[OP: "On This Very Christmas Night"--Trans Siberian Orchestra.]

[Yes, two holiday chapters so close together. But the story-line allowed for it, and it will be somewhat relevant to canon, unlike the MHA one I did.

And my sister and I, who happen to be Parks and Rec fans, thought it'd be hilarious to write this kind of like a mockumentary. Which is ambitious, because I will have to narrate it as well as do the asides, but I'm going to try it, and we'll just see if it works. Enjoy! And look out for the feels train. Angst is back next chapter.]

* * *

Christmas finally arrived, somehow with the girls still doing last minute shopping and cooking, and Gambit and Jean finally reaching a compromise about the cooking.

Christmas Eve, they had the kids who wanted to, go home and visit families. Jubilee even visited her old Foster family and then Trinity's family.

The Way had its Christmas Eve service, complete with a Nativity skit by the kids and singing carols.

Emma was talked into going to this by the kids and some of the adults. They suggested to her that it was better than moping around the mansion, and she should learn all about them, not just about their home lives.

Despite her feelings on the Church as whole, she found the whole thing quaint in its own way. At least people were in high spirits. 

She amused herself by reading people's minds.

She told Shine that a lot of them weren't even thinking about the service, and some were thinking about how much they dreaded visiting their relatives that day.

Her intention was to be smug about it.

But Shine, unbothered, just answered her thus: "Yes, Emma, we're not perfect. Day in and day out, it's a struggle to keep our attention on Jesus, even on Christmas, but even so, they all showed up. And they are willing to go spend time with family, even if they don't always look forward to it, because they think it's the right thing to do. And they donated to people they don't know and contributed time and energy to things that don't benefit them personally. You can see the bad or the good in the holiday. It's up to you."

Emma had no response to that.

///Emma aside:

"I really don't like the whole idea of this holiday." (Spoken airily.) "But any time humans actually try to do something unselfish is amusing in a way. What's that? No, I'm not against the idea of giving and charity, I just think it's silly to encourage it on one day or week of the year and then act like that's the only time it matters. But I suppose some would say it's better than nothing... I intend to spend the holiday just learning more about my surroundings. That's all I really care about. If someone says, 'Merry Christmas' to me, I don't really mind one way or the other. Just don't expect me to get into the holiday spirit. (In horror.) "Whatever that means... Oh, don't you think 'Bah Humbug' at me--there's not a lot for mutants to celebrate this time of year, is there?"///

Despite this attitude, Emma didn't go out of her way to be a buzzkill. She even helped with setting up the decorations for the party the following day.

Some of the others had gone out caroling and finishing up with the donations giveaway, so Hank had organized a squad of the remaining X-men and Morlocks to put up the holly and wreaths and lights and stuff.

Morph agreed to do this because he thought it was fun to use the decorations to prank people.

"Ah, it's good to have Morph back for the holidays," Logan said.

"You gettin' sentimental?" Gambit joked.

"Me? Never," Logan said.

Morph put on a record of Christmas classics:

https://youtu.be/hMhMekfIyos

[Simply Having a Wonderful Christmas Time-- Paul McCartney.]

https://youtu.be/17kiIIxSdC0

"Come on, guys, sing along!" he said.

///Morph aside:

"I love Christmas! It's the one time of year everyone actually tries to be nice to everyone else, even if they don't like it. And they laugh at my jokes just to be polite! Plus the food is great, and you can stick wrapping paper on people and no one even gets mad at you. And personally--" (In a lower voice.) "I think the songs are catchy. Never get old. I used to play Santa Claus for kids in the neighborhood. It's a great time to be a shape-shifter. Huh? I don't think Mystique would agree, no, but when does she ever? But still, even she's going to get into the spirit, you'll see... Why are you laughing? That wasn't a joke... Oh...come on, we can believe in miracles, right? I just hope Emma doesn't feel too weird here. I hate it when people don't feel welcome during the holidays... Logan! Watch those lights--! I gotta go."///

https://youtu.be/1qYz7rfgLWE

[Brenda Lee-- Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree]

"I had it," Logan said.

"Logan, I'm just going to say it," Morph said. "You're not tall enough to hang these. It's like a band-aid; you just gotta rip it off."

Logan frowned at him.

"Face it, you're basically an elf," Morph said.

Logan finally cracked a smile. "Watch it."

"Maybe you could put up the tree instead," Morph offered. "That's a difficult job, without breaking all the branches off...so...you know, if you think you can handle it, buddy."

"I got it," Logan sighed. "Cyclops, are ya goin' to help?"

"I was helping," Scott said. "Who just brought in all these decorations?"

Morph eyed the lights. "I guess I could just morph into someone tall enough to do this. Someone needs to hand me tacks though."

"I have it." Mystique walked up, looking bored. "I was told if I helped with this, I didn't have to do any chores for the rest of the week. I'll consider that a vacation for me."

"And you want to do the dangerous part?" Morph said.

"What's so dangerous about this?" Mystique said. "I don't want to do the tree. It's a mess. Pine needles, they'll get stuck all over. Lights are different."

"Allergic to pine or something?" Emma said snidely, walking by carrying more boxes. "How many decorations do you people put up?"

"We just do a lot now for the kids," Xavier said. "Jubilee likes it, and we thought the young Morlocks and Ryan would appreciate it too. And Kevin. And that reminds me, Moira said they'd be here by early tomorrow morning. Is their room ready?"

"I'm still cleaning it," Jean called. "But I'll make sure I finish it now, if you're all okay here."

"Guests take priority," Hank called.

"This has to be the most normal thing we do on a yearly basis," Morph mused.

Mystique climbed up the ladder to hang lights.

"Why not just use your power?" Morph said.

"Because it would look grotesque," she replied, like the idea was stupid. "Want to be helpful? Hand me something."

"Fine." Morph did so. "Okay...well, I guess I could put out some tables, then."

He started dragging some out, with Hank's help.

"Make sure to save the star for Jubilee," Logan reminded Cyclops. "So she doesn't miss out on all of this."

"I think we should just hold off on all the ornaments." Scott was struggling to get the tree to stay put. "Isn't this a little too tall anyway?"

"Well, you certainly have enough ornaments for it," Emma said dryly.

"I need more lights," Mystique announced to no one in particular.

"I got it," Morph called.

"We could use Mr. Super Speed's help doin' this," Logan muttered. "Why'd he have to go out and help with the others?"

"Yes, choosing charity over home decorating, such a waste," Emma said, walking back to the door.

"About as much of a waste as your thinking you're actually helping here," Mystique muttered, since Emma had done very little other than move a few boxes...and still didn't really do chores.... It was hard to gauge if she even knew how to do them at all. [She was a rich kid, so probably not.]

Emma, not caring for Mystique's remark, deliberately kicked the ladder she was on as she walked by, though she pretended she only tripped on it.

"Hey!" Mystique cried, losing her balance...or, more accurately, the ladder lost its balance thanks to Emma and threw her off.

Luckily, Morph was close enough to catch her before she fell 5 feet to the ground.

"Frost!" Mystique cried, looking embarrassed.

"That's why you have to be careful." Morph was clearly kidding. He was in high spirits.

"I know... Put me down," Mystique said.

"Oh, sorry." Morph put her down.

Emma shot her a look over her shoulder smugly.

"Fool," she muttered. "I'm doing her a favor. Well, 'tis the season.

///Emma's 2nd Aside:

"Do I care about Christmas? No, but I've been watching these people for weeks. I feel like I know them pretty well by now--what they do, what they think. If I can't enjoy the holidays for the same nostalgia-filled, sentimental reasons of everyone else, I at least intend to have my fun with them. Messing with people is one of the things I do best, and the icing on the cake? I'm rarely ever caught. Telepaths just don't get caught. Mark my words, I'll have them all tripping over themselves for the rest of the day, and no one will be the wiser about it... What's that? Distracting myself? That's preposterous. I have nothing to be distracted from! Mind your own business!"///

"Morph, hurry up," Logan called. 

"Coming," Morph said.

"Did you see that?" Logan hissed to Scott.

"See what?" Scott had seen nothing, as usual.

"Oh, for cryin' out loud," Logan muttered.

///Logan's aside:

"I don't really like Christmas. I don't like holidays, period. People get too excited over nothin'...and I think Morph gets really into it, and it's good to have him back, so I go along with it. And the kids have their fun...but if some people think that's an excuse to try to slip somethin' past me, well, they'll be talkin' to these." (Extending his claws.) "I don't think I have a problem with relaxin'...I just never relax. It's a choice--and none of your dang business anyway, camera boy."

Camera boy, Billy, shrugs and walks away to film someone else.///

"Nosy kid," Logan muttered.

[Finding this funny so far? I am.]

Logan walked up to Mystique, who was continuing her job.

"Take a walk." He frowned at her.

She looked at him, puzzled.

"You heard me," Logan said.

"I'm not finished yet," she said.

"Yeah, ya are," Logan said. "We got it from here. Just go."

Mystique stared at him. Her eyes were kind of hard to read sometimes, since she lacked pupils in most lights, but she didn't look pleased.

But she climbed down sullenly and left the room.

Logan hoped that meant she'd gotten the message.

* * *

https://youtu.be/UlCy_ZDK_k0

[I'll Be Home for Christmas-- Bing Crosby (Official music video.)]

Thus expelled from the decorating, Mystique found Kitty sitting by a window, staring at the snow and looking miserable.

Kitty looked up. "I guess they're done, then?" she said.

"No, I was told I was done helping," Mystique said, sitting down. "You're not the only one who's not a good fit in this house."

"You know, I don't get that," Kitty said. "Why don't they like you?"

"It's a long story," Mystique said. "People never forget some things--that's the short version. I'm not a good person." She shrugged.

"Good enough to help us," Kitty said. "How much more does anyone want around here?" She sniffled miserably.

"If you hate it here so much, why don't you leave?" Mystique asked, point-blank. "You could."

"I don't want to go any place else," Kitty said. "At least this school isn't trying to indoctrinate me. I guess it's all right. But the other teenagers all hate me. The adults are okay...but we're so different...I just think I'm not a good fit here. But where could I fit anymore?" She sniffled. "Ah, I promised I wasn't going to cry in front of anyone."

Mystique handed her a tissue off one of the tables, resolutely.

"I don't have the best track record," she said, "but I know one thing: You never fit somewhere you aren't going to be honest with people. So mostly, you just don't fit. That's my life. But if that's not the one you want, do something about it. You don't like how those other kids talk about you? Then stop them."

"You're saying I should fight them?" Kitty said.

"Fight? I don't know," Mystique said. "You're powerful enough. Why should they push you around...? But if you just want to go see your parents...just do it."

"But didn't you say before it was smarter not to?" 

"Yeah, I think it is smarter." Mystique shrugged. "But who am I to tell someone how to live? If you can't handle it, then just...go." She gestured flippantly. "Tell them you don't want to see those other people. You think they'll listen?"

"I guess if I said it like that," Kitty said. "But...then I'd have to explain why."

"You want them to think you're fine on your own," Mystique said. "That's probably for the best.... They're not part of your world anymore. But, if I may be blunt, kid, you're just leading them on. You want them to think you're fine without them, you'd better just make it clear. In my experiences, people lose interest eventually anyway, but I take it there are exceptions to that. Are they going to take the hint?"

"They're Jewish...so I doubt it...We kind of...don't really do the space-thing."

"Then you'll have this problem forever, if you don't do something," Mystique said.

"You're telling me to just tell them what I've been thinking...I don't like that idea one bit.... How can I? They'll just worry more."

"Do that anyway," Mystique said.

"Oh, come on," Kitty said. "Didn't you worry about Rogue when she disappeared?"

How did she know that?

///Kitty aside:

"Yeah...the whole thing about phasing? You can pick up a lot without people knowing you did it. I've been catching bits and pieces of conversation for the last two months. I don't know all the dirt, but I've got the general idea. Like, I know that Kurt is Mystique's son, but they don't really talk. Rogue is her adopted daughter, but she's kind of a rebel. Wolverine and Storm have something going on, but no one talks about it. When they think no one is around, Shine and Wally, they just laugh at us and how weird we are--and their other friends. Hank invented a cleaning solution for his tools last week that melted the handle off one of them, and he's trying to make a Christmas pudding that may or may not explode again. Also, Ryan totally has a crush on Jubilee but doesn't want her to know, and I think Billy hid someone's gift in the literal chimney because he saw it in a Christmas special." (Pause.) "And I snuck some of the snacks out of the pantry earlier, but no one'll guess it was me. The only downside to knowing all this information? I really can't let on that I know most of the time, or people are going to come down to me for being a snoop. How can I help it if I fall through the ceiling and get stuck halfway through walls and doors sometimes? But for a house of mutants, they don't really seem to understand that very well..."///

"Of course I worried." Mystique was crisp. "Not that it's any of your business."

"You spy on people for a job," Kitty retorted.

"You need to curb that attitude," Mystique said. "People don't like being found out."

"Oy vey! Well, my point was, it's not like they're just going to let this go," Kitty said.

"And you don't want that," Mystique said, frowning. "But do you want this to go on forever? You're a mutant. Deal with it. Life is never going to be easy or normal for us. You want to come out on top? You find a way to deal."

"Yeah, yeah," Kitty sighed. "Real Christmas spirit there...or Hanukkah spirit.... Normally we do the Menorah.... I never realized that being a mutant wouldn't just change one thing, but it would change everything about my life. I don't know who I'm supposed to be now." She wiped her eyes. "I wish it never happened.... It ruined everything."

Mystique had no words of wisdom for that. Didn't she feel just the same way about her power?

"Well, you're talking to me? I can be anything...except not a mutant."

Kitty actually laughed, bitterly, but still.

Mystique had the weird feeling that was something Morph would have said, and it was unsettling to think that.

"You can't change what you are," Mystique went on, "just how you handle it. All of us have our paths we took. The only thing we have in common in some way is that we all took different ones and somehow ended up here. You want to hide with the humans, you probably could. Do you think feeling sorry for yourself is going to help you do that? You'd better decide what you want. If you want to still be one of them, distancing yourself from your overprotective family may not be the best decision, but if you want to act as a mutant, then you'll have to act as one. You've shown potential as an X-man...but they don't own you. That's the only advice I would have."

"That might be good advice," Kitty said. "But then...why are you here?"

Mystique hesitated. "I needed help.... They help people.... It's not ideal, but it beats the streets. Or being targeted by my old allies."

"So why don't you just join the X-men?" Kitty pressed. "You seem pretty capable."

"They'd never let me do that," Mystique said. "Even If I wanted to, which I don't. We don't really see eye to eye."

"I don't know if any of them do," Kitty said. "But if it's making the most of it...seems better than just being in this weird limbo.... Maybe you're right.... I should call my parents and just tell them the truth."

That wasn't exactly what Mystique had said, but if it was a decision, then she wasn't going to tell her it was wrong. None of her business.

"But I think you should," Kitty said, with all the assurance of a 14-year old who thinks they know it all. "Just makes sense."

She went to the phone.

Cute, Mystique thought. Kids thought things were so simple...

And yet this was still the most intelligent conversation about it she was likely to get out of any of them, outside the DJs. The X-men sure were doing a good job making Kitty feel welcome.... Perhaps they just didn't notice how miserable she was.

Mystique felt bad for her but had no real way of helping her beyond what she'd said. She wasn't the comfort person. Shine was that person...in fact, Shine might know how to help her.

She waited till they got back to broach the subject. But then the others were done decorating and had moved to set out snacks and play music in every room of the house.

https://youtu.be/WXERRcpXRiA

["I Wish You a Merry Christmas"--Bing Crosby]

"Kitty opened up to you like that?" Shine looked happy. "That's great."

"Yeah, did you not hear any of what I just said?" Mystique said. "Can't you do your magic thing where you make people feel better?"

"That's...so sweet," Shine said. "I don't know if I really do--just make them think."

Mystique crossed her arms.

"Mind if I ask...why do you care?" Shine asked. "I mean, I know you sympathize with Kitty, but why now?"

"Because all this cheerfulness on your part is just going to make it worse," Mystique said. "And it's depressing for the girl. I'm not heartless..."

"I see," Shine said. "You're right.... But I'm not sure we've really...connected..."

///Shine's aside:

"Do I care about Kitty? Of course. I think underneath all that snark, she's actually a sweet kid, and I've seen glimpses of that. I know a lot of kids like her. Plus, she's kind of funny and reminds me of me.... However, I don't think you can just rush this kind of trust. I suspected homesickness was behind a lot of her temper, but she doesn't want to open up.... Maybe it is time to do something about it... Still, people get the idea I'm some kind of miracle worker just because I have success... honestly, I'm just as concerned I can't really help as Raven is.... It's not like it's magic. People have to want you to help them.... Honestly, I was hoping to not have any problems today...but I know, we don't just get to decide that. Still, it'd be nice to not have people need me just for one day... Guess I know how Jesus must have felt, right? I seriously need to take a longer day off... But yeah, I can't just ignore Kitty. I think I might know one thing that would help her, now that I've been talking about it.... Fingers crossed. Whatever that means. I really don't understand why people do that... What's that? I'm the same on camera as I am the rest of the time? Uh...thanks? I guess I just say whatever I'm thinking about.... Well, there's no call for that kind of sass, Mister. I think you're just the same. Also did you really hide something in the chimney? Because I think Scott was going to light a fire there soon...uh oh. Cyclops!"

Camera Boy: Promptly runs for cover.///

Shine talked to Kitty a little bit later.

"So...don't be mad, but Raven told me what was bothering you. She thought maybe I could help."

"And how can you help?" Kitty said. "Anyway, I talked to my parents... I told them I hate it here, but I have to stay and decide what to do about being a mutant. I just didn't want to pretend to be okay with it anymore."

"And did that help?" Shine asked.

"A little," Kitty said. "At least I don't have to lie to them. They said I should come home...but I can't."

"Believe it or not, Kitty, I actually kind of understand why you feel that way," Shine said. "We all have to ask the questions you're asking. And to be honest, you're having to make a lot of grown-up choices. I know, age is just a number, but still, 14, it's early to have to decide to move out and be independent. And you're trying to look at it the wisest way possible. Believe me, I'm not patronizing you when I say that I think that takes some amount of courage."

Kitty looked up. "Seriously? You're not going to say that I'm just overthinking it and I'm too young?"

"We don't have that luxury," Shine said. "I started doing what I do when I was your age. Was I ready? Not in some ways...but I never thought kids couldn't do huge things. You ever hear of the little hero of Holland? He plugged up their dam with his one hand until they could fix it. Sometimes all you have to do is stand and hold your ground until help arrives. If that's where you are right now, that's fine."

"But," Kitty said, "you have another thought, don't you?"

Shine nodded. "If I may offer some advice...I have been quite miserably homesick myself, in the past. Not on missions, but...before that, just being away from home. I hated it. But I got used to it too, and the changing point was always if I just confided to people how I felt and let them comfort me and then tried to learn about them and enjoy spending time with them. That's when a new place starts to feel a little bit like home. You've not been honest with us here, have you? That's why you still feel so out of place. Now you've told a couple of us, maybe if you were a little more clear with the others, you'd feel less alone.... I'm just telling you, don't decide you hate it here when you barely know us. I think you'll find the people here are all very special--compassionate, kind, even if they are stubborn."

Kitty sniffed. "Sure..."

"And...here." Shine handed her a bag. "I don't know if this will help, but...my family is Jewish also, remember?"

Kitty pulled out a Menorah and a dreidel.

"This was going to be a gift tomorrow," Shine said. "But...look, Kitty, I don't have a problem with you sticking to your traditions, if that would make you feel better. You're still what you are, just like the rest of us. Being a mutant is a part of your life now, but it's not all of it; it doesn't even have to be the most important part. You decide. And if you want to tell us more about it, I always want to get more in touch with my roots. True, I'm a Christian...but I always thought our duty was to appreciate the Hebrew foundation, not scratch it out. Whether you want to try our church or not, we still share some things, don't we? And...if you look for what we have in common instead of where we diverge, you might find a lot of things fall into place."

Kitty smiled a little. "My dad always says that too...not about that, but.... Well, the truth is, I don't know if I even believe in God now. This whole thing seems so...unfair."

"Understood," Shine said. "But I think God might have made you a mutant for a reason, Kitty. And I think that your gifts, in other areas, might be part of that. Why separate them? Just because mutants don't normally go to college doesn't mean you can't. Do what you want. I think you can. But if what you want changes now...maybe it was meant to. We can just pick a life for ourselves and never even stop to think if it was the best one we could have chosen. If this forces you to slow down and really figure it out, that's not bad. Maybe you won't graduate when you're 16 or whatever your plan was...but you don't have to be first. You want to do your best, not just beat everyone else on a technicality...so think about that. And for goodness sake, go home and visit you parents, please. This is ridiculous."

"But they're not even home."

"Then we'll take you home for New Year's," Shine said. "You need to clear your head. But, now that we've settled that, I really think you should try to enjoy this...just for your own sake. Is that okay?"

Kitty swallowed. "So it's really okay for me to visit home?"

"We're not kidnapping you. So yes. And probably wisest."

"Okay..." Kitty said. "I guess...as long as it's not with a lot of people around, it'd be fine..."

She seemed lighter already. "You know maybe you're not so bad after all, Shine."

Shine swallowed a laugh. "Thank Raven. I didn't realize how bad it was.... But next time you feel bad, just tell someone. We're really not such bad listeners. Even Logan."

Kitty snorted. "That'll be the day."

But she cheered up considerably after that.

///Kitty's Aside:

"Yeah...maybe she's weird...but I guess she's got a good heart... And maybe I have been way over-stressed about this... I just need to face things, like an adult... It's no good just being sad all the time... Maybe this all would grow on me...if I let it... I don't know... I should have taken a psych course in college instead of that literature class... Hindsight is 20-20."///

"So?" Mystique said to Shine.

"I think she'll be okay now," Shine said. "I was afraid I would push it too far, but I think she was ready to hear it, in a way. So thanks."

Mystique rolled her eyes.

///Raven's aside:

"Look, I never said I can't try to help the girl out, but I'm not one of these heroes.... The holidays don't really mean anything to me either. The only time I ever celebrated them was as part of one of my roles...so this feels weird...and I don't really think I'm welcome here." (Pointingly glaring at Wolverine.) "But it's where I am...so...might as well find something to do. That's all.... What? No, I don't think I'm starting to like it here. Mind your tongue. Go bother someone else. What is it with this anyway?"///

* * *

Christmas Day had everyone together, though it was certainly a much more motley and bizarre crew than any previous year.

And if you'd told any of the X-men they'd have Mystique or Frost at their house on Christmas, well...

///Cyclops' Aside:

"I don't really like that we have two people we know so little about here...but then I never liked it. I guess I've gotten used to the DJs, but still.... Just a lot more people to worry about than ever before.... I know the whole point is to take in mutants, and we're glad it's expanding, but the school is so much more work than any of us ever thought. And it's only going to get worse with more kids...but I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. At least the Professor is getting his dream, in a way.... But if it were up to me, I wouldn't have them all here. The kids sure, but the adults, I still don't trust a lot of them. But Jean made me agree to not say anything else about it...keep the spirit of the season. They just better stay out of the fridge up until we're ready--hey! kids! I said not to touch the snacks until later!"///

///Jean's aside:

"I think it's great that we've opened the house up to so many people.... It's true, I don't like all of the new additions...but I'm willing to compromise. Certainly the team has been a lot happier and more hopeful. I do worry a little about Frost.... I sense she's still not really comfortable here...and there's something she's hiding...but it's Christmas, and it's no time to be suspicious of people. So I always put on a smile and try to do my best. If a certain someone would just stay out of my kitchen, it would be perfect. Hey! I saw that! You Swamp Rat, get out of my kitchen!"

Sounds of pans crashing.///

"You say we can share, Chere," Gambit called.

"I said after I was finished!" Jean said.

"Dat take way too long," Gambit said.

More arguing ensued.

"Some things never change," Rogue said to Storm.

"Yes...but it seems almost everything else has," Storm said, looking a little nostalgic. "But the children are having fun."

The kids were running around with noisemakers and throwing leftover tinsel on every surface they could find. No one had the heart to stop them, they were having so much fun.

Still, the others were kind of glad when Wally and Shine got them to finally settle down a little to do an impromptu sing-along performance.

Kids love to perform (well, most of them) for an audience of adoring adults, and Shine and Wally's years of childcare experience kicked in on them.

"All right, if you'll all gather around," Shine said. "The kids want to sing some carols for us. They learned them special."

"Do we have to pretend to be impressed?" Emma asked Storm.

"If you're not willing to do so, I suggest you don't watch," Storm said severely. 

Emma was silent.

"Aw, don't ya all just look cute," Rogue said.

The kids had made their own costumes out of some old clothes they'd found in the attic and closet. Mostly they just used tinsel to decorate themselves and each other so that they looked like big ornaments.

But it was all in the spirit of the season.

"I wish we had a piano though," Wally mused.

"There's one," Ruthie pointed out.

There was one.

"But no one plays..." Wally said.

Emma wordlessly went to it and sat down.

She glanced at the kids, then started playing something.

"Hey, that's the right song!" they cried.

https://youtu.be/Bsv6kD7OGz0

[Same song as OP]

"Well, what do you know? Emma Frost truly is the woman of many talents," Shine said.

"Aww..." Wally said.

"Ain't they just cute as a button?" Rogue asked Gambit.

"Sure," Gambit said.

"I admit, it makes me happy to see them have so much fun," Storm told Logan.

"Yeah..." he said. "They're good kids."

https://youtu.be/5NetJIHwhbw

[O Come, All Ye Faithful (Official Music VIdeo)-- One Voice Children's Choir.]

Not all the kids sang on key, but no one really cared.

"I must admit," Xavier remarked to Hank, "I have never seen so many mutants, and even humans, gather together just to celebrate. The year before, Jubilee spent Christmas with the Morlocks and that was special, but to think just 12 months later, they'd be spending it with us.... So much has changed."

"For the better, I hope, Professor," Hank said.

"I hope so also," Xavier said.

///Xavier's aside:

"I just want everyone to be safe... I do worry we're going too fast...but who could say no? Each of these guests of ours needed shelter. Moving forward, I hope we act wisely... One almost could think there was some sort of Divine Guidance in all this, however..."///

After the kids had sung, Wally said, "Hey, Sunshine, can you sing that one song, the one about the list?"

"The one you were singing earlier?" Jubilee said. "That one sounded kind of nice. I mean, in a sappy way."

"Oh...you don't want me to..." Shine said modestly, though she obviously was flattered.

"Go on!" the kids said. 

"Yeah, go on, Sugar," Rogue said. "Can't be that bad."

Emma shrugged and started playing a tune again.

"Are you...just picking the melody out of our minds?" Shine asked.

"Out of yours? No," Emma said. "But apparently you're not the only ones who've heard it."

Morph shrugged. "It's a good song."

Shine gestured in acquiescence and started singing:

"Do you remember me? I sat upon your knee...

Well, I'm all grown up now, and still need help somehow. I'm not a child, but my heart still can dream...

(No more lives torn apart, then wars would never start, and time would heal all hearts.

Everyone would have a friend, and right would always win, and love would never end...

This is my grown-up Christmas List.)"

https://youtu.be/8lXkCfvAHJs

[Grown Up Christmas List-- Amy Grant. This song will bring you to tears.]

After that song, they had thought they'd move on, but Emma said,

"Well, Mystique, why don't you grace us?"

"Excuse me?" Mystique said.

"Oh, don't be so modest," Emma said. "You have before, haven't you? Probably on stage somewhere. Let's see--"

"Stop it," Mystique said.

"I even have the perfect song in mind," Emma said.

"Isn't this a little mean?" Rogue said.

Emma mockingly started playing the tune to "Blue Christmas".

"Ah, that song is so sad," Shine said. "It always makes me want to cry inThe Year Without a Santa Claus.... Why do we talk about that movie every Christmas?"

"Because it's funny," Wally said.

"But the song is sad," Morph said.

"Too shy?" Emma glanced at Mystique. "Ah, well, I thought so."

Mystique glared at her.

Then she shifted suddenly into what appeared to be Elvis.

"Oh..." Wally said. "Did not see that coming."

Further shock ensued when Mystique proceeded to just sing the song as Elvis. Dead on.

Morph thought this was hilarious, however.

The others were more stunned that she played along at all. Even to one-up Emma.

Emma, on the other hand, felt she'd been quite properly shown up.

https://youtu.be/s_qwMCseMbo

[Blue Christmas-- Elvis Presley]

///Emma's aside:

"Well, I never thought she'd actually do it...but, you know, it's almost not bad. Never really cared for him myself, but I suppose if you can sound like anyone, it's not really that much of a challenge... I can't tell who won this one. Guess I'll just have to try harder... What do you mean I need to get a life? You get a life!"///

Shine applauded anyway.

"Way to show her," she hissed at Mystique. "Genius."

"I just didn't want her to think she could just embarrass me like that." Mystique shrugged. "She's such a--"

"You know, I did that exact thing once," Morph broke into the conversation. "I'm serious, with Elvis...but it was at a party...kind of freaked everyone out."

"Makes me think if mutation was more accepted, you could make a mint, though," Shine said.

"Yeah, shape-shifting is the bomb," Wally said. "Remember with Camie, though? And how she couldn't use her quirk too much because people thought it would cut into their profits? It's just sad."

"Two many shape-shifters, and the entertainment industry could be put out of business entirely," Shine said.

"You hear that?" Emma walked by Mystique. "You two had better not ever reproduce. Think what it would do to the world if there were a bunch of shape-shifters running around."

Mystique's answer to that was to trip Emma so that she crashed into a table.

"Sorry, hon, but you deserved that one," Shine said, not making a move to help her.

"Ouch," Morph winced. "But also, kind of yeah. So anyway, you guys have any requests?"

"You know, hold that thought," Shine said. "I just might have one later, but not off the top of my head. Though there are some movie quotes I bet the kids would love."

"Kevin," Ryan called, "come on, we're making a snow fort in the back. You have to help us beat the girls."

"All right," Kevin agreed.

Moira and Banshee, who'd been there since 10 AM, looked at him strangely. Moira spoke,

"Oh, Kevin, you will be careful."

"It's just a fort, Mam," Kevin said, with some of the sass teenagers use. He'd picked it up from Kitty and Jubilee pretty fast. "It's not dangerous!"

His accent made that sound funnier than it should have.

"It's all right, Moira," Xavier said. "They've done this before. I think Ryan was just waiting for the first snow. Just so long as the children don't get lost in it again..."

"Kevin did a little too good a job on that first one, huh?" Wally snickered. "It was more of a maze than a fort."

"I thought it was cool," Shine said. "Pun intended."

Morph laughed.

"This is just goin' to be the whole day, isn't it?" Logan muttered.

"Everyone is in such high spirits," Storm said.

Logan glanced at her, then looked away.

"Is something wrong, Logan?" Storm asked. "You keep giving me strange looks. Did I do something to offend you?"

"No," Logan said grumpily. "Just been thinkin', that's all."

"About me?" Storm said this with no thought of flirting whatsoever, more like she was convinced she'd done something wrong.

"No!" Logan said. "I mean, maybe--it's not like that."

"Oh, please, keep floundering." Emma walked by. "I'm sure it's convincing her."

She smiled slyly and went into the next room.

"That Frost woman is gettin' a little too nosy for her own good," Logan said.

Storm looked at him strangely.

"Storm, can you help us?" Jubilee cried. "The boys are making a way better fort because Kevin is so cheating. You have to give us way more snow and stuff."

"Isn't that a little unfair, then?" Storm said.

"All's fair in love and war, or something like that," Jubilee said. "And, Kitty, get your tail out here and help us!"

"Me?" Kitty said. "I don't--" Then she looked at Shine, and she bit her lip. "Fine."

"Well, that's a new development," Hank remarked to Rogue and Gambit. "Jubilee offering the olive branch, in the spirit of the season."

"I'll tell you, it's that Trinity girl," Rogue said. "She done been sayin' to be more Christian about it. Good influence on Jubilee."

"So it would seem," Hank said. "Trinity is a dear girl, even for a human."

Rogue and Gambit looked at him funny.

"Perhaps I should have phrased that differently," Hank said. "I meant that a human would not usually care."

"Maybe we really just need to stop sayin' that," Rogue said. "We met a lot of humans who do care this year. We was just lookin' the wrong place before, I reckon. Should have known politics was the wrong place to find anyone who cared about anybody."

Gambit laughed. "Dat might be true..."

Then he glanced up. "Look, Chere, mistletoe."

"Who put that there?" Rogue looked up. "I bet it was one of the kids."

"Actually it was Warren and Kurt," Hank said. "Someone asked them to... I'm not sure either of them actually knew what they were doing."

"But it a tradition, Chere." Gambit was really just teasing her.

Rogue rolled her eyes at him. "Oh, put a sock in it, Swamp Boy."

"Perhaps some traditions are all right to forego," Hank said.

Emma smirked and, stepping a little closer, she remarked, "Oh, look, how quaint. Someone had a good idea of a joke on Christmas."

"It was probably just one of the kids," Rogue said.

"Hmm," Emma said. "Well, I hope no one around here takes advantage of that prank to steal a kiss, don't you, Cajun?" She winked at Gambit.

Gambit was ready to shut her up, but maybe she said something telepathically to him, because he just shrugged instead. "Could happen."

"Could--don't you even think about it," Rogue said.

"Ah, Chere, is jus' a holiday tradition," Gambit said, just to mess with her.

"What's it to you anyway?" Emma said to Rogue.

"Why don't ya just poke out of it, huh?" Rogue said. "I'm sure ya'd just like to cause trouble."

"I find the whole thing rather vulgar myself." Emma shrugged. "Americans..."

"Hey, we ain't vulgar." Rogue flew up, plucked the mistletoe off the ceiling, and tossed it into the fire. "It's just stupid, that's what it is. Some people take things way too seriously, that's all. And so do you."

She flew away in a huff.

"I'm not sure what just happened," Hank said.

"Real smooth dere," Gambit said to Emma. "Way to put her out, on Christmas."

"Oh, she'll get over it," Emma said. "Give it five minutes or so. At least it got rid of that mistletoe, I was only half kidding about people getting ideas." She made a face.

She walked away.

"Perhaps we better ban that tradition entirely," Hank said.

* * *

"Shine, are my powers ever goin' to be controlled enough for me to do things?" Rogue asked, yanking her into the kitchen without any warning.

"Uh...Rogue, is now the best time to discuss this again?" Shine asked.

"I just want to know," Rogue said.

"We've worked on how to try to handle emotions," Shine said. "I've taught you about that. And you know how we do things now, when we try to control. If you want my honest opinion, Rogue, the next step is probably to just try. Push the envelope. You succeeded once, remember? You have to build up your endurance and focus. Then I think it will become like riding a bike; you'll do it automatically. But what brought this on? Oh, you saw the mistletoe, didn't you? I think that was just a prank. No one's going to take that seriously."

"Yeah, but, Shine, it don't feel like a prank to me." Rogue was somber. "It's a joke to other people. Because they don't have a problem."

"I'm sorry," Shine said. "But in the spirit of Christmas...why worry about it? You have the rest of your life to work on this. Don't let the prospect of it spoil the day for you. That's like talking about politics on Christmas. Just a bad idea."

"Well, someone needed to tell that to my daddy," Rogue said dryly. "But all right, fine...I don't want to spoil your time."

"Well, thanks," Shine said. "But I'm having a great time, really. It's been cute."

"You two are the happiest dang people I ever saw," Rogue said. "But it's catchin'... I feel better now. You go on back to...whatever it is ya were doin'."

"You know, if they hung more up, Wally might get ideas too," Shine mused.

"Shine!" Rogue said.

"But can't you just, you know, make it fast?" Shine said to her. "Your power takes a second or two to really start having an effect. Just don't blow something up."

"You're shameless!" Rogue shoved her.

"I'm married," Shine called back, not repentantly.

* * *

They did gifts toward the end of the evening... The kids had wanted to do it first, but the adults had insisted on waiting for the MacTaggerts to arrive first.

To make it easier, the adults had all done Secret Santa, except for those who wanted to get everyone something--like Shine.

Even Emma had participated...because she figured they'd get her something anyway, and she didn't want to be the only one who didn't contribute.

Mystique had participated also, for the same reason. She doubted anyone would have gotten her anything, but she knew Shine would never have left her out, so she volunteered just to avoid the embarrassment of it being all personal.

Not that it helped--Shine still got her a gift anyway.

Wally had about as much fun at the kids did, throwing wrapping paper around.

Morph somehow attached the sticky ribbons to people without them noticing.

Mystique grabbed his arm when he did it to her. "Knock it off," she said.

"Oh, don't be like that," Morph said. "It looks cute on you. Gold is your color."

"Shut up." Mystique yanked it off and threw it at him.

"Some people just don't get the holiday spirit." Morph pretended to be forlorn.

"Or positive reinforcement," Emma muttered from wherever she was sitting.

Mystique tossed her a scornful look, then she plucked up some tinsel and threw it on top of Emma. 

"Merry Christmas," she said dryly.

Emma brushed herself off coolly. "I'm not the sore loser here."

"How did he attach this without me noticing?" Jean wondered, pulling a bow off herself.

///Morph aside:

"Yeah, I'm like a ninja of attaching wrapping decorations to people... It's a weird thing to be good at, but I play to my strengths. One time, Logan didn't notice for at least 3 hours, and everyone was too scared to tell him, except Storm...but she thought it was funny. I'm the jedi master of Christmas pranks. What's that? Oh, where did this come from?" (Pulling a bow off himself.) ///

Mystique made a face at him.

"Huh..." Morph said.

"Are you sure that punch wasn't alcoholic?" Emma said to Mystique, rudely.

"You wish it was," Mystique shot back.

"Let's go play in the fort some more," Ryan said, grabbing some of his new gifts that might be useful for this... Logan had given him a shovel. Logan tended to give people tools if he gave them anything, so when he drew Ryan's name, he just went with the basics.

"Yes." Kevin put on some mittens.

"It's getting dark," Moira said.

"It's cool. I got a lantern," one of the Morlock kids said. It was Rat.

"Jus' don't kick de house wall in," Gambit said.

"So we won't point Billy at it," Jubilee joked. "Colossus, come help us."

"All right," Colossus said. "Colossus used to do this at home. Is favorite game for village boys."

"I thought that was drinking vodka and wrestling polar bears," Wally said.

"Stereotypes, Hon," Shine said.

"Is...partially true," Colossus admitted. "Not with the polar bears... Is more likely to be different kind of bear..."

"Ever think he's just messing with us?" Wally asked.

"Frequently, actually," Shine said.

"Vhat is this gift?" Kurt had found a different one for him. "It's a photo...huh..."

Shine looked at it. "I think that's your dad, actually."

"The...Count?" Kurt said.

He glanced at Mystique, who was busy being focused on anything else.

"Does it say who it's from?" Wally asked.

"No," Kurt said. "But...is..." He was quiet.

"You need to step out?" Shine asked.

"Ja, actually I might." Kurt vanished from the room.

"Don't worry," Shine told Wally. "He's not upset...just puzzled."

"Okay," Wally said. "I'll take your word for it."

"So, Moira, you'll be staying for the rest of the week, right?" Xavier said.

"If that's all right, Charles," Moira said. "Though...he seems to be doing fine." She seemed surprised. "But we haven't seen him in months."

"Of course, and you're welcome to. Let us know if you need anything else."

"Oh, you've done enough. We can manage just fine," Banshee said.

"I admit, Charles, I never thought your school would be so full so quick," Moira said. "But it's a good thing."

"Yes...it is..." Charles said.

[What was your favorite part of the holiday version of the X-men?]