It wasn't unusual for Logan to take care of Becca on the weekends so that Marie could sleep in. This day was no exception, though the brunette had hoped her mate might wake her for a breakfast in bed or some other such special treat. Then again, she thought, that would be too cheesy for the Wolverine. Glancing at the digital clock on her night stand, she decided that ten o'clock was too early for her so she turned over and snuggled back into her pillow with a contented sigh.
On other days, the young mother could spend hours lying in bed half asleep, but today her mind wouldn't stop wondering what Logan might surprise her with at any moment. The anticipation eventually forced her out of bed and, after a quick visit to her bathroom, she headed for the kitchen, still clad in her blue pajamas.
Just like every other weekend morning, Logan sat at the table with a newspaper and his breakfast in front of him while Becca's seat stood next to him on the tabletop with the sleeping child in it. On the other end of the table sat Kitty, Jubilee and Piotr, each chewing on their cereal and mumbling a 'good morning' in her general direction as always.
"Morning." Marie frowned slightly at the familiar picture and fetched a glass for her orange juice from one of the cabinets. Her gaze traveled over her friends' faces while she poured herself her drink. The silence was defeating and she placed her still half full glass onto the kitchen counter before moving closer to Logan. "Umm… today is Saturday." She hinted eventually.
The Canadian didn't look up from the newspaper when he murmured his answer. "Yeah, I know, Kid."
'Has he forgotten?' The sickening feeling that this might indeed be the case grew and she decided to give it another try. "What have ya planned for today?"
"The cage fights yesterday were tough. Gonna relax a little while tinkering around with Cyke's bike." He plopped a slice of bacon into his mouth.
"Oh." Her voice became even smaller. "Okay…"
Eventually Logan lifted his gaze from the newspaper. "Somethin' wrong, Kid?" He furrowed his brows. "You got other plans?"
"Umm, no." Her face fell and her sad eyes switched swiftly over to the calendar hanging on the wall next to the fridge.
Logan's gaze followed hers and his eyes widened in horror. "Oh fuck! I completely forgot 'bout your birthday, Kid!" He looked quite sheepish as he crumbled the newspaper together. "Sorry."
Marie narrowed her eyes on him and the sadness in her features was impossible to miss. "Ya ain't serious, Logan?"
The Canadian ran his hand through his hair and rose to his feet, approaching her slowly. "But you already said you only want us to spend the day together. I can work on the bike some other time."
"Nah… ya don't have to go outta your way, Logan." Her voice almost cracked as she struggled against the tears that threatened to fall. "It's just a day like any other." The brunette pushed past her mate, miserable and angry at the same time and reached for her sleeping daughter.
Wolverine followed her back to the kitchen table, a guilty expression on his face. "Kid, I'm sorry."
When Marie pulled the baby seat closer towards her, she caught sight of a plate with a huge stack of large pancakes on it, that was well hidden behind her daughter's seat. Instead of maple syrup, Nutella cream was between each pancake and covered the top one completely while candles in the form of a 17 stuck in it. The brunette wasn't sure if this was a desperate attempt of her own imagination to make her feel better, so she turned her head around and met Logan's gaze.
He couldn't keep his smile off his face any longer, especially not at the sight of his mate's astonished features. "At least Becca had thought of your birthday." Logan watched the girl look back and forth between him and her cake, a smile tugging on her lips. "Happy Birthday, Kid." Wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace, he couldn't stop himself from planting a kiss onto her head.
Their audience also got to their feet with smiles on their faces and approached Marie. "Happy Birthday, Rogue!"
"Thanks!" Marie beamed from ear to ear and her former tears of sadness were now rolling down her cheeks as tears of joy. Her gaze returned to the plate with the candles. "What's that?"
"Your birthday cake out of pancakes." Logan snatched his lighter from his jeans and lit the candles while Marie giggled. "Kitty offered to bake, but then I heard stories about last Thanksgivin' and her mashed potatoes. I know it isn't a real cake, Kid, but it's better than a bought one." Logan shrugged, hoping she liked his idea. "Or Kitty's."
"It's great, Logan! It's the best birthday cake ever!" She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him with all her might, her joy sparkling in her chocolate eyes.
The Canadian chuckled about her enthusiasm. "Don't praise it before you tasted it."
When she broke away Jubilee pulled her into another hug. "You should have seen your face when you thought we had forgotten 'bout your big day, chica!"
"That was so mean of you, guys!" Marie exclaimed while hugging her other two friends.
"Umm, Kid, you should blow out the candles before the pancakes burn." Meanwhile Logan had picked his daughter up and had carefully woken her up.
The brunette's eyes widened at the steadily shrinking candles. Sitting down on the chair Logan had pulled out for her, she took a deep breath.
"Don't forget to make a wish, Rogue!" Kitty reminded her friend and watched her extinguish the flames.
The Canadian held Becca in his arm, her head in the crook of his arm as he carefully placed a red wrapped package on the infant's belly. "I had a hard time to find a present for you, but Becca had a great idea." He chuckled as he saw his mate's eyes widen in happiness at the sight of her present being 'carried' by her daughter.
Marie picked her child and gift up and cradled the girl close to her chest. "Ooh thanks, Becca!" The tiny girl gargled happily and grasped for her mother's dog tags as her chubby cheeks were assaulted by kisses.
"Open it up, Kid." Logan was anxious like a little boy at Christmas morning.
The young mother grinned up at him and carefully unwrapped the present, so the wrappings wouldn't be damaged.
"Just rip it."
"Nah, Ah'm almost done." She slid the box out and gasped at the picture on it. "Wow…" Logan feared for a moment she didn't like it, but then the girl cracked the brightest smile he had ever seen and threw her arms around his stomach. "Thank ya! Thank ya! Thank ya, Logan!"
"I take it you like it."
She pulled away and studied the description. "It's fantastic!" When she opened the box she noted the security tape had been broken.
"I took the liberty to charge it and Becca urged me to make a few pics of her," explained Logan while he watched his mate inspect the silver camera. "You can make as many photos and videos with audio as you like, Kid."
"That's the best present ever, Logan!" Marie felt tears sting in her eyes as she looked at the pictures of her little girl already stored on the device. The date of the earliest told her that Becca had been nine days old.
"You always complained you have no early pictures of the little tyke." Wolverine added in a gentle voice.
The brunette eventually looked up and their gazes met. "Thank ya so much, Logan!"
The Canadian felt his own face split into a genuine smile as once again she threw her free arm around his waist, hugging him to her and burying her cheerful face in his side. "You're welcome, Kid." When they broke away, he fetched the camera from her fingers and took a first picture of his two girls together.
Meanwhile Jubilee had retrieved the other present from under the table and was now placing it in front of the birthday girl on the table. "Pete, Kitty and I also got you something, Roguey."
She looked away from the camera and faced her friends with a bright smile. "Thank ya!"
"The small present is for you and the large one is for Becca." Pete clarified with a grin and watched Marie unwrap the smaller gift.
The brunette furrowed her brows when she found a bird-shaped soft-toy in it. "Ooh, Ah always wanted a purple bird. How did ya guys know?" She asked sarcastically, aware that this toy was for her daughter.
"It's a rattle." Kitty explained with a smile and reached for the item in the other brunette's hand and shook it slightly. Upon hearing the sound of the toy above her head, Becca's eyes widened and she reached out for the small bird with eager hands.
Marie smiled down on her little girl. "Ooh, no, honey, that rattle is for me ya hear." But she placed the toy into her daughter's small hands, who immediately put it in her mouth and sucked on the fabric. "Ya can hold it while Ah unwrap your present, sweetie." A moment later, Marie grinned like an idiot as she pulled a forest green bikini top from the paper and held it over her baby's tiny body. "It's a little big, don't ya think?"
"Becca has till summer to grow into it." Jubilee chuckled and saw the young mother nod.
"Otherwise, would ya'll be mad if Becca and Ah switch our presents?"
"Well, OK, only if you promise to accompany us to the lake in the summer." Kitty watched her friend fold the bikini neatly together.
Marie grinned while Logan took a few photos. "Okay, deal." She carefully leaped up and walked around the table to hug each of her friends, Becca propped up on her shoulder. "Thank ya'll so much."
"Oh you have already started with the presents!" came Storm's voice from the doorway and she approached with a present in her hand while Scott, Jean and the professor were on her heels. The weather witch leaned forward and hugged the birthday girl. "Happy birthday, Rogue."
X X X X X
Ten minutes later, Marie had unwrapped her last present, a pink and yellow striped baby memorial album. In awe she leafed through the empty pages. There was enough room for photos and notes to document Becca's first five years. The small touch ink-pad that came with the book was for a little print of Becca's foot and hand for the first page.
Tears of joy glittered in her chocolate orbs as Marie looked up and faced her teachers. "Thank ya so much, Mr. Summers and Dr. Grey! Ah'll start with it right away!" Her gaze traveled over her presents on the table: The bikini, the camera, the baby album, photo print paper and a SD storage card from Storm and a small photo printer to print the pictures directly from the camera from the professor. "Is it possible that ya coordinated the presents?" She eventually asked with an amused frown.
Storm grinned down at her. "Logan told me he got you a camera to keep records of your daughter growing up and we eventually came up with the other stuff you might need."
"Thank ya'll so much! That's the best birthday ever!"
"The surprises ain't over yet, Kid." The Canadian announced and traded mischievous looks with her classmates.
"What? There is more?" Marie was genuinely taken aback and curious.
"Yep, Wolvie has planned how to celebrate your birthday tonight." Jubilee began and Kitty continued. "We'll take you to a club downtown!"
"A club!" Marie looked shocked from one of her friends to the next until her gaze stopped at her mate, who could tell that she wasn't all that thrilled. "If you don't want Yellow and Half-Pint to style you, you should be ready at 7 p.m., Kid."
"B-but, what about Becca?" She got incredibly nervous. Never before was she in a club and only one time in a bar. What was she gonna wear? How was she gonna dance there? She'd make a fool out of herself!
"I know the bouncer, but I doubt I can make him let a baby in." He explained and picked his sleepy daughter up. "Becca and I will enjoy the evenin' with beer and milk in front of the TV." He pressed a soft kiss on the baby's forehead. "Won't we, kiddo?" The tiny girl gargled in response and made her mother laugh.
"Let's cut the cake before the lil' skunk demands her second breakfast." Logan was glad to see his mate laughing and happy, though he didn't miss the jealousy and anger lingering in the air. His gaze darted over to the redhead, who congratulated the girl once more before excusing herself. 'Good thing the bitch is returnin' to her stupid lab.'
When everyone had a slice of the monstrous pancake(s) placed before them Marie stared at the seventeen extinguished candles laying on a separate plate.
"365 days," the young woman muttered softly.
Everyone looked startled except Logan, who grinned. "It's 366 days, Kid. Next year is a leap year." He heard her groan and snickered about the face she made.