The next day was a little hard on Marie.
Of cause she was as excited about Christmas as everyone else. But she had been in bed around two or three and all the little kids went all screaming and shouting in the hallways around eight... or maybe half past seven. What ever it was, it was way to early.
The short night was kinda compensated by the excitement, but she needed some coffee first.
When she entered the room with the huge Christmas tree she was greeted with a buzzing of noises.
Like always the kids were the fastest and the older ones just had to divide the remaining presents among themselves.
The teachers only had to grab the presents that were still present after the second raid.
Marie sat down in front of an untouched pile that others must have gotten for her from underneath the Christmas tree so she would not run the danger of touching anyone in all that turmoil.
Marie knew they only meant good. But it were the small things like that, that made her feel like a outsider, even in the middle of all these people.
Normally she would have felt a small peng at such an occasion, but there still was that slightly mushy feeling because of the gift that Logan had given her.
Speaking of Logan. He was standing across the room, talking to Jean and when their eyes met they winked at each other.
Marie's lips turned upward. She knew her eyes were still a little puffy and red, but right now she felt her spirits lift and sat down beside the others.
This year they had agreed to collect some money and among themselves so that they all got only one present from all the others. Of cause Jubes and Kitty had gotten something for the boys in their lives, but that would be given out later and in privacy.
So for now they just had the official gifting ceremony.
John was playing with a lighter in his free hand with which he played unconsciously, while he turned the beat’m’up video game in his other hand.
Bobby was all hyper about the new toolbox. Scott had given some money for that one too, which had been expected, seeing that the two men were almost constantly in the garage, working on the cars and bikes. And with that Bobby was the only one of the teenagers, that had gotten a present from the teachers.
Kitty was trying on a pair of silver earrings she had wished for. No on had a doubt that she would use the Christmas prom the next day to wear them proudly.
Piotr was skimming through a huge coffee-table book about Russia.
And Jubilee unwrapped the two newest entries for her rapidly growing DVD collection.
Marie knew what was in the package she moved to unpack, when Kurt’s grateful and even slightly teary voice rang through the entire room, causing everyone to turn their heads toward Kurt, who was clutching a bible, and toward Logan, who clearly had not expected such a reaction and was slightly uncomfortable due to all this attention.
But once at it of cause all the little kids wanted to know what the grown ups had gotten and were not only rewarded by the sight of Jean looking completely dumbfounded when she saw the prank gift Logan had gotten her and Hank, but also by her recovering rather quickly and actually joking along, playing a round and loosing to Hank.
Of cause the game was quickly occupied by others and after the sixth or seventh annoying *beep* Logan already started to wish he had come up with something different.
Dinner had been more then enough.
Marie couldn’t remember when she had last felt so stuffed. What was all the more precious, because she still remembered the hunger, that had been her constant companion when she had lived on the street.
But now, full and warm and happy these times seemed distant. She still felt grateful to have made it till here.
On the streets she might have been dead by now.
Of cause, being here did not necessarily mean that her live span was going to be long.
But right now it was enough and she could deal with her day to day live.
After all the snowball fight was up next. Bobby had been running around asking each and every one if they wanted to participate and even Rogue would be able to participate this time, because throwing snowballs did not involve skin on skin contact.
So once she was no danger for anyone.
Wrapped in layers of clothing she made her way into the garden, when Logan passed her way.
“Hey, Kid. You cold?”
“Nah~” She grinned. “There’s going to be a snowball fight and I fully intend to participate. With a little luck I even take out an opponent or two.”
“Then I better don’t stand in your way. Just...” Logan trailed off.
“Just?” Marie looked concerned.
“I am planning on leaving tomorrow at midnight, that is if that is fine with you. We can get a good start and in the morning we are already far from here. Of cause that means sneaking out of the prom, if that isn’t a problem with you.”
Marie grinned again. “No. That’s actually cool. I’ll make sure to be ready.”
And with a bounce in her steps she made it to the snowball fight.
The day had been uneventful so far.
The gifting session had been long and loud and Logan by now knew better then to come up with another battery driven prank gift.
His ears still hurt just thinking about that sound.
Marie was currently participating in a snowball fight and as the kids started to use their powers, Marie seemed to get way more hit then everyone else, but for once she did not seem to mind, so things were fine.
He was on his way to the kitchen, where Kurt had set up a kind of coffee shop. A few weeks ago it had become evident that he really had a great gift with hot breweries and so Kurt Christmas present for every one was making as much of the good stuff as people wanted.
So it wasn’t really surprising that the corridors became more animated as he came closer to the kitchen.
And it didn’t draw Logan’s suspicion at first when the professor wheeled his way. But of cause there was no such thing as a coincident. The professor - again - knew quite well what was going on in his mansion and while Logan readied himself for a scowling and some harsh words, the professor merely pointed out that Logan might gather some inspiration about possible aims if he took a look at the huge Canadian map in the room Marie shared with all the others.
Logan had never been inside Marie’s room. He did not even know that she had a map in there.
But in fact it was a good lead and he turned to take a look.
With all the kids busy with the snowball fight, there was no risk running into someone.
And once there, it was rather easy to spot which part of the room was Marie’s.
The map was a real give away, as well as the stuff littering the floor. At least the room looked normal.
And it did give him some ideas.
However, what it did not prepare him for, was Marie sitting in the kitchen beside Kurt, talking in a language he only was able to identify after a few moments. They were talking in German!
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Author's Chapter Notes:
well then, a brief summary of the 25th of December