that morning, Jean was already gone, and the only person awake who would drive Rogue to the mail courier's was Logan.
"Time to get off now. You better head inside and warm up." Logan had already lit up a cigar by the time Rogue managed to defrost herself from the seat of the bike.
"You'd better be cleaning her up." Scott was at the garage door. His face seemed to be in a perpetual scowl these days. "What the hell were you doing…" Scott's words stuck in his throat as Rogue finally pried the bike helmet off her head.
"Just droppin' off the kid's application. Be happy. She might be out of your hair in couple of weeks." Logan replied sourly as he started to scrap the ice from the bike's headlights.
Scott's head drooped a bit before he turned stiffly and stalked back into the house. "Prick." Logan said loud enough that Scott would have heard.
Marie batted at the snow that still clung to the uniform.
"I hope I get in. I can't wait till we're away from him."
Logan stopped his cleaning, and put out his cigar on a clump of ice that stuck arrogantly to the headlights. He looked at her.
"I'll miss you." He said before resuming his cleaning.
"I'll miss you too." Rogue felt her eyes water. If it weren't for Logan, so many months ago, her life would have been so very different from what it was now. "But you can visit. I think Jean would like that."
"There you two are." Storm said as she saw them through the garage door.
"Hey Stormy. I think you over did it on the 'white' Christmas last night." Logan had begun using his claws to carefully chip away the ice that still clung to the bike.
"Well I didn't think anyone would be taking a ride out in the snow now did I?" Storm said as she walked toward Rogue. "I'll take that for you." She said softly as Rogue shed the trench coat. "Go to the kitchen. Hank has some hot cocoa ready for you. Presents are going to be opened pretty soon." She turned to Logan. "That's the same for you, Logan. Just put the bike by the furnace over there and let the snow melt. Scott doesn't ride that thing anymore anyway."
Logan chuckled to himself and followed Rogue and Storm into the house.
"Happy holidays, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, Kwanzaa to all! Everyone has their secret Santa gift?" Hank announced as he perched agilely from the edge of the giant fireplace. Hank's Santa hat was on a bit lopsidedly, and his fake elf ears were a bit over the top, but he carried the festive season in all its full glory. In front of him were the thirteen students that were staying at the Mansion over the break. These were the ones without a family to return to, and this was the second of two holiday celebrations. Xavier had an official dinner a week earlier for all of the students, and any of their families that wanted to join.
"Well, have at them!" Hank somersaulted off the fireplace and landed deftly over the gift addressed to him. Like everyone else, Hank tore into his gift. Everyone, student and teacher, were part of the secret Santa gift giving. Everyone also hung stockings by the fireplace for Santa, and therefore, all received a gift from Xavier.
Rogue pulled out her gift and looked it over bewilderedly. A very, very skimpy green and yellow bikini dangled off the tips of her fingers. Her head turned to Jean, but the red headed woman's shrug proclaimed her innocence in the selection of gift. Jean smirked devilishly and winked at Rogue a second later.
-- More like a Christmas gift for me, than you wouldn't you say? --
Rogue blushed and quickly tried to stuff the gift away before anyone noticed her and Jean.
"Nice gift, no?" A voice purred behind her left ear. The breath held the slight hint of buttered rum.
"Remy?"
The Cajun winked at her and tipped his Santa hat towards her.
"Merry Christmas, cheri." He flicked his left wrist and the ace of spades appeared between his two fingers. With the card he motioned to the gift. "For the summer. You can touch now, so you can wear it and get a tan."
Rogue smiled and hugged the other mutant. She kissed him lightly on the cheek and thanked Remy again. It wasn't a secret that Remy really liked her, but he understood that she was off limits in an extraordinary way.
Slowly, as the morning continued on and gifts were completely opened, the winter residents of the Mansion milled about doing various festive activities. Around noon Rogue found Kitty and Alison pilfering some of Moira's special hot cocoa.
"Do you think it's spiked?" Kitty asked as she inhaled the aromatic scent of the drink.
Alison nodded, and she answered Kitty between sips. "Definitely. There's a half empty bottle of Amaretto in one of the higher cabinets near the sink, and we're never suppose to have any alcohol on school grounds anyway." Alison peeked out the window quickly before she refilled her cup. "Moira wouldn't let the younger students have any hot cocoa from this pot either."
"Hey you two." Rogue said finally.
Startled, Kitty grabbed the pot of cocoa and phased it into the wall.
"Rogue! Gosh, you scared me." Kitty's shoulders dropped in relief as she pulled the phased pot out of the wall. As a bit sloshed out of the pot and onto the stove, Alison squawked in protest.
"Careful. Don't waste a drop. It's so good." Alison punctuated the 'so,' and emphasized her point by rolling her eyes upwards.
Kitty poured out a cup for Rogue and the three girls sat down at the kitchen table.
"Where did Wolverine drive you this morning? You were up really early and he peeled out of the driveway like no one's business." Kittle popped open the jar of marshmallows on the counter and dumped the fluffy, white candies into her drink.
"Logan drove me to the courier's office to rush mail my application to Muir Island. We had to go to four companies before we found one that was open on Christmas Day."
"I can't believe you're going. I know you'll get in because you're grades are really good. And I'm happy, but," Alison's shoulders slumped and her eyes brimmed slightly with tears. "Both of you are leaving me." She said sadly.
"You'll just have to visit us." Kitty said happily. She knew that Alison was the only girl from their 'graduating class' to be remaining in North America. "And it's not like you're going to be staying at the Mansion. You've got plans too."
Alison sighed, and nodded.
"Yeah, but still, I'll miss days like today."
Rogue, who was sitting in between the three, gripped the hands of her friends around her. "Distance never determined friendship. Today won't be the last day we'll have."
Alison raised an eyebrow before smiling wryly.
"I think I saw a little bit of Dr. Grey in you just now."
Kitty snickered.
"Me too. Wow, you've changed from the days where you use to sulk around dressed all in black." Kitty drank the remaining contents of her cup, and let out a tiny burp. "Gone are those days."
Rogue smiled and shrugged.
"Change is good. Look where it got us."
"You said it." Alison agreed full heartedly before clearing her throat and humming the melody for 'Frosty the Snowman'. Using her mutant power, she transformed the sound into flickers of light that imitated falling snow.
"You three bein' antisocial?" Remy sauntered in with Bobby following closely.
"We're having a snow ball fight. Professor Xavier said we could use some of our powers, and it's us against the faculty. Come on, you don't want to miss this. It's thirteen versus seven." Bobby said as he handed toques and mittens to the girls. His hydrokinetic powers allowed him to resist the effects of cold.
Xavier watched from the covered outdoor deck as all of his students, former and current, battled it out. He marveled with extreme pride at the level of control the younger students had in controlling their abilities to be used in the snowball fight. Bobby Drake sent blasts of icy frost against Storm, who fended it off with a wall of air. When it came turn for Storm to fight back, Bobby quickly set up a wall of ice to protect him, and his teammates.
Bobby whooped enthusiastically at his ice wall, but was caught off guard with a snowball to the side of his face from the ever agile Hank McCoy. The ice wall was then rendered into pieces from precise, controlled blasts from Scott.
The adults functioned as a military unit. Forge and Moira were purely 'assault,' because Forge's mutant powers were not very useful without technology to manipulate, and Moira, being human, didn't have any powers. Hank hurled snowballs with both his hands and feet with amazing precision. Jean and Storm were the main attack force for the adults, and Scott, who couldn't use his optic blast directly at the students, opted for being the defense of the team by blasting the snowballs in the air. The students, however, were just a discombobulated group that threw snowballs whenever the chance arose.
"Take cover!" Piotr shouted and ducked as a barrage of snowballs began to assault them.
Kitty squealed and three snowballs hit her soundly before she managed to concentrate enough to phase her body to allow the snowballs to pass through her.
"Katya, duck!" Piotr called out to her. Piotr had a fondness for the girl. At times, she was quiet and mousy, but he knew there was something fierce inside of her that could show itself given enough provocation.
Kitty looked down at Piotr, and for a second her concentration faltered. Even before the snowball contacted her face, she heard Storm whoop with joy.
"Katya!" Piotr yanked the girl down and stood up to hurl a snowball back at Storm. He knew he missed, but squatted down to help Kitty brush the snow from her face.
Kitty spat out snow and growled a curse in Russian that Piotr had taught her weeks before. Piotr grinned, but she didn't see him.
"Bobby!" She held out her hands. "Snow ball, extra big, extra slushy." She commanded.
Bobby obliged and a large ball of slushy snow formed in Kitty's hands.
"I'll be right back." Her eyes narrowed and before anyone could say anything, she phased herself into the ground.
"Katya!" Piotr shouted in dismay as he dug at the snow where Kitty had just been crouching in.
"Over there!" Artie, the youngest in their group, said as he pointed towards the teachers.
"Yeesh! Throw some snowballs guys! Bobby and I can't hold them off alone!" Rogue was tapping into the telekinesis she had copied from Jean, and was using it to hurl globules snow at the teachers. Her fledgling use of telekinesis was nothing compared to the finesse Jean commanded, but it still enabled her to land a shot or too.
Bobby muttered.
"They're not even trying! Mr. McCoy is juggling snowballs over there."
Remy scooped up a large handful of snow and packed it tightly into a ball.
"Dis will get dem to try." He said evilly as he charged the snowball with his explosive kinetic energy. "Get ready." He said, looking at Rogue and then Bobby. With a grunt, he hurled the pink glowing ball into the air. Like he expected, Cyclops, mechanically shot the ball with his optic blast, unknowingly causing it to erupt in a shower of slush and water over the teachers.
Moira yelped and ducked.
"Go!" Bobby shouted and he and his fellow students renewed his attack his opponents. The students cheered as many of the teachers were pelted with snow. They cheered even louder when Storm, who was about to counter attack, found herself dripping from the extra large, extra slushy snowball slapped onto her head by Kitty, who had phased through the ground and up behind Storm.
"Gotchya!" Kitty shouted. "Phew. That felt weird." She said to herself about phasing through the ground.
Piotr, seeing the confusion on the teacher's side, took the opportunity to claim victory.
"Charge!" He bellowed, and lead the student's to rush the teachers. The two sides collided in hoots and shouts as the students gleefully face washed the teachers. The teachers, who were outmatched almost two to one, admitted defeat.
"Well played!" Hank said as he shook the snow from his hair.
"Nicely planned." Scott agreed as he adjusted his slightly lopsided visor. Just now was the first time, in a long time, the dark gloom that hovered over him was gone.
Bobby, Remy and Piotr looked at each other blankly. Everything had been a fluke, but it was far from them to deny it.
"Yeah, we had it all worked out." Bobby said, cockily.
Piotr nodded and slapped Remy on the back.
"If you are all done," called Xavier, "the fire is roaring inside, and I have more hot cocoa on the stove."
One by one, the staff and students stomped their way back into the house, leaving a trail of snow on the porch. Storm, the last to go inside, took one look out before she went in. Her eyes flashed white, and she released her control over the local weather. Almost immediately, storm clouds rushed in, and snow began to fall in earnest.
The rest of the day continued with the inhabitants of the X-Mansion milling about playing games or going back outside to play in the snow. Dinner time came and went, and after the sizeable amounts of food consumed, the thirteen students and seven teachers hunkered down in the large living room to watch the wide selection of DVD's available. However, even before the movie was three quarters over, every one of them was fast asleep. Xavier, who had left after dinner to visit Erik, returned to the house around 11:45pm and smiled proudly at the sleeping group he saw in the living room. Storm and Scott were asleep next to each other in the large reclining chair. Logan was in the middle of the larger couch, and was surrounded with the sleeping forms of Jubilee, Jean, Rogue and Artie. Piotr and Kitty were curled up in the bean bag chair, and Bobby and Lorna were stretched out on the floor in a sleeping bag. Remy, Alison and two others were snuggled around a giant stuffed rabbit. Moira, Hank and Forge were fast asleep on Forge's own made posturepedic bed. Two students had crawled onto the foot of this bed, and were only visible as lumps under the blanket. Xavier wheeled in closer to flicked off the T.V. He dimmed the lights and set the gas fireplace to medium before silently leaving the room. Tomorrow, he would have to remember to go through the living room's security tape and print out a freeze frame of the perfect Christmas image that he just saw.