Unlikely Angel - REVIEW THIS STORY

Written by RV Bemis
Last updated: 01/02/2007 02:01:11 AM

Chapter 1

DECEMBER 22nd, 4:47 pm

"How dare you!!!" pierced through the air, causing the workmen to turn around. All they saw was a young girl with bones sticking out from every recognizable direction in her body. "You have no right!!!"

The foreman ducked from a lethally-accurate tossed bone and gasped in fear. "What? I'm just doing my job! What do you care about a decrepit sewer system?"

"I thought I told you human scum before that this was sacred ground. Now LEAVE!" More bones were tossed, and the workers scattered.

"Marrow! For the sake of the Goddess what are you doing?" Storm and the rest of the X-Men arrived on the scene. "Stop now and come back to the mansion with us child!"

"Leave me, weather-witch. This doesn't concern you."

"Hey. Metal-muscles," came a gravely voice caked with Cubans, "Fastball special time, bub."

Colossus picked up the pint-sized Canadian and chucked him in the general direction of Marrow. Wolverine slammed right into Marrow, and grasped her in a tight hold. Bones plunged into various parts of his body, but the healing factor kicked in.

"Let me go old man! These guys have to pay!"

"Not likely, bub."

Storm approached the foreman. "I am sorry for the child's outburst, but she actually has a connection to these tunnels."

"Lady," the foreman began, "These sewers are condemned and defunct. Ever since they built the new system in, these have never been kept up or used. Now, unless we build new walls and concrete the innards, the whole street could collapse in. Call me crazy, but even welfare families deserve to live, even if it is in condemned buildings. By five o'clock tomorrow, this place has to be sealed up for good."

Marrow looked around at the detitute area, where hungry children ran about, playing with a rusty can like it was a soccer ball. People huddled around a large trash can where a fire had been built. Nothing but poverty everywhere she saw.

"Let us leave, I am sorry Marrow." Marrow just sniffed, and turned her head, so no one would see her cry.

Remy LeBeau sat in the boathouse in front of a roaring fire, playing Tut's Tomb with a brand new deck of Hoyle's. On the table, a pile of gifts sat for the entire X-Crew. Everything seemed peaceful.

"Rogue, you should know by now you can't sneak up on me."

"Ah certainly can try, can't ah shugah?" Rogue looked around at the house, still decorated from when Scott and Jean lived in it. Her eyes gazed on the massive pile of gifts on the table, addressed to everyone, including gifts for X-folk not even present at the time - Scott, Jean, Betsy, Warren, Drake, even Bishop. "You get these legit or five-fingered discount?"

"Both. I have quite de stash of cash from my thievin' days in N'Awlins. Had to visit Pop secretly in order to get it. Most of de cash is from when Stormy and I was robbin' bad ones a long time ago. It's clean though."

"Why shugah? We... Ah dumped you to die in the cold. Why bother with us?"

"'Cause I care about ya'll. De best family I ever had. For de first time since Belladonna, I actually love someone... and besides, everyone is so down on dere luck right now, figured I could spread some holiday cheer."

It was then that Rogue noted that the labels weren't in Remy's normal chicken-scratch handwriting, but typed, and Remy's name was absent. "Why didn't you put your name on them?" Then she noticed a very small present to Sarah, and it actually was in his writing, signed "Love, Remy."

"Figured I didn' want ta be a hero or nuthin'. Thought it would be better as a surprise. A regular Christmas miracle, non? Nobility don' suit me too good."

"Better then you think, Cajun." Rogue gave Remy the greatest, warmest, most loving embrace she had ever given anyone. "Merry Christmas, Swamp Rat... Ah love you, shugah."

"I... I love you too, Chere."

DECEMBER 25th, 9:03 am

Everyone flew in for Christmas morning. Warren had come with Betsy, the original five came in for the day. Everyone was there, save for Bishop. And much to their surprise, there was a truckload of gifts underneath the tree.

"Who did this?" "None of us have the cash." "I thought the Professor's assets had been frozen..." Many other whispers. The only person not in the crowd was Remy LeBeau, who was dozing off in the corner.

"Wake up, Gumbo," Wolverine said to Gambit, "Bad night's sleep."

"Someting like dat, mon ami."

After the Professor came in totally stunned, the gift-opening began. Lots of new electronic equipment for almost everyone. Clothing was also popular as a gift. New art supplies for Piotr. Cubans for Logan. A dreidel for Kitty (who took no offense to opening a Christmas gift). Exotic seedlings for Ororo. The collective works of the Great Greek Philosophers for Charles. A new electronic planner for Warren. Laboratory supplies for Hank. Everyone was given many great gifts, yet no one knew who had given them to them.

Rogue walked over to Remy, who had received a couple things (he wrapped himself some gifts to throw off suspicion). She was gasping over the new emerald necklace. "Remy..."

"Shush, chere. 'Sides, I have a hand-written gift for you to model off for me later," he said as he gave her a sly wink. "Fer now, I have one last gift to give." He stood up, kissed her hand, and walked over to Marrow."

"Sarah," he started as he noticed her beaming over a gorgeous new dress he had gotten her secretly.

"Yeah Gumbo?"

"I got you someting." He handed her the tiny package Rogue had noted. He also didn't notice Jean and Rogue glancing at times over to the scene.

Sarah took the gift, and unwrapped it. It was the Angel doll she had left in the sewers they had just closed up. "How... how... how did you know?"

"I'm a tief, petite. Stormy also tol' me 'bout your connection to de sewers, and your love of Warren. So, I went back to see if I could find anyting from dere you might want. Found dis near a tibia, figured you might want it."

Sarah, overcome with joy, hugged Remy, saying, "Thank you" repeatedly.

"Glad you like it, dat be more den I deserve." And walked over to talk with the others.

DECEMBER 25th, 10:58 pm

Remy was about to leave the mansion for the boathouse. He had just finished drinking cider with Scott and Logan, and was ready for bed.

"Remy."

Remy turned to see Jean standing at the base of the stairs. "Yes Red?"

"It was you, wasn't it?"

"Let's jus' keep dat fact 'tween ourselves, chere."

"Well, Scott knows, but he has access to my mind, and it was a stray thought he picked up on. But he thought it was great as well. Guess the world's greatest thief learned to share."

"Non, learned to love, chere."

"Merry Christmas Gambit. Oh, by the way, Rogue's waiting for you at the boathouse. She found your gift. Silk really becomes her."

Remy grinned. "Merry Christmas, Jean." He then turned and walked out the door towards the boathouse.