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Chanukah Miracles

Summary : A holiday friendship fic.
Fandom : X-Men [Movieverse]
Characters : Kitty Pryde, Jubilee, Many others
Rating : G
Disclaimer : None of the characters are mine. Honest.

Dedication : To Mara. This is to fulfil one of the wishes on your list. Happy Chanukah. Love Kim.

It's odd how what seems like a random comment can lead to this, Jubilee thought to herself. She was sitting in the middle of Westchester Central Library with a selection of books around her and a notepad and pen in hand.

The rest of the students from the Institute were out Christmas shopping with Storm and Cyclops, something which Jubilee had full intended to do, along with drinking a good amount of Starbucks coffee. Instead, she thought, I'm sitting here doing 'research' on Jewish festivals. Odd.

It had all started when she had bounced into her room and asked her roommate, Kitty, if she was joining them all for some Christmas Present buying.

"I don't do Christmas, Jubes. Remember?"

Jubilee had considered it for a moment and then vaguely recalled hearing that Kitty was Jewish and therefore didn't celebrate Christmas.

"Oh, it's the Jewish thing, right?"

Kitty sighed. "Yes, Jubilee. It's the Jewish thing."

Jubilee had shrugged and wandered off to join the rest of the students. She hadn't intended to give it a second thought, but suddenly she had felt guilty. It wasn't really fair for Kitty to miss all the excitement of presents. And so, here she was, looking up information on Jewish Festivals. It turned out that one, Chanukah, the festival of lights, was around the same time as Christmas.

Perfect, she thought to herself. Now to make some plans.

*

1st Night of Chanukah

Kitty sat alone on her bed. It was the first year that she had not been at home for Chanukah. She'd spoken to her parents on the phone, but it wasn't the same. The Professor had thought that it was too risky for any of the children to leave the Institute at the moment, considering the feelings of the general populace towards mutants.

She wouldn't be celebrating Christmas this year either. It never usually bothered her, as she knew that she would have Chanukah. She looked over at the Chanukah card she had received from her parents and felt tears well in her eyes. She wasn't a particularly religious person, but Chanukah was always special to her family.

Just then, she heard a knock on the door. She wiped her hand across her eyes and called out "Come in."

The door opened and in walked Jubilee, hiding something behind her back.

"I'm not really in the mood, Jubilee."

Jubilee forced a hurt expression onto her face and pulled out the gift she'd brought for her friend.

"So you wont want this Chanukah present, then?"

Kitty looked up, surprised.

Jubilee held out a chunk of wood, carved into a rough menorah shape.

"It's kinda from several people," Jubilee explained, handing it over. "Storm suggested the best type of wood. Logan cut it out using his claws. And the candle holes were made by Cyclops. Oh, and Dr. McCoy advised me how to stop the whole thing bursting into flames."

"Oh, Jubilee. It's beautiful," exclaimed Kitty, close to tears. She placed it on the windowsill as Jubilee brought out some candles.

"I've been doing some reading and it's the first night of Chanukah tonight, isn't it?"

Kitty nodded, surprised that Jubilee had gone this much out of her way for her.

Jubilee placed one candle in the first hole. She pulled out another candle and lit it using her fireworks.

"Shhh, don't tell the Prof that I'm using my powers for this," she smiled. She held the lit candle out to Kitty who took it and used it to light the first night's candle. As she did, she recited the prayer - one that she knew from heart.

"Baruch ata adonai, elohanu melech ha'olum. Asher kidishanu burmitzvah tov. Vertsivanu lechadlit ner sha chanukah."

She turned to Jubilee and threw her arms around her.

"Thank you. You're the greatest friend ever."

"You don't know the half of it," she smiled.

*

2nd Night of Chanukah

Kitty smiled as she looked at the Menorah that Jubilee had brought her yesterday. She had never expected any of her friends to even remember it was Chanukah, let alone help her celebrate it. For the first time in a while, she felt good about being at the Xavier Institute.

She heard a knock on the door. Expecting it to be Jubes again, she jumped up to open the door.

"Since when do you knock to come in to your own room," she said, as she opened the door.

But it wasn't her roommate. Looking slightly uncomfortable was Bobby Drake.

"Oh sorry, Bobby. I thought it was Jubes."

He gave her a small smile and held out a small wrapped box to her.

"Umm. Jubilee told us it was a festival for you. Chanukah, I think. I bought you a present." He shuffled from one foot to the other. No matter what he'd gone through with the X-Men, he was still a teenage boy and found these situations extraordinarily awkward.

"Oh wow. Bobby. Thanks."

Kitty reached for the box and opened it. She gave a small gasp as she reached in and pulled out a small beautiful crystal dragon.

"I was going to make you an ice one, but I figured that this looks as good and will probably last a lot longer."

"Bobby. It's beautiful. I adore dragons. How did you know?"

"Jubilee," he answered.

Hesitatingly, she reached over and gave Bobby a quick hug. He flushed red and muttered something about having to go.

Kitty closed the door after him and placed the delicate ornament on her bookshelf. She lit the Chanukah candles for that night and said the blessing. She added a small prayer to look after Jubilee and Bobby.

*

3rd Night of Chanukah

"Mail Call!"

As soon as Scott Summers called out, every student in the mansion came running. Several went away empty handed, but most had at least one letter or early christmas card. Sam Guthrie received a large parcel.

"Excellent. Ma's sent what Ah I asked for."

He grabbed the parcel and ran off with it to his room.

A large group of students, Kitty included, stayed in the rec room, some of them playing pool; some watching TV; some just talking.

After about 20 minutes, Sam came back into the room with a large wrapped package.

"Kitty. Can Ah have a quick word?"

Glancing around at Jubilee with a questioning look on her face, Kitty stood and walked over to Sam.

"Ah was trying to think of a Chanukah present for you, but I couldn't come up with anything."

"That's okay, Sam. It was nice of you just to remember about me," she interrupted.

"Oh shush. Ah had to get you something. So Ah wrote my Ma and asked her for some of those chocolate brownies she makes. Ah know you like them. So here you are. Happy Chanukah."

He handed her the large package. Kitty was thrilled. Sam often got homebaked biscuits and cakes from his mother and they all 'assisted' him with eating them. Sam knew that the brownies were Kitty's favourite thing and now she had a whole box all to herself.

"You are the sweetest thing in the world, Sam Guthrie. And remind me to write your Ma and thank her too."

*

4th Night of Chanukah

Theresa Rourke almost ran Kitty down in the corridor.

"I've got something for you, for Chanukah" she smiled. "But you'll have to come outside for it."

The two girls went outside and Theresa handed Kitty a pair of earplugs.

"Ummm, Terry. Don't think I'm not grateful..." Kitty started.

Theresa blew a small raspberry at her friend and indicated for her to put the earplugs in. As soon as Kitty had done so, she walked around and stood behind her, wrapping her arms around Kitty tightly.

"I love you too, Terry, but not like this," Kitty laughed.

The other girl just tightened her grip and told Kitty to hold on. The next thing Kitty knew, she was flying!

She knew that Theresa had practised using her sonic scream to fly, much like her uncle did, but she had never taken anyone else flying with her.

The two of them soared above the mansion, Kitty waving at the students who noticed them, trying to ignore the ringing in her ears. Even with the earplugs, Theresa's scream was pretty loud, but Kitty wouldn't have given up this flight for anything.

Although she loved her mutant ability, she had always longed to be able to fly. The Professor theorised that one day she might be able to float using her intangibility, but it was only with help from her friends that she could truly fly.

When they eventually landed, Kitty turned to Theresa and gave her the biggest hug.

"That was the most awesome thing ever," she exclaimed, her ears still ringing.

"I'm glad you liked it. You're the first person I ever took up with me. Hope you like your present."

"Oh, Terry, it was the best!"

*

5th Night of Chanukah

Again, there was a knock on the door in the evening.

"Come in," Kitty called.

Jamie Madrox bounced in.

"Yo Kat!"

Kitty couldn't help but smile. Jamie always had way more energy than any other person in the Institute. Dr. McCoy theorised that it was something to do with the extra energy he needed to expend in order to create his duplicates, but Kitty just thought that he was a typical hyperactive teenager.

"Hey Jamie. What's up?"

"Jubes mentioned this Chanukah thingy and I thought that I'd bring you the present that I was gonna buy you for christmas before I found out that you dont celebrate christmas and I hope you like it because I had to think hard about what to buy you...."

"Woah, Jamie. Breath."

He laughed. "Sorry, Kitty, you know what I'm like when I get excited. I just hope you like what I got you." He handed over a tiny box.

Kitty opened it, cautiously. She'd been caught out with a practical joke or two from Jamie before and she wasn't taking any chances this time.

Instead of the explosion she expected, she saw a beautiful beaded bracelet lying there. The beads each looked identical at first glance until she looked closer at them. She realised that every one was slightly different.

"It's hand-made," Jamie explained. "Every bead looks the same but is an individual. Kinda like me," he added, as he thumped his fist against the wall and created a duplicate of himself.

"Oh Jamie, it's lovely. Every time I wear it, I'll think of you."

Jamie smiled and hit his fist a couple more times.

"What are you doing?" Kitty asked, getting worried.

"Monkey-pile on Kitty!" he shouted as five of him ran at Kitty, hugging her so hard that they all fell to the floor.

*

6th Night of Chanukah

The next evening it was Rogue's turn to knock on the door.

She hadn't known Kitty as long as some of the others had, but the two hit it off and became good friends.

Despite that, Rogue still had no idea what she could get as a Chanukah present. She had never been good at buying gifts, especially not when it was as important as this one would be. When she asked Storm for advice, the Weather Goddess simply advised her to 'play to your strengths'.

She'd thought about it for days, wondering what to get for Kitty. She wanted something special. Something only she could give her. Then she remembered.

"I couldn't think what to get you, so I thought that I could come and spend the evening with you."

Kitty smiled. Spending time with her friends was one of the perks of living in the mansion like this.

"I'd like that," she answered, reaching over to light the candles.

"Kitty? Can I do that?"

Kitty looked puzzled. She knew that Rogue wasn't Jewish, but she lit the first candle and handed it over.

To her surprise, Rogue recited the blessing perfectly, adding a small prayer, in hebrew, for their friends. She turned back to Kitty and smiled.

"Magneto," she explained. "He's Jewish and when I absorbed him ..." her voice trailed off. She swallowed hard and continued. "... I absorbed his memories too. I remember trying to celebrate Chanukah before the war, when I was young."

Rogue and Kitty sat together on the bed, with Rogue remembering stories that were not her own. For the first time, Kitty had someone she could properly talk to about Chanukah, who would understand it from more than just an academic point of view. They spent hours swapping tales, with Jubilee joining them later that night. The three stayed up most of the night talking.

*

7th Night of Chanukah

To Kitty's surprise, the knock on the door the next night revealed Scott Summers.

"Mr. Summers. Hi."

"Call me Scott, Kitty. We're not in class now."

"What can I do for you?"

"I heard that you were celebrating Chanukah and I wanted to bring you a present."

She was speechless. The other students buying her presents was one thing, but Scott was a teacher, and an X-Man.

He handed over a coloured scarf. Kitty recognised it instantly as one of Jean's. She'd often told Jean how much she loved it, but she didn't think she could accept it now.

Scott saw her hesitation. "Jean was going to give it to you anyway," he said. "She knew how much you loved this one and she always said that the lilac didn't suit her complexion. Happy Chanukah, Kitty. From both of us."

Kitty could see how much this pained him and she boldly stepped forward and hugged him.

"Thank you, Scott. She was such a good friend to me when I first came here. I didn't think I would survive, but she helped me see all the positive things. I hope I can live up to all the things she taught me."

Scott hugged her back. "I'm sure you will."

*

Last Night of Chanukah

It was the final night of Chanukah - Kitty's favourite. She loved to watch all the candles flickering together.

Sure enough, that night, like the nights before, there was a knock on the door, and Kitty went to answer it.

This time it was Kitty's turn to blush. Standing in front of her was Peter Rasputin, the armoured artist. Since her first day at the Institute, Kitty had the biggest crush on him, but had barely ever plucked up the courage to say more than two words to him. And here he was at her door.

"Kitty," he started. "I hope you don't mind, but I heard that it was the Jewish festival of lights and I wanted to buy you a gift."

Kitty couldn't do much more than just stand there with a silly grin on her face.

Peter handed her a small wrapped parcel. She quickly ripped the paper off and was astonished to see a small framed drawing. Everybody in the Institute knew what an amazing artist Peter was, but he rarely gave away drawings, feeling that they weren't good enough to show off.

This one was a beautiful scene showing a group of people praying at the Wailing Wall in Israel. Kitty gasped. She had always wanted to visit Jerusalem but had never had the chance. Peter's drawing almost made up for it.

"I don't know what to say."

"I know how much I miss my homeland," he said, referring to the small Russian farm where he had grown up. "I had heard that Jews consider Israel to be their homeland, even if they have never been, so I thought you might appreciate this drawing."

"It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen," she replied, honestly, tears forming in her eyes.

He leaned in towards her and gave her a small kiss on the cheek.

"No. I am looking at the most beautiful thing. Happy Chanukah, Katya."