X-Men Fan Fiction ❯ The Angel's Gift ❯ Ch 6 ( Chapter 6 )

Title: The Angel's Gift, ch 6
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 6

Morning came too soon for him as the alarm clock buzzed annoyingly on the table next to his bed.  Damn Cyclops and his early morning Danger Room sessions he thought to himself.  He shut it off and rubbed his eyes, still feeling exhausted from the activities of the previous two days and the temporary loss of control on his emotions from the memories that had somehow made their way into his foremost thoughts.  He wasn't really sure how to face the three team members that had witnessed it and hoped that it would just all be forgotten. 

As he lay there trying to decide how to manipulate everyone to just leave him the hell alone, the phone rang causing him to jump slightly. 

"Bonjour?" he smiled into the phone, hoping it was the one person he was longing to talk with.

"Good morning, Sugah!  You sound rested.  Sleep well?" Rogue purred.

"Dis poor boy never sleeps good when you not here, chere!  You calling to tell me you on your way home?"  His giddiness was flowing through like a hormonal teenager.

She paused for a moment before continuing, aware that she was about to burst his bubble.  "I'm sorry, sugah.  This thing's gonna take longer than the Professor thought.  It's looking like it'll be the end of next week for I get to come home."

"Wha????   But dat means you won't be here for New Year's eit'er.  Who poor Remy gonna kiss at de stroke of midnight?"  His face fell and shoulders slumped as the ongoing depression returned with full force.  Not only was she going to be gone for Christmas, but New Year's Eve as well.  Things just kept getting worse and worse.

Trying to lighten the mood, she quipped "Ya couldn't kiss me anyway, swamp rat, unless ya want to wind up in a coma for the whole new year."

"But it be wort' it, non?"  She could almost see him wiggling his eyebrows even through the phone.

"Ya simply impossible, Cajun.  I missed ya yesterday evening.  Jubilee said that she talked ya into helping with the Christmas tree.  I'm so proud.  She also said ya got some kind of package.  What was it?"

He must not have been completely awake, as he immediately regretted his next statement.  "Looks like I got a secret Santa, chere."  He noted the immediate silence that came to the line.  She didn't make a sound for several long agonizing moments.  "Uh, chere?"  Realizing the mistake he made, he quickly back pedaled.  "It not'ing, Rogue.  Bobby been playing tricks on me.  Sent me some chocolates pretending to be my Secret Santa.  But, knowing Bobby, dey be laced wit' gas medicine or laxatives or somet'ing.  I t'rew dem away."

"Your being straight with me, huh Remy?  Ya ain't cheating on me are ya?"  He could hear the slight threat in her voice.

"Non, chere.  I never do dat to you.  I love you too much."  The sincerity in his tone soothed her mind.

"Love ya too, swamp rat" she chuckled.  "I gotta go now, but you be good and I'll see ya when I see ya."  With that, she disconnected and he returned the receiver to its cradle.  He looked over at the half eaten box of chocolates and sighed.  Merde he cursed himself as he got ready to start the day.

Strolling into the danger room, Cyclops greeted him from the control box.  "Glad you could join us today, Gambit.  Nice of you to show up finally.  Ok people, let's get started."

Remy muttered under his breath.  "One day I gonna stick dat watch of his so far up his ass…."

"None of that Gumbo.  Now get your butt in gear before I stick something else up YOUR ass."  Wolverine's claws extended as he growled at the thief.  Gambit rolled his eyes and got into position to start the exercise.

After the training session was completed and tapes reviewed, everyone hit the showers to get cleaned up for breakfast.  Remy was the first to enter the kitchen and start making the coffee, his wet hair pulled back in a pony tail.  Bobby trailed in behind him and plopped into a chair.

"Mornin'" he mumbled.

"Bonjour Monsieur Drake.  How you like your eggs?"  Remy was fairly singing.  Truth be told, the early morning danger room exercises always left him energized for the rest of the day and feeling generally euphoric.

"Same as the last time you asked me - sunny side up."  Drake was leaning heavily on one arm with his eyes half closed.  "These early morning sessions kill me."

"I t'ought you always up early, Bobby.  You like to catch de cartoons, non?"

"Not them same, Remy.  Lying in bed in a half awake state watching toons is cool.  Getting dressed to run around dodging laser beams is not." 

Remy chuckled to himself and served up the eggs to his team mate.  Bobby grabbed up the plate and headed for the dining room.  Just before he disappeared through the door, Gambit called after him.

"T'anks for de chocolates, mon ami.  Mais, if I wind up staying in de bat'room most of de day, I'll hurt you bad." 

Bobby just looked at him with a lost expression on his face and blinked a few times.  Shaking his head he moved out of the room. 

With only two days left until Christmas, there were still many things to do.  Jean and Storm left early for town to pick up last minute items.  Wolverine was chopping wood.  Bobby departed to meet Warren in the city for some male marathon Christmas shopping.  Cyclops was meeting with the Professor while Hank was wrapping gifts in the monitor room, deciding he could tape and watch screens at the same time without losing too much hair.  Jubilee had drafted Gambit into finishing up all the decorations and cleaning the silverware that would be used for the Christmas feast.  The day wore on without too much incident and everyone seemed to get most of their tasks completed.

In the late afternoon, Wolverine, Gambit, and Jubilee were in the den taking a break.  Logan was stoking the fire while Jubilee wrapped gifts with Remy's help.  The front door opened and Bobby came strolling in caring a vase holding a dozen red roses and baby's breath. 

"Gambit!" he called out for his teammate and then found him in the den. "These were at the front door for you."

Gambit stared at him with his mouth slightly open.  "What's dat, homme?"

Rolling his eyes he looked back at Remy with a typical Jubilee expression.  "Duh!  It's flowers dude."  He handed them over to the dumbfounded thief before plopping down in the nearest armchair.

"Well don't keep us in suspense Remy!  Who are they from?"  Jubilee asked excitedly.

Gambit pulled the card out and turned his back to them so there would be no possibility of them catching any of the handwriting.

-         Roses are red

To show my desire for you

Place them next to your bed

Cause I'll be there soon

Thinking sexy thoughts of you, love your Secret Santa

Remy's eyes flashed bright red as he turned towards Bobby.  "Dat's enough Bobby.  Dis joke gone too far."

"Whoa, whoa!  I don't know what you're talking about Remy but I only brought the things in from the front porch.  You really think I'd spend that kind of dough on you?"  Drake had his hands up in a mock surrender as he pleaded his case.

Gambit thought for a moment and realized that Bobby was telling the truth.  He would never shell out the kind of money these flowers cost just for a joke.  Remy's eyes started darting everywhere as he searched his mind for any answers to this puzzle.  Who de hell doing dis to me he pondered.

"Ya're looking kinda guilty there Gumbo.  Got something ya want to share?"  Wolverine growled at him

Remy's attention focused on the feral man and then shifted to the other two in the room.  All were staring at him expectantly.  "Non!  It not'ing."  With that, he turned and stormed out of the room.

"Well that was weird" Jubilee chimed in blowing a bubble with her gum.

"What do you expect Jubes, it's Gambit.  He's nothing but weird.  I mean the guy's just.." Bobby was about to launch into a real negative campaign add against the Cajun when Logan stopped him.

SNIKT  The blades on one of Wolverine's hands extended fully.

"Pot, kettle, black, popsicle.  Shut it before I do it for ya."

Gambit sat on the edge of his bed with his knees drawn up and his arms crossing on top.  His chin was resting on his arms as he stared at the flowers sitting on the dresser across the room.  So lost in thought, he was startled by the knock on his door.  "It's open" he yelled.

Jean eased into the room and moved over to sit next to Gambit on the bed.  "You alright Remy?"

"Sure Jean, never been better."

"Uh huh.  I'd love to believe you, but your broadcasting."  He jerked his head towards her with a look of shock and surprise.  She smiled and pointed towards the window.  "Or haven't you noticed the sudden dip in temperatures outside, not that I mind the unexpected snow that has all the forecasters scratching their heads.  You really have an effect on Ororo, you know.  She loves you very much.  In fact, we are all quite fond of you."

He snorted at that, making it blatantly obvious that he didn't believe her.  She put an arm around his shoulders and smiled.  "Want to talk about it?"

With a heavy sigh he laid his head back down on his arms, turning to face her with his cheek resting on forearms.  "I t'ink I got a problem, chere.  Someone been sending Gambit gifts and notes.  Very suggestive notes."

Her mouth formed a slight O shape as she looked at the flowers across the room.  She then turned slightly to catch the empty box of chocolates in the trash.  Almost instantly he jerked up to explain.  "I didn't do not'ing wit' no one to encourage dis.  My heart belongs to Rogue.  I don't know who been sending dis stuff or even how to stop it.  If Rogue find out, she'd kill me.  Or even worse, she'd leave me for good."

She rubbed his arm and leaned her head on his shoulder.  "I wouldn't worry too much about it Remy.  It seems pretty harmless to me.  I mean who wouldn't love to get some flowers and, I'm assuming by your trash can, some chocolates.  It's probably just a harmless crush.  Don't borrow trouble.  If you haven't done anything to betray Rogue's trust, then you have nothing to feel guilty about.  And she can't hold you responsible for someone else's actions."

"You right, chere" he chuckled.  "I been so worried about Rogue, s'all."  He turned his head towards the hand rubbing up and down his arm.  Looking back at her, he arched his brow.  "Don't t'ink Scott be too happy to see you in my room comforting me like dis."

She slapped him gently across the back of the head and stood to leave.  "He knows better.  We passed that jealousy phase a long time ago."  She had just reached the threshold to enter the hall when he called out to her.

"Chere, wait."  She turned to look him.  "Do you t'ink I should tell Rogue about dis?"

Smiling sweetly at him, she answered, "Trust is the basis of any relationship Remy.  Only you can make that choice."  With that, she departed, leaving him to continue his staring contest with the flowers.

Translations

Mon ami - my friend

Bonjour - hello

Monsieur - mister

Homme - man