Disclaimer: Marvel owns all the characters. I'm not making any money off of this. Please don't sue me. It's a Wonderful Life is by Frank Capra and all credit goes to Turner Entertainment (I think that's who owns it).
Continuity: An alternate-AKB story set in my Logan/Kurt universe. The narrator is Bobby.
Notes: This is a Christmas present for Kaylee, to thank her for her wonderful series. I wouldn't have come back to fanfiction without her and the Mooks! And, since it's a Christmas present, I'm posting it as a surprise to her and everyone (pats her beta-testers for not getting to see it first) ^-^
To everyone: Have the happiest of Holidays and be safe!

Zuzu's Petals
by Renard

It's Christmas morning. Early. Ororo's made sure it's a white Christmas and the flakes are falling past the window like delicate curls of lace. I watch each snowflake drop, each one perfectly formed. Remy is curled against my side, his breath mostly rhythmic. I feel so warm with him against me as I watch the snow fall. Like petals.

Last night we watched It's A Wonderful Life. We watch it every year on Christmas Eve. It's one of Jean's "bonding" rituals. I think it's just an excuse for all of us to get sappy and mushy.

Jean and Scott curled up in one chair. Hank took up the other. Logan and family were stretched out on the couch. Kurt's settled in to stay and Jubilee might as well be their adopted daughter. And where there's love, there's family I always say. Or something like that. Ororo was squished on the couch too but she wasn't complaining.

And then there was Remy and me, curled up on the love seat. I could feel his thin, fragile chest pressing into me, just like I feel it now.

But, that's not what's important. The petals are what I wanted to talk about.

Jean was already sniffling when we came to the scene. You know. The part about Zuzu and her flower. One of, oh, fifty scenes in the movie that make Jean cry. Unlike some of the others, though, no one else ever cries during this scene.

Usually that is.

See, in the movie, there's this little kid on the screen, looking up at Jimmy Stewart with her big eyes and saying, "Look Daddy...paste it." And she hands him this flower and a few petals that have fallen off, expecting him to fix it and make everything all better. And he pretends to fix it, but really he just stuffs the petals back in his pocket and hands the flower back to her. And he says, "There it is, good as new." And she believes him. And she's happy.

That's when Jean and I both started bawling like babies. It was really embarrasing.

No one called me out on it, though. And it didn't embarrass Remy. He just got this sad, misty look in his eyes and kissed me on the cheek.

Now it's Christmas. And I can't help wishing I was George Bailey, able to paste flowers and people back together and make everything good as new. But, for now at least, Remy's here, real and warm. And the snow is falling, covering everything like a white blanket. That's why I like snow. It's not so transparent as ice. It makes everything look better for a little while.

Just like petals. It's always worth it to enjoy their scent, even after they've shriveled up and gone.

~The End~

//Peace on earth. Good will to men.// And mooks ^-^

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