X-Men Fan Fiction ❯ The Angel's Gift ❯ Ch 5 ( Chapter 5 )

Title: The Angel's Gift, ch 5
Author: Jukebox
Pairing: Remy/Secret Santa
Rating: PG-13
Feedback: Always appreciated
Archive: If you think it's worthy, then absolutely. Permission
granted. Just let me know where so my fragile ego will be stroked.

Disclaimers: I don't own any of these characters.  Didn't ya know they belong to Stan Lee?  Now that's a man with a truly brilliant imagination!  And, I usually think poorly of my own writing, so I'll never make money off of this or any others like it that I write.

Summary: Gambit doesn't see what's so special about Christmas, especially when Rogue is sent away on secret mission. But the others and a secret Santa are going to try to help.

Warnings: I don't know French or Cajun French, so my apologies to people of those areas if I butchered the language in this fic. If I put any in this fic, it came from online translators and LA library archives. Last, but not least - there are thousands upon thousands of X-men fics on the internet. So if this one resembles another you've read, it's purely oincidental. But, let me know who & what so I can go check it out for myself to see. If I see it's real similar, I'll write that author and offer him/her condolences for having a mind like mine.

Few little notes: 

~ represents telepathy

italics represent thoughts

CH 5

Four hours later….

"Ah young Mr. LeBeau.  I take it from the look on your face that you have been earnestly enjoying your task."  McCoy snickered as Remy attempted to stifle a yawn.  "Shall I perhaps come back later?  I would hate to spoil your fun."

With a quick snap of his head, Gambit turned towards the beast with wide eyes.  "NON!  It be your turn Henri.  Dis ole t'ief got better t'ings to do dan drool out his mout' from mind numbing boredom."  As if to impress upon the good doctor just how badly he wanted out of that room, Remy jumped to his feet and scrambled out the door.  "Enjoy yourself Beast!"  Hank shook his head and laughed.

He made his way back up to the first level.  The destination in mind was the kitchen.  He had missed lunch because of the impromptu shopping trip and subsequent nap, and his stomach was telling him all about it.  As he was preparing a sandwich from the left over roast, Jubilee glided into the kitchen and settled into one of the chairs.  

"Hungry?" With elbows propped on the table, she rested her chin on her clasped hands and stared thoughtfully at her team mate.

"Starved, petite.  4 hours of monitor duty will do dat to you."  Remy sat his plate down on the table and settled down to enjoy his meal.

"Remy?" 

"hmmm?"

"Will you help me, Storm, and Jean finish trimming the tree and putting up the decorations?"  She batted her eyelashes at him and grinned widely.

Remy stopped mid bite and looked sideways at her through half slitted eyes.  After the momentary pause, he responded "Christmas be less dan t'ree days from now.  Little late for decorations, non?"  He refocused back on his sandwich and took a bite.

"You know we ALWAYS wait to the last minute.  Besides, we thought it would be fun for all of us to do it together and this is the first time we've all been free at the same time.  Pleeeeaaaasssseee, for meeeeee?"  Again, she batted her lashes and gave him the most perfect pout she could muster.

He put his sandwich down, sighed heavily and rolled his head back to stare at the ceiling for a moment.  "Oui, petite.  I'll help.  Let me finish my dinner, eh?"  She nodded enthusiastically and headed back out of the kitchen.  Better slow down my eating pace he thought to himself with a wry grin.

After exaggerating the amount of time needed to eat his sandwich, he finally decided he couldn't stall anymore.  He cleaned his dishes and headed for the family room.  When he reached the den, Jean and Storm were attempting to add the last few branches to the artificial tree while Jubilee dug around in one of the many boxes strewn throughout the room.  Logan was sitting in the recliner by the far wall reading some instructions and shouting out orders. 

"No, it says here that the black color taped limbs go next, not the blue color.  Then, the pink tape ones go last before you put on that top part of the tree."  His brows knitted together and he chewed on the end of the cigar hanging out of his mouth.  Remy couldn't help but laugh at the picture of the mighty Wolverine attempting to put together a Christmas tree.  Logan looked up at him and sneered "What?"

"Where's Bobby?  Figured he be wanting in on some of dis action."  Remy ignored Logan's glare completely.

"Duh!  He's got perimeter duty tonight" Jubilee chimed in without even looking away from the box she was digging in.

"Lucky bastard." Wolverine muttered to himself.

Storm arched a regal brow towards her feral friend.  "I heard that Logan.  Please watch your language in front of the children." 

Jubilee and Remy both shot her glares as they concurrently exclaimed "Hey!  I'm not a kid."  Remy looked down at Jubilee and said "Well you are petite."

She whipped her head around and her expression shot daggers.  "Am not."

"Are too, petite."

"Am NOT"

"Are TOO"

"AM NOT"

"ARE…"

"ENOUGH!!!!"  Logan growled from his chair.  "Ya're ALL kids far as I'm concerned now shut it."  Both of them jumped, startled at the sudden interruption of their banter.  As if to make sure she won the argument, Jubilee turned back to Remy and stuck out her tongue.  Are too brat Gambit thought to himself as he rolled his eyes.

Jean cleared her throat to make sure she had the children's attention.  "Remy, why don't you start putting the light bulbs in the string there so we can get ready to hang it on the tree."

He moved over and began fulfilling his duty.  Everyone chatted away about different Christmas memories, well everyone except Remy and Logan who both sat quietly listening to the women.  Ornaments were being steadily hung on the tree as the evening rolled on.  Even Gambit and Logan were smiling at various things, having gotten caught up in the spirit and emotions coming from the ladies. 

"What about you Remy?"  Jean asked innocently.  "Got any good Christmas stories to share?"

Remy blinked a moment, then shrugged his shoulders.  "Non, chere."

"Oh c'mon Gambit.  What do you mean you don't have any Christmas stories?  Everyone has a Christmas story!"  Jubilee rolled her eyes at him in exasperation.  "Tell us something about one of your family get togethers or something." 

Suddenly his expression changed to a frown.  "Ain't not'ing to tell petite.  Gambit never had a family."

"But I thought you had a dad named Jean Luc or something and a nanny?"  Jubilee stopped rummaging through the tinsel strands and looked at him.

"Oui.  Pop….Jean Luc adopted Gambit when he a chile, and Gambit grateful always.  But, dey always make it clear to him he not blood.  Poppa's business kept him away a lot so dere never no celebrating at de holidays like normal families."  His face was slightly strained at the memories.  "Mais, tante always tried to make de family somet'ing special to eat on dose days, but Gambit always be sent somewhere for some purpose, usually for family business, during dat time and never get to participate."

"You mean you never had a tree or nothing?  No gifts, no eggnog or fudge, no…" 

Jubilee was cut off mid-sentenced by Ororo.  "Jubilee, I think I left a box of decorations in the attic.  Would you be a dear and bring them down?  Thank you child."  Jubilee looked over at her and sighed.  She nodded her head and jumped up to make her way upstairs.

"Ya planned that didn't ya darlin'?"  Wolverine snickered at the sight of the young ward running up the stairs.

"Why I'm sure I don't know what you mean, Logan?"  raising her gaze to meet his.

"Leaving boxes behind in the attic to have her make trips up and down the stairs?  That's the second time today she's had to do that."  His grin widened and there was laughter behind his eyes.

"How else do you expect the child to release some of that energy?  Surely you don't want us to stay up all night with her bouncing all over the place?"  Storm smiled warmly at him and then turned back to the task at hand.  For his part, the frown on Remy's face had been replaced with a melancholy look and he grew silent again.  But, it did not escape the others in the room that he had been speaking in the third person.

"Well, I think we're just about finished."  Jean stood back away from the tree with her hands on her hips.  "It looks like all that's left is the tree topper.  Hmmmm, it'll take someone tall to put it on.  Remy, would you be a dear and get it from that box by the couch and put it on for us.  It should be the only thing left in there."  She had her index finger against her chin as she contemplated the look of the tree.

Remy walked over to the box and knelt down.  He reached in to retrieve the angel and brought it slowly up in front of him.  His pupils dilated and his mouth opened slightly at the sight.  It had a young girl's face with blonde flowing hair, wrapped in a gold sparkling coat trimmed in faux fur.  The wings were pure silk with gold sequins outlining and speckles scattered throughout.  In the angel's hands was a gold beaded chain with a cross emblem at the end.  The face seemed to radiate peace with bright blue eyes and a slight rose colored smile below the pink painted cheeks. 

"Elle est belle." He whispered softly.  All three turned to look at him.  His back was to them and he hadn't moved from his kneeling position, choosing to remain still as he held the doll gingerly in front of him with both hands. 

"Remy?"  Jean asked.  But, he didn't seem to hear her.  She glanced at Storm with a look of confusion.

"Brother?  Are you alright?"  It was Ororo's turn to question.  She took one step forward and stopped as she heard him begin to speak.

"Remy never really believe in anges.  Spent so many years on de streets dat…." His voice hitched slightly.  "One Christmas, Remy remember standing outside a store window.  It was late Christmas day and de store was closed.  Remy hadn't made any money dat day, not too many people be interested in getting out since dey all caught up in dey own private stuff for de holidays.  In de window was de most beau tree, decorated in gold streamers and crystal balls wit' a spotlight shining on it.  De light danced all around de little window box making rainbow colors on de walls.  On top of de tree was an ange like dis.  Remy remember talking to her.  Didn't know what he gonna eat or where he gonna sleep cause he ain't made no money dat day.  He needed to talk to someone, anyone, and she was dere looking down on him.  Remy tell her how beau she is and how elegant.  But den, it not right to look on her.  She be an ange and Remy be devil trash." 

Gambit was almost in a trancelike state as the words flowed out of him.  Stuck in his memory, he lost control of his shields.  The other three were simultaneously hit with his emotions, the sadness and despair as he continued.  "He remember apologizing for de sin of looking on her beau face and he look down to de ground, as was his place cause he not wort'y.  Den he saw it.  Was a hundred dollar bill lying on de concrete in front of him.  De wind didn't blow it away and no one picked it up.  It be a Christmas present from her to him.  For one night, Remy believe again cause dat when he knew, she had given it to him so he not go hungry dat night and he find a warm, safe place to sleep if only for one night wit'out having to…."   

He stopped suddenly as he snapped out of the trance and realized what he had been saying.  He could feel them staring at him and their emotions swirling all around.  His eyes widened as he worked feverishly to snap the controls of his shields back in place.  With a deep breath he stood up and turned around to face them.  Jean's eyebrows were drawn up and her lips pressed together in a grim line.  Ororo had tears streaming down her face, while the mighty Wolverine was staring at his feet.  He inhaled sharply as he registered the shock and sorrow flowing from them and he felt nauseous. 

Instantly, the cocky mask he always wears fell into place.  "Look like Gambit got a Christmas story after all" he smirked.  With that, he quickly moved to the tree and placed the angel on top.  "Gambit have enough fun for one day and gonna retire now."  With an exaggerated bow to the three team members, he strolled out of the room and made his way up the stairs.

"Damn.  Boy must really be upset to be talking so completely in third person."  Wolverine choked out. 

"My poor brother."  It was all Storm could say.

"Yes, did you feel that?  I knew he had some sort of empathy ability but I never realized it was so strong."  Jean turned to stare out of the window.

"Perhaps I should go after him."  Ororo began to move forward when Wolverine stopped her.

"Let him be, darlin'.  He needs to be alone right now to sort out his thoughts.  Besides, if you go up there now, that heavy rain that started a short time ago might turn into a full blown monsoon."  Wolverine motioned towards the window where raindrops pelted against the glass.

"My apologies, friends.  Usually I am in complete control of my emotions.  I just did not expect to be hit with such powerful feelings."  Ororo closed her eyes and concentrated on reducing the storm to a sprinkle before moving to stand in front of the fire next to Jean.  Wolverine mumbled something about needing a drink and headed off to the kitchen for a beer.

Gambit was wiping his eyes with his sleeve as he reached the top of the stairs.  When he made it all the way to his room, he noticed his door was open.  He paused for a moment and pushed the door further open, peering into the dark room to see if he could make out any movements.  Walking in, he flipped on the light and scanned the surroundings.  Almost immediately he noticed a small package on his bed addressed to him.  He moved over and picked it up to open it.  Inside he found some chocolates and a note.  Quickly he opened it to read the contents.

-         It is said that chocolate is a natural aphrodisiac.  So accept these sweet temptations as a precursor to the sweet to come.  Love from your secret Santa.

He blinked and read the note again, then looked at the chocolates in the box.  He slowly made his way back to the hall to glance around and see if anyone was waiting.  The joke was beginning to go too far. 

Jubilee had come down from the top floor with a box in her arms.  "Hey Remy!  What you doing up here?  We're not finished yet."

"T'ink I'll call it a night, petite.  You know anyt'ing 'bout dis box on my bed?"

"Sure, I put it there.  Hope you don't mind.  You're a clean freak if your room's any indication."  She smacked her gum and looked at the expression on his face.  Rolling her eyes she added "Don't worry, I didn't touch anything while I was in there."

She continued on to the stairs leading down to the main level when she stopped and called back to him.  "Oh yeah, almost forgot to tell you.  Rogue called earlier.  Said she'd try again tomorrow and something about being good."

He just shook his head and went back into his room to turn in for the night.

Translations

Elle est bell - she is beautiful

Mais - but

Ange - angel

Beau - beautiful

Oui - yes

Petite - little one