Ororo woke up happier than she had ever been in her life. Bishop was still in her bed spooned up against her back making her feel warm and safe. She looked around her loft everything appeared to be the same but she felt it wasn't. Her world had changed and it now glowed because she had finally found love. She let the contentment and completeness seep into every pore.

Rowan had been match making again. Rowan being empathic could feel who felt what about whom. And because she spent a lot of time with Ororo she could see the attraction between Bishop and Ororo. But Ororo did not see that there was someone in the mansion who wanted her until Rowan pointed him out to her. Ororo had never believed that any of the men at the mansion had ever liked her in a romantic way. Not like Jean and Scott. But as it turned out she was wrong. And now she was thanking the Goddess with all her heart for Bishop.

Rowan knew that if she let Ororo go with the knowledge of Bishop's love but didn't give her any help it would probably go nowhere. So, Rowan devised a plan to bring the two together. Secret Santa would do just fine. It was December and it would make the Christmas holiday more festive.

Rowan suggested the game to Jean and Jean ran with it. Then with Jean's help, Rowan rigged the game so that Bishop and Ororo got each other's names for the game.

"Alright people." Rowan said. "This is how the game works." "Everyone's name is in the hat...."

"Hey that's my good hat," yelled Logan trying to get his hat back from Rowan!

"Logan sit still I am not going to hurt your hat." "I just needed to borrow it for the game." Rowan said with an exaggerated sigh. Everyone laughed with delight at Logan and Rowan.

"Well next time ya need a hat, ask before ya take it." He growled and slumped down into his favorite chair. Jubilee repositioned herself up against his leg while holding Megan trying to wipe the silly grin from her face as she looked up at him.

Rowan smiled. "Each person will draw a name from the hat." "You are not suppose to tell anyone who's name you have." "And for the 12 days of Christmas you are suppose to give the person who's name you drew at least a present a day or a card or note or do something special for them." "Now does everyone understand?"

"Not completely," stated Bishop.

That's ok Bishop," said Jean "Rowan and I will help you."

Once Bishop was shown with a few examples what to do, he caught on quickly.

Everyone was excited about the new Christmas game. Presents, cards and jokes flew fast and furious. People began to go to great lengths to get just the right or in the other extreme the wrong gifts for their victim or should I say Secret Santa person. Bobby had a great deal of fun terrorizing Logan. Logan kept getting gifts that you would send to your Transvestite lover. To say the least, Logan was not amused.

"Alright who sent me this damn teddy with the built in boobs?" He roared one day. Everyone fell all over themselves in hysterics at the thought of Logan wearing it.

"Put it on and see if it fits Logan." Suggested Psylock. "That way we can see if it fits and if it is the right color."

"I'll give you fits and color!" Growled Logan as he launched at her.

At the beginning, Ororo, on the other hand, was being too conservative with her gifts to Bishop. But she had help wither she knew it or not.

"Alright Jean, Ororo is not getting into this." "We have got to get her some gifts for him that will knock his socks off." Rowan said.

"I know." "I am just trying to think of some things that wouldn't be too obviously not from her."

Jean and Rowan helped Bishop and Ororo send each other several nice gifts that only a lover might think of sending. One day it was maroon silk panties and bra set for Ororo. On another day, it was the Karma Sutra for Bishop and on and on until.

Three days before Christmas Ororo cornered Bishop. "Bishop can I speak with you please?"

"Of course Storm," said Bishop looking about nervously. Bishop's mouth went dry and he found it hard to swallow. The closer to Christmas it got the more scared he was about telling Ororo that he loved her. He had reviewed some of the security tapes and knew that she was the one sending him presents, just as he was sending his to her. He took a deep breath and looked deeply into Storm's eyes.

"First Bishop, will you please call me Ororo and second are you my Secret Santa?" She inquired.

Bishop all of a sudden felt flustered. How did she know?

"Yes I am." "But we are not supposed to tell until Christmas?" "Why are you not following the rules?" He asked nervously.

"I am your Secret Santa too Bishop and I did not want to wait until Christmas." "I wanted to ask you to go out to dinner with me tonight as a gift to you today." She said and smiled at him.

He could not beleive it. She wanted him. She was asking him out to dinner.

Ororo took his confusion and delay as a bad sign and was a little bit hurt. "It is alright if you don't want to." Ororo queitly stated looking disappointed.

"I want too," he stuttered. "I have wanted to be with you since the first time I saw you." "I did not think that you would ever want me." Bishop replied in suprise.

"I want you Bishop." She moved closer to him. "I have come to appreciate your loyalty, honor and commitment to the X-Men." "And I was hoping that we could become more than just friends and allies." She said as she smiled her most dazzling smile.

He was stunned. She was offering him everything he had wanted. And when she smiled at him, no for him his heart melted and he let her in. He reached out and pulled her close and kissed her with all the passion he possessed. Pulling back from the kiss, he gazed into the face of a Goddess who could love him and would let him love her.

She moaned deep in her throat while he kissed her. Her eyes were bright and sparkling as she looked into Bishop's dark brown eyes. His eyes and face for the first time that she had ever seen showed true happiness. His look also blantantly told her of his need and desire for her.

She reached up and laid her hand on his cheek. "Come with me." She said with a husky tone to her vioce that he had never heard before. She held out her hand for him to take.

He could do nothing but obey and reach for her hand.

Down stairs and an hour later several people were mad that this sudden snowstorm showed up outside. The snow was falling thick and deep. It was almost bad enough to declare white out conditions.

"What the heck is goin' on?" Logan growled. "The weather report said it was goin' to be nice tonight." "I aint taken Rowan and Megan out in this." He humphed.

Rowan looked upset at Logan about not going out. But there was something else in her eyes too that said that she was also pleased with this turn of events.

"Alright girl, spill it." "What the heck is goin' on?" Logan said in a low deep voice that was pitched for only her to hear.

Rowan tried to look at him with all innocence. "I'm not the one making the storm Logan." "I wanted to go out with you." She said for only him to hear.

The way Rowan was looking at Logan made him very uncomfortable. He knew that Rowan wanted him. But he still thought of her as a child. One that had been badly hurt, and he was going to do everything in his power to never let that happen again to her by him or anyone else.

"Talk to me Rowan," he said again. He was staring at her with a look that meant business.

With an exaggerated sigh, Rowan began to explain, "Either Storm is really, really happy right now with Bishop or he's a dead man."

"What are you talking about?" He almost yelled in frustration.

Rowan flinched and Megan began to cry. "I think that Storm and Bishop are up stairs together."

"As in bed?" He asked looking shocked.

"Yes."

The next morning at breakfast, Logan watched as Storm and Bishop walked hand in hand into the kitchen. "I'll be damned the girl was right!" Exclaimed Logan.

Ororo blushed and smiled. Bishop simply stared at Logan like he was a dirty toilet he was expected to clean.

Lady Bethia aka Susan Burch-Williamson