Title: Home Alone

Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me. I am just using them for entertainment purposes.

Unlike the previous year or the many years before that, the Xavier's mansion was for once as quiet as a graveyard. Nobody was home with the exception of two young teenagers.

"This is just great! Why does everyone have to leave during Christmas?" grumbled the red head girl.

"Umm, let's see, one is because Professor Xavier has an urgent meeting and he's taking Dr. McCoy with him. Two, Ororo is visiting a friend in Africa. Three, Logan as usual, has gone to wherever-land. Four, Kitty and Kurt went home to be with their family and Rogue was invited. Five, Warren invited Bobby, Amara—"

"Okay, stop it, Scott. You don't have to mention all of them." She then sat herself beside him on the sofa. "Speaking of Warren, why didn't you join him? He invited you to his holiday house too."

Scott just shrugged in response. "I feel better staying in the Institute," he replied and looked at her. "Why didn't you go then?"

"I've been to Switzerland a couple of times before so I'm not really excited about going there again," she lied and scooted closer to him. "Besides, going out with Bobby and Jamie means we have to look after them. I want to have fun when I'm there."

"Oh," was he only response.

Scott switched on the TV and watched the show on Cartoon Network with Jean snuggled next to him. Since her eyes were hooked on the TV's screen where Dexter was trying to keep Deedee away from his laboratory, Scott took the chance to study her closely. Her face, her hair, her eyes, her lips, everything about her looked so beautiful and perfect. He knew it would sound really corny, but he had fallen in love with this read head girl from the moment she stepped her little feet into the house. She was a scared little girl back then. They both were. And they always seek each other's company when the burden was too much for them to handle. Friendship soon blossomed, but for Scott, it turned into something deeper than that.

"Scott? Hello, earth to Scott…" Jean waved her hand in his face.

"Huh?"

"Didn't you hear what I say?"

"I'm sorry, I was umm… thinking of something." He blushed deep red, glad that his glasses managed to hide his eyes. "What did you say?"

"Let's go out," she said. "I don't want to be stuck at home on Christmas day with nothing to do."

"Go where? It's Christmas. All the shops are closed on Christmas."

"Ermm, let's go watch movie!"

"We can watch movie here."

"I said movie. Not some old re-runs of Home Alone or Sister Act which I've seen for thousands of times!"

"Okay, okay. We'll go." Lazily, Scott picked up the remote control, switched off the TV and dragged his feet to his room so he could change his clothes.

The ride took about fifteen minutes and another five minutes for them to walk to the cinema to check the time for the movies. Just like Scott said, the shopping mall was empty. People came only to see some movies and most of them were people above 50 years of age.

"What should we watch…" he mumbled while his eyes read through the list of movies.

"King Kong!"

"Casanova!"

They both looked at each other. "I want to see King Kong," said Scott.

"I wanna see Casanova."

"No, I drive us here, so I say we watch King Kong."

Jean scowled in defeat. She hadn't gotten her driving license yet and walking home in the middle of winter wasn't her idea of fun. "Fine."

"Ha ha ha! Great. Now I'll buy the ticket, and you go get us some popcorn and soda," he told her.

"Hey, you don't get to order me around. I'm not your personal maid," Jean said in annoyance.

"I'm sorry," he apologised quickly. "Will you get us some popcorn and soda, Ms. Grey? Please?"

She smiled victoriously and skipped to the other counter. "Okay."

"Which theater are we in?" asked Jean as she handed Scott his normal Coke and took a sip of her Diet Coke.

"Theater 9."

They entered the dark almost-empty theater and found the seats for themselves. The movie would begin in a few minutes. Then Jean lifted the arm rest separating them and found Scott looking at her strangely.

"What? It's easier to eat the popcorn this way." She blushed as she thought at her real intention and placed the large bucket of popcorn between them.

Halfway through the movie, Jean found herself leaning towards Scott and she laid her head tentatively on top of his shoulder. It seemed like the most natural thing to do until she felt the tense muscles beneath her. She didn't let go, however. It was rare that they got so intimate with each other and she was not going to let it go that easily. Jean mentally slapped herself when she thought of all the previous boyfriends she had when she could actually be with Scott. Of course that depended on whether Scott liked her or not… but she was quite sure that the feeling was mutual. She often found him staring at her when he thought she wasn't looking. And if it helped, sometimes he broadcasted his thought a little too loudly for her to hear. Jean had been waiting for quite some time now for Scott to confess his feelings for her. And with the every second that passed, she was becoming doubtful. Maybe she should make the first move this time.

Scott was enjoying his movie when he felt the warmth provided by the body leaning against him. When Jean laid her head on his shoulder, he flinched a little but kept his eyes focus on the movie in front of him. His mind was a nervous wreck and he bet Jean could hear his heartbeat was about to burst. Scott forced himself to focus on the movie.

When the character Carl Denham was throwing bottles of Chloroform at the enormous beast, Jean flinched and Scott swallowed hard. Slowly, he moved his hand and placed it around her. If Jean realised it, she didn't try to remove his hand. Instead, she snuggled closer to him. The bucket full of popcorn between them was forgotten.

The movie soon ended and Jean immediately moved away from Scott's embrace. She turned her head away.

"So what do— Jean, are you crying?" Panic overwhelmed him immediately. "Jean, you okay? What's wrong? Was it something I did?" He prayed to God that it was not.

"No, it's nothing." She sniffed. "I'm just being silly. The movie was too sad."

"Huh?" Scott paused to think for a moment. "Oh…"

Jean looked at him, embarrassed. "You must have thought it's really stupid of me to—"

"Not at all." He smirked. "C'mon, dry your face. I'll buy you ice-cream."

He earned himself a scowl and a punch. "You are teasing me…"

Scott just laughed in response and helped her up from her seat. "I'm not. C'mon, let's go get some ice-cream."

After going around in circle, they finally found an ice-cream shop which opened on Christmas day. The owner was a kind old man whom to Scott, looked like the old guy from KFC.

"Good evening, young man. May I help you?" he smiled warmly.

"Yes, Sir. Can I have single scoops of Chocolate and vanilla on a cone? And for her—" he pointed at Jean who was sitting at on of the table, waiting for her ice-cream, "a scoop of double chocolate-chip, cookies and cream, strawberry and mocha." Scott told the old man politely.

"Oh and it's on a waffle." He said again. "With hot fudge."

The old man chuckled to himself. "Of course, son."

Scott went to sit with Jean. Five minutes later, the old man came to them with their ice-creams.

"Thank you, Sir."

"What a nice sweet young couple," the man said. "Teenagers nowadays do not have respect for their elders."

Scott and Jean blushed at his comment.

"Since this is Christmas, consider this as my gift to the two of you. Ice-cream is on the house." He patted Scott's back and smiled. "Merry Christmas, you two." Then he left them alone.

"Oh God!" Jean gasped as she put down her ice-spoon immediately. "I totally forgot!"

"What?"

"It's Christmas! We're supposed to exchange gifts!"

"Oh…"

"It's too late now. All the shops are closed. I can't get you anything…" Jean said desperately.

"Hey, it's okay. Besides, I don't have anything for you too," he lied as his hand reached down to make sure the little rectangular box was still in his pocket.

"But this is Christmas, Scott…" she said sadly, clearly disappointed in herself for forgetting something that was so important to her.

"We still have next year," Scott said comfortingly.

For a moment, Jean's face seemed to have brightened up. She excused herself and went to the counter to talk with the old man.

"What's wrong?" asked Scott as he turned around to find the shop owner smirking at him before he went back doing his work.

"Just getting a napkin." She waved him the tissue paper and smiled.

"You seem really happy now. What—"

If anyone could see Scott's eyes right now, he wasn't blinking. They were opened so big that perhaps his eyeball could jump out from their sockets. Jean had just crushed her lips onto his and it took seconds for him to realise that she was kissing her. Tentatively, Scott began to kiss her back. He never imagined that her lips could be so warm and soft and sweet… no, that was the ice-cream. But it was still the most amazing moment to him.

When Jean let go, his face was as red as his glasses. "Uh, ermm…"

Jean pointed to the mistletoe which was hanging in the air above them. "Merry Christmas."

"Oh," Scott said dejectedly. So it was the mistletoe. He almost thought that Jean liked him enough to kiss him.

Sensing his disappointment, Jean took his hand in hers. "Scott, it's not like what you think."

"What?"

"I mean… I-I didn't kiss you j-just because of the mistletoe," Jean stuttered. She was so nervous that her mind was a jungle of mess. "I-It's just that… I… l-like you… and uh…" Her breathing was ragged as she tried damn hard to think of the right words that it brought tears to her eyes. "I mean… I love you, Scott… a-and I'm sorry for hurting you all this while… so Scott… w-will you—" she looked at him with her teary eyes. Scott just sat there looking really stunned.

"Jean… I—"

"Oh Christ! There's a reason why girls don't do this!" yelled Jean as she used the back of her hand to rub away the tears.

"Hey…" Scott caught her hand. "I love you too, Jean. I've loved you since the very first moment I saw you. And I'm sorry I made you went through all that. I'm really sorry. I should have said it earlier and—"

Jean didn't allow him to finish his confession as she gave him another passionate kiss which he responded to immediately.

"You know…" said Scott after they parted, "one day we have to let each other finish their sentences without being interrupted.

Jean laughed though there were still tears in her eyes. "Even with this?" She placed a brief kiss on his lips and leaned her forehead against his.

"Hmm, nah… I'll make an exception for that." He was about to kiss her again when he remembered his gift for her. "Wait, I got something for you." He reached down his right pocket and pulled out the gift box.

"I thought you said you didn't get me anything."

"I lied. I didn't want to make you feel worse."

"But—"

Scott placed a finger on her lips. "Hush. Just open it."

Jean removed the white ribbon tying the blue box and removed the lid carefully.

"Do you like it?" asked Scott when Jean removed lifted her present.

"It's a bracelet."

"Yeah."

"It's beautiful, Scott."

"So you like it."

"I love it." She smiled and hugged him tightly. "Thank you, Scott…"

Scott just hugged her back and whispered, "Merry Christmas, Redd."

--- THE END ---

My second Christmas fic! A little late, but we're still in the Christmas Season :D

Please leave a review!

Merry Christmas, everyone! Ho-Ho-Ho!