Scott Summers glares at the clock for a moment before rolling out of bed *Morning training session. Why did I schedule this?* Jean chuckles slightly at his grumpy thought, **Scott, Love, the last mission remember? You felt we needed the work.** He mutters something intangible which ends with "Coffee" and she starts laughing softly.
He makes his way into the kitchen groggily and is stunned to find Gambit up and finishing breakfast. "You're up early?"
Remy grins slightly at his surprise and nods picking up his dishes, "Oui, got allot t'do t'day."
Scott raises a brow watching him disappear down the hall and mutters, "You're not scheduled..." Remy's chuckle is his only reply.
Remy bites his lip in thought as the e-mail from Lynn finishes printing, he scans over it again.
Remy,
We have a long list this year and I'm not sure if even you can bring these wishes to life. The house is full, got ten more in last night, and Ben's mother is ill so he's not going to be able to play his part.
He scans over the list a third time and sits back wondering how he's going to pull this off.
7:00am
The X-Men gather in the living room after the session relaxing when Gambit steps into the room making a rather loud production. Scott looks at him strangely, **What the hell is he up to?** Jean smiles slightly, **Don't know love but I think he wants us to ask.** Scott nods and stands facing Gambit, "What's the problem?"
"Problem? No pr'blem, jus' t'inkin'" He flops down on the couch wedging himself between Hank and Warren and begins, very obviously studying Warren's wings. Everyone stares at him in silence as he turns abruptly to Hank, "Henri? Dose image t'ings? Can dey change one t'ing on a person? Like, could dey change my eyes but not wha' I look like?"
"If programmed to" Hank replies slowly his expression curious, "Any particular reason you ask?"
"Non, jus' curious." With a winning grin and a last glance at Warren, Remy jumps up, grabs Jean by one arm and Scott by the other and practically drags them from the room. Everyone else in the room stares after him in obvious shock.
"Gambit? What are you doing?" Scott asks as he and Jean are forcefully drug into the kitchen. Jean shrugs slightly, "Are you feeling all right Remy?" she asks concern etching her brow.
"Oui, I need a favor, a really big one." He looks distinctly uncomfortable for a moment as he tries to figure out a way to explain himself. Scott glances at Jean instantly suspicious, she just shrugs. "Kay, for de las' t'ree years I been helpin' a frien' o'mine out wit' her safe house. Norm'ly it ain' no big t'ing, jus' pull a few strings an' some folks get Chris'mas. Dis year I got a pr'blem."
They stare at him in open mouthed shock for a moment as the statement sinks in and Jean replies slowly, "Remy?" a slow smile spreads across her face, "You are so sweet." she laughs slightly, "what's your problem?"
He grins looking rather uncomfortable, "Weellllllllll......... " after a moments pause he rushes on telling them the entire situation.
In the living room everyone is silent for at least ten minutes as they stare at the door. Finally Bobby voices the thought they all share, "Odd." The others nod slightly and begin trying to figure out what the resident Cajun is up to. "Maybe he's sick..", "Did you see how he was looking at my wings?", "Maybe he's going to try to steal them.","I still say he's sick.", and "Odd" are the majority of the remarks. Just as they begin to settle down Jean and Scott re-enter the room both grinning from ear to ear which earns more startled stares. Jean kisses Scott on the cheek and begins explaining Remy's actions and his plan, which she modified slightly.
9:00am
Remy finished returning the e-mail as he hears a tap on his door.
"Oui?"
"It's Jean."
"It's open."
She peeks inside smiling, "Everything's all set, Ororo will make it snow, Warren will be an angel, Hank will play Santa, Rogue and I will be his helpers, Scott, Logan, and Bobby are going to be themselves, and Betsy and Bishop are going to go with you."
Remy grins thankfully, "Merci chere, means allot 'me ya'll do dis."
Jean nods, "It's our pleasure, EVERYONE deserves Christmas." With a wink she slips out.
Christmas Eve
12:00pm
Remy glances at Betsy and Bishop worriedly, "Ya sure dey goin' t'be here?"
They both nod as he opens the door of the shelter for Abandoned and Abused Women and Children. Miss Lynn, the lovely 62 year old house mother smiles to them warmly. "Remy, you made it." She hugs him placing a loving kiss on his cheek and smiles to the others, "He said he was bringing friends this year. We need all the help we can get. Our other four volunteers canceled this morning, it's just going to be the four of us."
Before they are able to reply Remy is swarmed by ten children ranging from 2 to 13. Glancing around Betsy counts a total of 23 children and 10 women. Miss Lynn smiles to them both as Remy is swept away. "It amazes me how well the children take to him. Most of them are not very trusting of men having come from households where their mothers where beaten."
Betsy nods, slightly uncomfortable, "My name is Betsy Braddock, and this is.." she pauses for a moment not wanting to call Bishop by that name, "Thomas."
'Thomas' chuckles slightly and raises his present loaded arms, "I would shake your hand ma'am, but..."
"Oh please, call me Miss Lynn." she motions them towards the small tree in the corner, "It's not much but, it's better than nothing."
They smile knowingly, "Remy said the children had a pretty outrageous wish list this year, I'm afraid this is the best we could do." Betsy smiles slightly as they put the presents under the tree. Miss Lynn nods, "I didn't think even Remy could pull off those miracles, even though he has surprised me in the past." She smiles warmly glancing in Gambit's direction, "Did you know that last year he got a unicorn for a little girl, and I don't mean a stuffed one or a horse with a glued on horn. I mean this thing was purple, with a real gold horn and hooves. I still don't know how he did it and it was only for an hour and the thing disappeared... into thin air! It was amazing."
Betsy and Bishop exchange a glance then both turn towards Gambit, "Didn't know about that, but now I'm curious." Betsy replies.
11:59pm
Betsy, Bishop, Remy, and Miss Lynn sit back watching the children play as they sip at some egg nog. The day was exhausting to say the least, but the true surprise was yet to come. Remy glances uneasily at his team members still wondering about the obvious, at least to him, discussion Betsy was having with someone telepathically. The fact that 'Santa' had yet to show up bothered him also, he had made it clear that it was tradition for the kids to get to see him. As the clock struck midnight the little ones that had been here for awhile took off outside, everyone else following.
After five long, agonizing minutes of doubt and disappointment, Remy recognized the distinct sound of bells as a light snow began to drift from the sky only about the shelter. Everyone looked up into the heavens, the children smiling in delight, the adults gasping in amazement, even Remy was surprised by the sight. Warren hovered in the swirling snow, a moon beam casting a glow over his wings, blonde hair, and white flowing robes from behind. It was a truly glorious sight and some of the neighbors where beginning to come outside. Without breaking the spell Warren drifted to a rest before them, wings and arms outstretched, with soft, musical tones he said, "Merry Christmas. Please, always keep your faith, above all others our Lord loves his lost lambs the most." and with a gentle smile he lifted his face to the heavens and caught a snowflake, "All prayers can be answered, and all are in time."
Remy smiled slightly, touched by the feeling that was put into this and at the fact that Miss Lynn was so awestruck that she couldn't even faint. Which a few of the mothers did do, others fell to their knees in tears offering thanks to the Lord, and Marie, the three year old little girl that wanted an angel for Christmas hugged Warren's robe. With a smile he reached down and picked the little girl up, kissed her on the cheek, and handed her over to her mother. "I must go now. Tonight is the night of miracles, the night dreams come true. God bless." With that he slowly lifted himself into the air and flew above the clouds.
During that time the bells had gotten louder and as they watched the angel fly away they noticed a sleigh, with reindeer, starting to land on the road. Remy's brow shot up, *Jean gotta be doin' dat.* The X-Men were really taking this mission seriously.
"HO HO HO" a very real looking Santa called from the sleigh. *Dat im'ge t'ing really did a num'er on Henri* The man was the best Santa Remy ever saw, no fake beard and pillow there. Jean and Rogue looked really awesome in their elfish costumes, both floating beside the sleigh. Remy grinned seeing that the front reindeer even had a red nose. Miss Lynn grabbed his arm staring at them, "D-Did you?"
He shook his head slightly, "Non. Guess dat ange wasn' lyin' eh."
As soon as the sleigh came to a complete stop the children squealed in delight and ran towards it. Scott, Logan, and Bobby hopped out in full costume. Those adults that recognized them stepped back in surprised fright. Scott nodded to the parents then glanced at Santa, who pointed to a ten year old boy, he grinned and knelt down before the child, "Hello Max, my friend here tells me you wanted to meet the X-Men for Christmas." at the boy's dumbfounded nod he continued, "Well I'm Cyclops, that's Wolverine, and that's Iceman. The other X-Men had a super important, top secret mission and couldn't make it."
A bright smile spread over the boy's face, "Y-you really are the X-Men.... oh WOW!" He began hopping from one foot to the other, "I knew it... I knew it... You guys saved my mamma once.. Only it was the woman with white hair, the guy that blew stuff up, and you guys."
Scott's brows shot up over his visor as he glanced at Gambit, "Really?"
Max nods emphatically, "Yeah, a really weird white haired guy was making our bus float and said he was gunna drop it on some other people! And, and you guys came and saved Mamma!"
Scott smiles in sudden memory, they had all thought the old bus empty, Magneto was not the type of man to endanger innocents if it was avoidable, especially not over some FOH trash. "I remember that. Well I'm glad we could help you."
The other X-Men grin watching the scene when Santa stood up in his sleigh and opened a big bag, figuring he would get the easy stuff out of the way first he started tossing out packages to each of those standing there, and calling them by name. *Dat mus' be Jean's doin' 'gain.* One mother got a very special envelope, inside was the information about her new waitressing job over at Harry's Hideaway. There were even gifts for Betsy, Miss Lynn, 'Thomas', and himself. After all but two of the bags where empty Santa smiled warmly at Miss Lynn, "For all the love you show these people, and all the hope you bring, I have brought a special gift for you." He turned pulling the string to one of the bags and as it fell open he said, "Merry Christmas."
From the bag stepped Lynn's daughter who she hadn't seen in almost five years, her husband, and their three children ages 4, 2, and 6 months. Bursting into tears she ran to her family. Remy had to try very hard to keep from showing the emotion he was feeling, *Why didn' I t'ink o'dat?*
That's when Santa turned on him, "Remy LeBeau, you are truly a man of mystery, but also a man of compassion. You have proven that things are not always as they seem, and that EVERYONE deserves their dreams and wishes to come true once in awhile. If it hadn't been for your dedication I would not have been able to make this stop personally yet again. It took allot of work, and many years, but I finally know exactly what it is you want and need for Christmas." With that he opened the other bag letting Jean-Luc and Mattie free. Remy closed his eyes fighting back the tears as his father wrapped his arms around him again for the first Christmas since he was eighteen. "Merci mes amies."
Smiling brightly Jean touched his mind along with all the others **Merry Christmas Remy. You deserve it.** As they made their way into the house almost as if a second thought she asked, **How DID you get an unicorn last year?** Gambit burst out laughing at the memory, **Paid Mist'qe over two gran t'shif' into one for me. She say I still owe'er for de ment'l trauma o'de ordeal.** Shocked glances are made in his direction as Jean laughs, **Remy LeBeau you truly are a sinner and saint.**