It was the last day of school before the Christmas break, Rogue had sat dozens of exams over the preceding weeks, and was anxiously awaiting her results to see if she had managed to graduate. She was over school, over being away from her baby, over the constant 'encouragement' from her teachers to continue on to college.
School was out early today but Logan had suggested she stay on to spend some time with her friends, he'd also suggested it would keep Sophia's routine which was the argument that finally won her over. So, right now, she was lounging on Jubilee's bed while the girls all chattered busily around her, she was trying to pay attention to the conversation but it felt so immature.
"Alright chica, we are clearly boring you, so tell us, what are you going to be doing now that you are free of the shackles of the education system?" Jubilee asked, flopping down on the bed beside her.
"Well I don't know if I'm free yet, I'm trying not to get my hopes up," Rogue answered with a chuckle.
"Assuming you are then?" Jubilee tried again.
"Honestly, I'm going to be really boring, go home and play with my baby, that is all, that's it, be mommy," Rogue replied with a teary smile, she wished she was home right now.
"Aww, that's so cute!" one of the other girls replied.
"Yeah, wish I could find a guy who could set me up like that," someone else added, which caused everyone to crack up laughing.
"Speaking of setting you up like that, do you know how much money Logan actually has?" Jubilee asked curiously. She had been so jealous the week before when Rogue had joined them for a spot of Christmas shopping, and been able to buy some incredibly pricey gifts without even batting an eye, all paid for with a piece of plastic in joint names.
"No idea," Rogue replied, "Whenever I mention it he just shrugs it off and tells me not to worry about it, or jokingly asks if I've maxed out my debit card, which I have not done, ever, not that I ever spend that much, I have no idea how much money is on that thing, we're comfortable so that's all that matters. It's not like we're completely without income though, Logan hits the fights when they're nearby every now and then, and he's been rebuilding motorcycles which sell for a pretty penny, he's even picked up a few custom detailing commissions from the local motorcycle club..."
"What, like painting... Logan paints?" Several people interrupted to ask, surprise the reigning emotion.
"Uh, yeah, the mural in Sophia's nursery, I showed you the picture right, Logan did that, he's drawn a couple of pictures of Sophia too, honestly you'd think they were photographs with a pencil art filter. Anyway, he did some detailing on one of the bikes he sold, and when he took it to the sale a woman asked if he did custom work and commissions, he said he could give it a shot and next thing you know he had half a dozen pieces lined up, I suggested he should customize his own bike, he said he would if I could come up with a concept he liked,” she informed her enraptured audience.
"Wow, I didn't expect that," Jubilee replied after the revelation had sunk in, "Any idea where he learned that?"
"It's probably from before, he said he just picked up a pencil one day and started doodling cause he was bored, he didn't realise it was anything special when he did it, he just drew what he could see, but the waitress at the diner he was in went kind of gaga over it, telling him it was really good, and asking if he was an artist and all that, so it's just something he knew how to do," Rogue explained, showing the picture she took of one of Logan's drawings of Sophia that she also had set as her phone wallpaper.
The girls spent a few minutes giggling over Logan being a series of contradictions, all wrapped up in a perfectly delicious package. Rogue tried to ignore them, she knew Logan was attractive, hell, he'd had his pick of women for as long as he could remember, but it still made her a little uncomfortable that they were talking about her boyfriend. Should she play along and agree - because she did - or should she shut them down and tell them to watch what they were saying, that was her man they were talking about.
Before she could decide what or whether to say something, a brief telepathic message was passed through to her. "Sorry guys, I have to go," she interrupted the giggles, as she rolled off the bed and grabbed her bag.
"Oh, come on Roguey we were just joking, well not about Logan being hot cause, duh, true, but we know he's yours," Kitty giggled.
"Huh? Oh, it's not that, the Professor just asked me to come down," Rogue replied with a grin, "I know I don't have anything to worry about from any of you, I'm the one with Logan's baby after all." With that said, she skipped out of the room as quickly as she could.
--
"You wanted to see me?" Rogue queried, sticking her head into the Professor's office as she tapped on the open door.
"Yes, indeed, please come in," he greeted, with a welcoming smile, as he waved her in.
Rogue closed the door softly behind her as she entered, all her teachers were also present which she hoped was good news. Taking a seat she nervously smiled back, "So, what's the news?" she asked hopefully.
"The news is congratulations, you passed every exam, with quite high marks in most subjects, not calculus, though I'm sure I don't have to tell you that," the Professor chuckled, Rogue joining in.
"That's great, so, I'm officially graduated?" Rogue asked hopefully.
"You will be once you are handed your diploma," the Professor confirmed, "The graduation ceremony will be held on the thirty first of December, followed by a New Year's Eve party..."
"Oh that's okay, if you can just post me the diploma that will be fine," Rogue replied, with a shrug.
Her teachers looked confused for a moment, before Ororo softly asked why she didn't want to be part of the ceremony.
"The ceremony is for celebrating, I have no interest in taking part without the people I would want to celebrate that achievement with being present," she stated plainly, she didn't need to say who exactly it was she would want there.
With an accepting grimace Xavier reached into the top drawer of his desk and withdrew an envelope with Logan's name on it. "I thought you might say that, I prepared this in advance, will you see he gets his invitation to your graduation ceremony?" Xavier asked, holding the envelope out to her.
Rogue sighed. "I should have expected that, you realise this means he's going to make me go now," she tried to sound annoyed.
"I know," the Professor replied with a broad smile. "And he knows that invitation is coming home with you so don't think it can go missing between here and there," he added.
"Damn," Rogue replied with a laugh, before asking, "Is that all?"
"No, as a matter of fact," the Professor continued, drawing out a slip of paper. "Your results were quite high, as I said, so high in fact that you have easily qualified for our college scholarship and--"
Rogue interrupted, watching the hopeful smiles on her teachers faces promptly disappear. "I have no need of a scholarship, please give it to someone else," she stated plainly.
"Rogue, you have such a promising future, your grades are fantastic and--" Jean tried to interject.
"Yes, Dr Grey, I have a very promising future, as a mommy, I don't need a college degree for that, I have no interest in spending any further time away from my daughter to get a useless degree, and it would be a waste to take scholarship funds for unnecessary study," Rogue stated plainly.
It was Scott's turn to take another shot at convincing her. "It may not seem like a big deal right now but one day you'll need to get a job or something and need a degree--"
"If that day ever comes I will go to college then if I can't find a job that doesn't require a degree," Rogue replied. "Look, I know you all want me to do something fantastic, to prove to the world how great mutants are and all that, but as far as I am concerned, there's nothing better I could do than raise the next generation of freaky mutant kiddos."
"But don't your parents want you to--" Scott tried again.
"My parents want me to be happy, my parents have accepted my decision, Logan has accepted my decision, if I had decided to go to college I still wouldn't need the scholarship because Logan already put funds aside for me to go to college--" This time it was her turn to be interrupted.
"Logan set aside funds for you to go to college?" Ororo asked surprised.
"Yep, over a hundred grand, he set it aside not long after he left me here back at the very beginning, and he's still accepted my decision not to go to college," she added.
"How do you know that? Did he tell you that? Was it some kind of attempt to manipulate--" Jean began to ask, in righteous indignation.
"I know because he touched me after Sophia was born - I cheated to get rid of my baby weight - I admit, it did make me feel bad for a while, even though I'd already made my decision by that point - Logan went to all that trouble, literal blood and sweat, to make sure I would have anything I wanted - I felt ungrateful for turning it down but I also knew from his memories that he had accepted my decision, as do my parents, I already discussed it with all of them before Sophia was even born, I thought about this a lot, and I'm confident in my decision, you won't change my mind." With her piece said she hoped they would finally drop the subject.
"Very well," Xavier said after several moments of silence, "We will also accept your decision, and we look forward to seeing the three of you at the New Years Eve party, I believe the students have set a theme but that will be set out on the invitation. Now, it is three thirty, Logan is arriving as we speak, we will let you go. Until next week, my dear, have a wonderful Christmas, and this is a little something for your family, and a special gift for young Sophia on her first Christmas," the Professor finished, after he wheeled around his desk and handed her two packages wrapped in gold and red Christmas paper.
"Thank you, Professor," Rogue responded with a smile, before she hugged him. Picking up the packages, she thanked her other teachers also, before leaving the school, for almost the last time.
Sure enough Logan was parked up on the driveway, laughing at Jubilee as she tried to lift a sack of gifts into the back of the SUV, she and Logan bickered good naturedly – given he didn’t need to worry about following any stupid rules anymore – before Jubilee eventually relented and accepted Logan's help with the packages.
"What the hell did you get the kid for Christmas, bricks?" he asked teasingly, as he hefted the heavy sack.
"Close but no cigar, well, actually I can neither confirm nor deny re the cigars, I guess you'll just have to wait until Christmas, good thing that's only two sleeps away," Jubilee said, more to Sophia, who was grinning and gurgling at her in her car seat as she kicked at the seat back in front of her while gumming her rubber teething ring; she hadn't sprouted her first tooth yet but it wouldn't be long now.
Logan added the gifts Rogue had brought out to the stash in the trunk, while Rogue hugged Jubilee goodbye. As they drove away from the mansion Marie felt the weight of stress she hadn't realised she was carrying, lift from her shoulders.
"What are you thinking?" Logan asked, spying the happy smile on her face.
"I am so glad that is over and I don't have to go back," she admitted.
"Well, you do still have to go back..." Logan said, prompting Marie to groan.
"You're not going to make me go to that stupid ceremony, are you?" she asked incredulously. "You know that means you have to dress up, right?" She added, hoping to put him off the idea.
"Yes ma'am, you are going, I am going, Sophia is going, and your parents extended their trip so they can be there too," Logan informed her. "There's no way out of it kid," he added, with a chuckle when she groaned again.
By the time they got home Sophia was loudly demanding her afternoon snack, so Logan left Marie to feed baby while he brought in the fresh wave of Christmas gifts to add to the substantial pile under their tree. Marie's parents were flying in for Christmas - they arrived the following day - but hadn't wanted to risk being delayed, or possibly losing any of the multitude of gifts they were spoiling their granddaughter with, and had already couriered everything to them.
Christmas was going to be insane this year, Marie realised, especially in comparison to the last several Christmases she had had.
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