Story Notes:
This story is for Dutchxfan's December story challenge over at the Logan and Marie community. Her challenge items included Christmas, practical joke, potato, Scott's room, and the phrase "I want you, and I'm hating it."
The mansion was decked out in full holiday regalia. It seemed as if every available banister was dripping in lit garland and red velvet bows and each doorway was festooned with mistletoe and metallic bells. Jubilee was in charge of holiday decorating and was not familiar with the concept of less being more.

Currently she was standing on the top rung of a ladder, arms full of tinsel garland. "Would this be good here, or should we maybe do twinkle lights instead?"

Rogue bit her lip to stifle a giggle, then slid a glance to Kitty, who was beside her turning red with mirth. "Um, thing is Jubes, Ah don't exactly know if the Professor would want sparkly lights or purple garland on his office door."

Jubilee rolled her eyes. "Seriously, chica, the Prof could be downright festive if prodded in the right direction." She paused, then grinned. "I know, we can put the sparkle lights on the wheels of his chair."

All three women burst out laughing and didn't hear the whispering glide of the wheelchair as it approached. "Actually, Jubilee, I am rather certain that the cords would become entangled in my wheels."

There was immediate mortified silence. Amused, the Professor gestured toward his office with a smile. "Please, step inside as there is something else I feel we need for the holiday and you three are just the ones to see to it."

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An hour later, Logan sauntered into the room he shared with Rogue to find her asleep on their bed. Standing beside it, he smiled down at her, thinking what a picture she made with her dark hair spread across the pillow, hands curled up beneath her chin as she dozed. Leaning down, he pressed a soft kiss to her lips.

Eyelids fluttering open, Rogue smiled sleepily as her eyes met Logan's. "Hey sugah."

Logan sat on the bed next to her hip and twined the white streak that framed her face around one finger. "I guess I kept ya up too late last night."

After a brief satisfied stretch, Rogue wrapped her fingers around the wrist beside her face and kissed his knuckles gently. "Ah'd rather miss a lot of sleep than one second with you."

Hazel eyes gleaming, Logan smirked. "That so, darlin'?"

Rogue sat up and slipped her arms around Logan's neck. Leaning into him, she whispered against his lips, "That 's so, darlin'."

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Later that evening, Rogue explained the meeting she, Kitty and Jubilee had with the Professor earlier that afternoon. "He thinks it would be a fun way to get everybody into the holiday spirit."

Logan grunted. "Secret Santa, huh?"

Rogue nodded. "It would be among the junior team and the X-men. We'll be drawing names at the briefing the Professor called for in the morning. You can either get your Secret Santa person a few small gifts and give them one a day, or one big gift or even some funny gifts followed up by a nice present. It depends on the personality of the name you draw, Ah guess."

Logan was left wondering what the hell he'd buy if he got any of the girls.

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Rogue and Logan walked into the Professor's office the next morning. Scott, Jean, Ororo and Hank were seated at the table already, while Bobby and Piotr stood by the window deep in conversation. Gambit was doing a card trick for Kurt while Kitty looked on. Conversation stopped as the professor glided in followed by Jubilee who was holding a small box.

"Good morning everyone. I realize this was a last minute endeavor but I felt we should take a few moments to come together in order to explain our Secret Santa project." Looking around the room, he continued. "Each year we give to children's charity's during the holiday season and we shall again this year, but I felt it would be amusing to have a little something going on here in the mansion among my X-men."

Jubilee passed the box to Hank, who was sitting closest to her at the end of the table. "As Jubilee hands you the box, please draw a name from it. You will be the Secret Santa to that person." Hank put a large blue paw in the box and withdrew a slip of paper. "I'll ask each of you to glance at the name you've selected. If you have by chance drawn your own name, please put it back and draw again. Otherwise, please keep the name to yourself so we can have fun with this."

The box made it's way around the table. Rogue smiled to herself as she read the name she had drawn, while Logan seemed resigned.

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"Who did you draw for the Secret Santa?"

Rogue affectionately shoved at Logan's shoulder. "You know Ah can't tell ya who Ah have! It's called *secret* Santa for a reason."

Leaning into her, Logan nipped at her neck in a teasing kiss. "I could get it out of you."

Drawing a finger down his chest, she taunted him. "Do your best, sugah!"

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It was Christmas Eve, and the Secret Santa exchange seemed to have had the effect the Professor had hoped for. Small and amusing gifts had been discovered all over the mansion. People were busy guessing who had drawn whose names, sometimes with more ease than others. Jean had just walked into the kitchen to search for a vase. Spotting Ororo and Hank there drinking coffee, she held up what she had in her hand. "My Secret Santa left me a white rose with sprigs of holly berries!" Searching through a cabinet she found a bud vase. "Isn't that adorable?"

Ororo smiled. "That's lovely. I found a box of chocolates by my door this morning."

Hank gestured to the slim hard cover book next to his coffee cup. "This book of Shakespeare sonnets was on my desk last night."

They all looked up as Rogue strolled into the kitchen with small tin and put a kettle on to boil. "Hey y'all.......my Secret Santa got me some vanilla chai."

"This was a wonderful idea," mused Ororo. "I know that Piotr enjoyed the paint brushes he got, and Bobby liked his movie tickets."

Hank nodded in agreement. "I saw Gambit shuffling those new gold embossed cards last night in the game room. Kitty has some new earrings from her Santa."

Logan sauntered in next, pausing to kiss Rogue's hair on the way to the coffee machine. "Mornin', darlin'."

Smiling at him, Rogue waved a hand toward Logan. "His Secret Santa left him a new leather belt. And I know Jubilee got what looks like a lifetime supply of gum."

Just then, Scott stormed into the kitchen, ignoring the chorus of "good mornings" directed at him.

Logan gazed at him over his coffee mug, one eyebrow raised. "Wake up on the wrong side of the bed there, Scooter?"

Lips tight, Scott sighed. "No, it's just that I put a lot of thought into the person I got for Secret Santa and mine got me......well, a potato."

Jean giggled. "A potato?"

Scott nodded. "Actually, it's a Mister Potato Head."

Hank tried to look serious but his blue lips twitched. "That's a very unique gift, Scott."

"Go ahead Hank, laugh it up. The note on it said 'This spud's for you.' What does that mean?"

Logan's eyes gleamed in amusement. "I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say it means the potato is yours."

Scott frowned and headed out of the kitchen. "Funny Logan, ha ha ha."

A chorus of laughs followed him out of the room.

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Christmas morning was a chaotic event, with people sitting anywhere they could and gift wrap and ribbons littering the floor.

Rogue sat curled up beside Logan, watching the rest of the team opening their gifts. She had received a beautiful silk scarf from Piotr, who had her for Secret Santa. Jubilee and Kitty had gotten her a pretty sweater and a leather skirt. From Logan she'd received a silver link bracelet and matching earrings as well as a set of riding leathers for when they took the bike out for a ride.

Logan was admiring his new leather jacket that Rogue gave him, as well as his new belt buckle, boots and a watch. He looked up when Kitty called his name. "Logan, these little boxes over here are for you. They say they're from your Secret Santa." She tossed several small boxes to him.

Rogue watched him expectantly as he tore the paper off the first box. He looked at the box's contents for a moment then looked up.''It's a little barbell."

Peering over his arm, Rogue giggled. "That's a rattle, silly."

Logan grunted. "I don't get the joke." He reached for the second small box. "Maybe the next one makes sense."

"It's a diaper pin."

Rogue and now the others were looking at him expectantly. He tore open the third box's wrapping. "Little socks?"

Handing him a small box from behind her back, Rogue held her breath as he tore it open, and pulled out what looked like a black and white negative.

"What the...?"

"Merry Christmas from your Secret Santa, sugah. That's an ultrasound picture of our baby."





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