The celebration had gone on for most of the day, loud shouts of joy could be heard as well as demands that Scott would stop singing and the order to take pictures of Rogue and Joseph together.

Rogue had never been happier, she constantly thanked Joseph for this gift. Every time she thanked him he replied, “It is the love I hold for you that brought this gift to be,” and every time he said it she returned his words with a kiss.

They were like a young, teenage couple just about to go to the prom. To all who watched the display their love was obvious. It continued all throughout the party.

Ororo looked around frequently wondering if Remy had come down and finished his nap. She began to worry if he was okay but then decided that there could be nothing possibly wrong, all he was doing was sleeping.

However, as the party grew in hours the thunder storm outside worsened.

Dinner time soon approached and the party came to a close. The X-Men sat around the long table and looked upon the stunning variety of foods.

“Okay everyone settle down,” Professor Xavier shouted, “We have to say grace.”

The group quieted down and bowed their heads.

“Thank you for counting us worthy to have this food and thank you for letting us all be alive to share it. May our cause be easier to defend and further in the future. Amen.”

And everyone responded, “Amen.”

With that they ate. Attacking the food, Wolverine noticed a strange thing. “Where’s the Gumbo? It’s not like him to miss a meal.”

“Who knows?” Scott replied.

Storm looked over angrily at Scott, “Last time I saw him he was taking a nap in is room.”

“Ah still can’t believe he’s taking everything so well.” Rogue smirked as she passed the carrots to Joseph.

“It’s not healthy for a man we all suspected to charge at Joseph to sleep all day.” Jean put in.

“I know,” Storm said, “I have been worried about him all day. He didn’t seem very well when he was going to sleep.”

Betsy mumbled, “Sleeping all day is not that bad of an idea.”

A number of people shouted, “Hear, hear!” to the idea.

“How about we go and speak to our Cajun friend after we have finished our immense dinner.” Henry added.

“Do we all have to go and cheer up Gambit?” Joseph asked.

Xavier answered, “I suppose not. Why do you ask?”

“It’s just that,” Joseph smiled, “after such a meal I would like a..I would like to take a nap.”

The table erupted into laughter as his words came to an end.

“I’ll talk to Remy after dinner,” Ororo volunteered.

Everyone agreed and concentrated on the meal again. Soon the meal was over and as the table was being cleared Storm got up and headed toward Remy’s room.

“So dis is wat my life’s amount to,” Remy quietly told himself as he looked into the water under the bridge, “standin’ in de rain ‘cause de woman dat I love don’ love me.”

The rain beat against the wooden boards of the bridge and against the back and shoulders of the man leaning over it.

“Christmas. Bah Humbug! Happiest day of the year...more like de most miserable. Even weather bad.”

Looking down into the water he caught sight of his reflection and was disgusted again.

“I got to stop bein' selfish. It is de happiest day for Rogue, finally got wat she wanted.”

What she wanted. Something inside of Gambit broke at that moment.

“She can touch people and she has dat...dat...dat thing called Magneto...”

I believe it was his heart.

“It goin’ to be hard for her when I go back to de house, all de tension between me and Maggie all the de time now...”

He turned and looked at the lit house. Even from the bridge he could tell that Rogue was happy.

“I don’ want anythin’ to be hard for Roguie...”

Then he looked inside himself.

“Wat left for me? She don’ care about me anymore, time to take myself out of dis picture.”

He climbed on top of the bridge’s railing and looked down at the water below.

Once again the winds stopped in front of Remy Lebeau’s door and once again Ororo felt that something was wrong. She could feel a cold chill go straight down her back making the hair on her neck stand on alert.

She quietly knocked.

No answer.

She knocked again, “Remy are you awake?”

No answer.

Ororo smiled as she told herself, “I was wrong, he is fine. Still sleeping.”

As she turned the chill grew colder until she felt as if she was frost bitten.

He is not sleepin’.

Storm turned around startled at the sound of the voice. She scanned the space in front of her for the form of a person. She found nothing.

He is not in his room.

Ororo couldn’t find the voice’s source nor the voice’s body. She could only hear it’s words.

“If he is not in his room...” Storm turned the doorknob.

The room was empty.

“Okay voice,” she called out, “where is Remy?”

Remy is at de bridge in de distance. Hurry and get over dere. He is ready to throw himself off.

She flew through the pounding rain, straight to the bridge.

“Why would Remy try to commit suicide?” Storm asked herself. She could think of only one answer.

Rogue.

It was Rogue telling Joseph that she loved him that drove poor Remy to this and Storm knew it.

Storm also knew that if Remy was ready to throw himself off then she had better get to him quick. She knew that Rogue meant a lot to him and her loss would give him the strength to jump.

She could see his image in the distance.

The moment of truth had arrived.

To Storm’s horror he had begun to jump.