Title: In the Spirit of the Elves

Author: Becca aka Barbie Girl

Characters or Relationships: Xander, Ensemble (Some Xander & Buffy impliedness)

Spoilers: Post Chosen

Summary: Xander is in search of the perfect Christmas gift...

A\N: Please R&R. Also thanks to my Beta Morganna, and thanks Annakorsky who inspired me to write with her fic Christmas, Iowa Style.

In the Spirit of the Elves

"That's it! I'm giving up! You're impossible." Dawn had had it. Really had it. Her feet were blistered from walking endless stretches of the four area malls that had finally lead to one last-ditch attempt at Tower City in the heart of Cleveland. It was big, by far the biggest mall she had seen since they landed in Cleveland a little over two weeks ago. Originally the idea of a white Christmas sent the brunette into fits of joy, but soon the thrill wore off and it just became plain cold. She wanted to do nothing more than check back in to the hotel and soak in a warm bath all day. Unfortunately Xander had recruited the youngster to help with his shopping and he was being downright unreasonable about all of her suggestions.

"You can't. " Xander protested. "I still don't have a present yet. And I doubt the Grinch stole it excuse is gonna work this year."

"Gotta tell ya." Willow piped up; arms loaded down with bags filled to the brim with shiny new purchases. "Didn't really work last year." While technically she didn't celebrate Christmas, at least not in the traditional sense, even she had to admit the spirit was positively infectious. The three-story mall was filled with shiny brass escalators, children running to and fro, and women with rosy noses from the cold weather. Not to mention the Santa at the center almost made her forget all her bitter childhood feelings stemming from the fact she never actually got a visit from the fat old man.

"See? Dawnster? You have to help me! You don't want some angry new slayer beating me to a pulp cuz she was left out, do ya?" When she didn't answer he asked again, tone rising an octave. "You don't right? Cuz I already said I was sorry about the whole shower thing."

"I thought we agreed to never bring that up!" She glared at Xander who ducked his head, traces of a blush rising on his cheeks. "Willow?" The youngest Summers pleaded. "Why can't we do a forgetting spell?"

The red head shook her head in sympathy. "I only do necessary magic. You know that. Otherwise out comes scary girl and I got to tell ya, I'm not really big into the dark hair myself."

Dawn threw herself on to an empty bench. "But this is necessary." She sulked, arms crossing over her chest; lips formed into a perfect pout.

"Aww, poor Dawnie." Willow patted her with a gloved hand. "Would you like me to get you a hot chocolate instead? I can even get it with extra whip cream. Oh! And maybe some of those chocolate sprinkles on top? Ya know, so extra chocolateliness." She clapped her hands excitedly but the hot pink gloves muffled the sound.

The mere mention of chocolate began to thaw Dawn's icy demeanor but she wasn't gonna cheer up that quick. It was fun watching them squirm not to mention one of the bylaws of being an adolescent. "Extra Sprinkles?" She bargained.

"Coming right up." Willow nodded with a smile, setting down the bags and bouncing off to the nearby Starbucks.

"Well isn't she the little cheerful elf?" Xander commented as he sat down next to Dawn, his arm slung over the back of the bench.

"She's Jewish." Dawn reminded him.

"So? Who says there aren't Jewish elves?"

Dawn leaned back, allowing her head to rest on his strong shoulder. Her legs were throbbing, her feet ached, but even she had to admit the Christmas music was inebriating, made her want to max out Giles' credit card on pointy shoes and ribbons. "Some how I don't think Santa hires Jewish elves."

"See? That's how you get yourself slapped with a discrimination lawsuit." He replied in mock offense, eyes twinkling despite his lack of a gift. "Besides there has to be Jewish elves. They make those little weird dice things."

"Dreidels?"

"Yeah. And they make them out of clay and sing that song..." He scratched his head trying to remember the song title. "Ya know that song?"

"The dreidel song?" She added helpfully.

"No, that's not it. The one that guy who used to be on Saturday Night Live sang. You know the one?"

"The Adam Sandler song?"

"Yep!" He slapped his knee. "That's the one. They sing that while they work."

"Good to know." Dawn rolled her eyes. "So..." She began once no one had said anything for a moment. "Are you ready to give up and go back to the hotel? I mean we might as well enjoy it, especially since Angel is paying."

He frowned. The offer was tempting. It had been far too long since he had had his own bathroom especially one away from Andrew's prying eyes but..."I still haven't found the right gift yet."

"Oh!" Dawn threw her hands up exasperated. All day long she had every suggestion blown down by the words 'right gift'. She had had enough. "Just get her something skanky and can we pl-ease call it a day?"

"Somehow I can't picture Giles in something skanky." Xander replied with a smirk, which died on his lips as a mental image popped in his head. "Except now I can! My eyes! My eyes!"

Dawn giggled. "You only have the one, Xand."

"Fine! My eye! My eye!" He clutched at his good eye. "I feel the need to scrub my brain with Lysol or at least a Brillo pad. I just feel so dirty." He shuddered.

"You should feel dirty. I mean if you do have Giles, we have so been going in the wrong shops. Unless..." She twisted a piece of her long brown hair around her slender finger. "You wanted to see him in that mini skirt you were thinking about back there."

"Shut your mouth." He tried to look indifferent. He really did, but that knowing smile just cracked through. "Fine. It's girl. I picked a girl's name, but that does not mean I should get her something skanky. I mean how would you feel if I had your sister and we got her something all tight that clung to her. And showed off her tight abs like it was made out of spandex..." His voice trailed off, his mouth left open, tiny bits of drool seeping from the corners as his mind took him to a place far better than reality.

Dawn used her index finger to raise his chin, snapping his mouth closed with a soft pop. "I would say she already has a closet full of them." Xander pulled from his reverie wiped the drool from his mouth frantically, looking for all the world like a child who just got caught shop lifting a candy bar. There was a mild blush that added a flame of color to his face and ears, his eyes were wide and worried, and his face spoke one expression, 'busted'. But Dawn didn't even mention it. The fact was as much fun as it would have been to tease Xander mercilessly about his daydream slip she was on a more important mission, target: hotel. "And it doesn't matter anyhow because you don't have Buffy. Giles does."

"Dawn!" An outraged cry rang from Willow, who had walked up behind them, hands precariously balancing three cups of steaming goodness. "Do I have to explain what the 'secret' part of 'secret gift giver' means?" She glared, handing off the hot beverages. "Cuz I thought it was pretty clear."

"Especially what with Andrew's chart." Xander piped up, but seeing a sharp glance from Willow, thought the better of teasing his friend and instead buried his mouth in the mountain of melting whip cream fighting to abandon his cup and dribble down his hand.

"No." Dawn said with a roll of her eyes. This wasn't the first time Willow had caught the youngest Summers undermining her great holiday idea. Just yesterday she had walked in on Dawn interrogating half of the newest slayers in training. There had been an extensive lecture about tradition and trust, which left Dawn with only one message; make sure Willow was gone before questioning people. "You don't have to explain what 'secret' means. But could you explain this 'gift giver' part again? Why can't we just call it secret Santa like everyone else does?"

"How many times to I have to explain that not everyone bows down to the fat old man in the tacky red suit?" She was tempted to stomp her foot but caught herself before it actually made contact. She had been reminding the group that it was 'secret gift giver' and not 'secret Santa' for over two weeks. Given that there was only one day left to go until Christmas she wasn't sure that she just shouldn't abandon the cause all together.

Dawn rolled her eyes with a "Whatever," sigh.

"Aww come on! " Xander nudged Willow playfully. "His suit is not that tacky. I mean sure it's a little dated but I'm sure it's nothing that Carson couldn't fix. Just needs to expand his color choices is all."

Willow cracked a tiny smile, plopping herself down on the bench on the other side of Xander. "You have been watching too much Bravo."

"It's a shame none of it has rubbed off." Dawn taunted with a grin.

"Oh come on! Shopping in Europe was impossible! It was all pounds and sickles. Very confusing." He protested.

Dawn let out a small laugh. "Sickles are from Harry Potter."

"Well he is all British and stuff." Xander had slouched down against the bench, shoving his one hand in his coat pocket; his puppy dog eyes large.

"Oh no!" The red head exclaimed, causing both other occupants of the bench to jump slightly. They both sent her 'what' looks, which she quickly answered, never even catching their lost expressions. "I was talking about something. Something important and you two distracted me! You two are not good." She shook her finger in their direction. "I wouldn't be surprised if you two got coal in your stockings!"

"Whatever happened to the nondenominational celebration?" Xander dared to venture.

"It doesn't matter any way." Dawn answered. "I found out she got Kennedy's name. I wonder how that happened." She sent a pointed glance to the witch.

"That was it!" Willow snapped her fingers as Xander went, "Huh?" "You are supposed to be keeping the person you picked a secret and not go finding out who everyone picked, that way everyone is surprised on Christmas!"

"I was just trying to help!" Dawn squeaked out. "I mean at this rate we are never gonna get out of here! And it's so clear he has Faith. So can we just get her something skanky and leave already?!"

"I do not have Faith's name!" Xander fought back.

"Oh ple-ase." The brunette stood, stretching her tired legs. "I mean you said it's a girl. It's can't be Buffy, Kennedy, Willow, or me since I already know who has us. And I doubt you would really go out of your way for one of the new slayers. I mean since you were all on board with Andrew and me when we wanted to drop them all in the lake a few days ago. You said they were all Buffy wannabes. " Willow's gaze jumped sharply from Dawn to Xander. "I mean besides Kennedy, of course." She quickly amended. "So come on, lets hop on over to Skanks R Us and blow this popsicle stand."

Xander looked to Willow, letting her have the floor but she just stared at Dawn. "You wanna take this lecture or should I?" He prodded.

"You better take it." Her eyes were still glued on Dawn. "I don't even know where to start."

"Okay then..." He cracked his knuckles in preparation, as if he were going into a boxing ring, not toe to toe in a verbal scolding with a seventeen-year-old. "First, I do not have Faith. Secondly, if you want to go back to the hotel that bad- go. Hell, I'll come with you. I mean we have already been to every store in here. It's getting pretty pointless just wandering into the same stores over and over."

"Plus, that hour you couldn't figure out how to get to the first floor." Willow added helpfully.

Xander held up one finger. "I still say those escalators are cursed. But thirdly, and most importantly," He looked at Dawn, a serious moment passing. "Where is this Skanks R Us and more importantly, why don't any of you girls buy your clothes from there?"

"Aww." Willow patted Xander's back and the two of them rose and started gathering her bags. "One day we are gonna have to take you and put on a little fashion show."

"Not me." Dawn argued. "I mean he's already seen enough."

Willow laced her arm through Dawn's as the three of them made their way to the nearest exit. "Poor Dawnie. Hey! Maybe you can ask Santa to do a memory charm?"

"Doubt it." Dawn grunted. "Last year he didn't even get me that cabana boy I asked for and don't even get me started on that winning lottery ticket he was supposed to deliver." She pushed open the brass-framed glass door and they were assaulted by a blast of winter air.

They stepped out on to the sidewalk, looking up and down the walkway. A circle of cars were picking people up and dropping them off and across the street in the center of the circle stood aged bronzed sculptures of Greek goddesses raising their hands to the heavens. But the sight that made them pause was the ice skating rink in the center. Children laughed as they skidded across the smooth ice, lovers held hands at the few vendors that dotted the small grounds, and the tots too tiny to lace up their shoes let alone skates were running in and out of three small Christmas cottage which the city had erected for that very purpose. "Umm..." Dawn spoke up after a moment. "Is it just me or did you guys miss the winter wonderland on your way in too?"

"Nope." Willow sighed, turning and heading back towards the door. "Guess we must have gone out the wrong exit." She turned back to Xander, her hand on the brass door pull. "I think you just might be right about those escalators."

Even Dawn nodded her head, as she started to follow Willow into the mall. "That has got to be the most confusing escalator I have ever seen and I know my malls." She followed Willow inside, then quickly popped her head out when she realized Xander hadn't followed her. "Hey Xand? You coming?"

"Nah." He shook his head, his eyes never leaving the scene in front of him. "You girls go on ahead."

"You sure?" Dawn looked skeptical. "I mean those escalators can be tricky, especially if you have to navigate them by yourself."

"Don't worry about me. I'll meet you guys at the hotel." Dawn shrugged and headed back inside, leaving him alone amidst the crowd on the large sidewalk. He smiled to himself. "I just found the perfect gift."

*****

"My turn! My turn!" Buffy grabbed for the present marked with her name. The new and enlarged Scooby gang was spread out over her hotel room. Willow, Kennedy, Dawn and Buffy managed to grab a spot on the bed, Giles and Andrew the two chairs, Faith was sitting on top of the small dresser and the rest was standing room only. Most of the slayers in training were drifting in and out of the connecting door that led to Dawn's room trying to decide what was better. The small fiber-optic tree in Buffy's room and a floor littered with gifts and wrapping paper or Dawn's room where you could actually have some space to breath not to mention all the food trays she had ordered up from room service at Angel's expense of course.

"Alright. I think she has waited long enough." Willow agreed with a smile, nodding to Buffy to go ahead and unwrap her gift. Most of the group had already opened theirs, only three presents remained under the tiny tree and they had purposely been tormenting Buffy, making her go last just to see her squirm.

"It's kinda heavy." Buffy said, weighing the rectangular object. "But not like bowling ball heavy, and it's square-ish but that could just be the box and-"

"Would you just open it already?" Dawn gave her sister a playful shove.

"Fine, bossy." And with that Buffy eagerly tore through the green wrapping paper to reveal "A thesaurus?" Her face fell at the site of the large book.

"Surprise." Giles commented.

"It's a thesaurus." Buffy repeated turning the volume over in her hand.

"Quite right." He moved from his chair and stood over her. "I thought it would improve your vocabulary, not to mention you were thinking of enrolling in some local classes once we got settled in." Buffy looked up at him, disappointment painted across her face. "You don't like it." He stated simply, crestfallen.

"No, I like." She insisted. "Just the classes thing caught me off guard cause I was thinking settled as in growing crops, you know? A real place to live and a school to train the girls, and maybe one of those vegetable garden things. I wasn't really thinking like next term. But this is great. Really." She shook her head and plastered a plastic smile on her lips. "I mean now I can thesuarize. It'll be great." Seeing the disbelieving look her mentor was shooting her she went for the diversionary tactic instead. "Okay who's left?"

"That'd be me." Faith motioned from her place sitting Indian style on the dresser.

Kennedy spotted a small flat box with Faith's name on it and handed it to her, stretching across the bed. "Here ya go."

"Alright then..." Faith didn't waste time guessing the contents and instead just ribbed off the paper and opened the small rectangular box and fished out four tickets. "Britney Spears?" She questioned with a raised eyebrow.

"They're from me." Dawn said as she bounced on her knees on the king-sized bed. "I bought them. I was your secret Santa."

"Aww." Willow swept Dawn up into a big bear hug. "You didn't tell anyone! Hey you were all like little miss undercover, giving out wrong information and the like."

"I know." Dawn replied with a grin. "I was totally double agent girl. So..." She turned back to Faith. "What do you think? Do you like them? I heard they were good seats or at least they should be at that price but don't worry I charged them to Giles' credit card."

"You did what?" Giles questioned, outraged.

Dawn ignored them, focusing instead on Faith whom seemed too shell-shocked to string to words together. "You do like her right? I mean I thought you would since you have so much in common. Like how you guys dress in the same skan-" Faith sent her a daggered glance and the brunette quickly amended her mistake. "I mean same style clothes."

"No, it's fine." Faith replied, pocketing the tickets. "Totally five by five." She smiled at Dawn who returned it, beaming.

"Personally, based on style sense, I would have gotten her Christina tickets." Andrew commented thoughtfully. "They both seem to like that leather thing. So did Spike." He added dreamily. "He really should have a band."

"That would be a really good suggestion Andrew," Xander bit back. "If he wasn't so much dust in the wind."

"Yeah." Andrew replied with a small sigh. "Stupid hellmouth." There was a quiet moment while everyone silently thought of those not with them this Christmas, friends and lovers who had passed from their lives.

Kennedy was the one to break the silence. "Hey guys, there is one more." She leaned behind the tree and pulled out another package. "Who didn't get a present?"

No one spoke up, eyes roaming, sifting through the group, and finally landing on Andrew. "Hey. It's not mine. I already got a gift. A bunch of oven mitts and a lovely cook book." He cast his adoring eyes on Xander who scooted further away.

"Hey there is a tag." Willow grabbed the present and pointed out the tag that had slipped to the side of the gift. "To Buffy." she read aloud, before handing the gift off to the stunned slayer. "Here ya go. I guess this one is yours."

Lisa, one of the newest slayers in training pouted from her spot standing along the wall sandwiched in between Rona and Vi. "How come she gets two?" She said it in such a whiney tone that even Rona, who always felt that Buffy got special treatment, sent her a look that said 'shut up'.

Buffy stared at the box, then back at Giles. "You really didn't have to get me two. The book is fine."

"It's not from me. I adhered strictly to Willow's rule of one gift." The aging watcher replied as he leaned against the thin hotel wall.

"Well then who?" Buffy's glance ticked off each of her friends.

"Hey don't look at us." Faith replied with a shrug seeing the other occupants of the room seemed as lost as she was. "If I had to wager a guess I would say that ex-honey of yours that still carries a honkin' torch for you sent it."

Xander went into a coughing fit and Kennedy promptly smacked him on the back. "Thanks." He replied once he caught his breath. "And owww." Kennedy shrugged remorsefully. Slayer strength took some getting used to.

"I have to say I'm with Faith on this one." Willow spoke up. "This kind of an Angel thing to do. You know how he is with the gestures."

"Especially the ones where he tries to rip out the throats of all your friends." Xander reminisced. "Those were good times."

In the past Buffy would have commented or at least glared evilly at Xander, but this time she merely rolled her eyes. She knew Xander would never be best friends with Angel, never really trust him, but she also knew Xander liked him a lot more than he let on. Then again with Angel playing savior in LA it wasn't as though he was constantly confronted with him. "Well I guess we'll never know till we open it..." Her eyes fluttered down to the large gift in her hands.

"Oh ple-ase. Gimme." Dawn snatched the parcel from the Slayer's grasp, tearing the wrapping and handing her back the unmarked brown box. "There. Happy?"

Buffy did have to admit it kinda solved her internal dilemma that if the gift was from Angel she should send it back. They weren't together any more and... well she hadn't gotten him anything. But since it was already unwrapped what the Hell? She carefully lifted the top of the box and let out a tiny gasp of awe.

Tucked in the box, behind a thin veil of tissue paper lay a pair of skates. White leather, partially fastened with strong laces, metal glinting, reflecting the ever-changing colors from the Christmas tree. She lifted one skate out, then the other. Holding them tenderly, fingers grazing the blades, running up the laces, as tears began to fill her eyes. Another life ago she had loved to ice skate. Before she had known of darkness and monsters, before her life had been colored by death and destruction she used to lace up her skates and glide across the ice, soaring with arms spread, and she was free. Another lifetime ago when she had lived in the sun. "I haven't skated in..." She spoke softly, trying to remember the last time she had felt the ice sliding beneath her blades. "Forever."

She looked at the core Scoobies each in turn, soft smiles spreading across their faces. "This- this is the best gift ever." She clutched them tight to her chest, tears falling in a quiet stream down her cheeks. Dawn came and sat next to her, placing her hand in her sister's. "Who did this?"

Xander spoke up. "My guess is Santa thought you were really good this year."

"Yeah that or one of his elves decided to slip you a freebie." Dawn suggested, giggling when Buffy whacked her softly with a nearby pillow. "See you totally deserve coal."

*****

Four hours later Xander was standing in line to order a dozen hot chocolates as he watched Buffy and the other girls skate around the rink in front of Tower City. Buffy had made a long distance call to Angel to both thank him for the gift and to warn him she was taking a cash advance on one of the credit cards he gave to her for emergencies. However when Harmony had answered the phone she quickly put to rest the idea that Angel had sent Buffy anything, causing the hurt Slayer to hand the phone quickly to Faith, who rapidly came up with a cool lie for the three hundred dollar cash advance.

But as crestfallen as Buffy had seemed earlier, she now appeared extremely content. Snow flakes fell down around her, softly catching on her hair and eyelashes, as she glided across the ice, taking time out to help Willow get the hang of her skates and racing Faith a few laps around the rink, eyes sparkling. And as he stood there watching her amidst the holiday sounds of Bing Crosby and the laughter of children tinkling through the air, a radiant smile on her angelic face, he couldn't remember a time she looked more beautiful. She gathered Willow's hand on one side and Dawn's on the other as they played whip across the ice causing Buffy to come skidding to a halt at the wall just as Xander arrived with two carriers full of steaming cocoa. "Hey. This for me?" She grinned at him and grabbed a cup using one hand to hold on to the railing. "Gotta love the service."

"And got to respect the standard tip giving tradition." Xander replied with a glint in his eye.

She sighed, a comfortable contented sigh, not one filled with worry or anger. It had been so long since she had just felt simply happy, too long. She handed him back her cup as she hoisted herself up on the railing, both facing the skaters dancing across the ice like fairies. "This was a good idea, Xand." She commented as she watched the new girls and her old friends giggle, holding tightly to one another's hands as they crossed the ice, occasionally pulling each other down in a tangled heap.

"Well, I thought since you got the skates you might as well give em a spin." He replied leaning on the railing, his shoulder brushing against hers.

"Not sure how happy Angel's gonna be when he finds out we spent so much money on skate rentals and passes."

"Aww. Don't worry about dead boy. He has that big new company. He's just rolling in the dough. I bet he won't even know it's missing and if he does put up a fight about it we can always send him on his dusty way." He took the slightest jab at Angel but it was good-natured, no trace of malice in his voice. After a beat he asked very quietly. "Do you miss him?"

"Who? Angel or Spike?"

"Either." He shrugged. "Both."

"Yeah. Sometimes." The answer was muted; a small stab of aching filled her chest for

the future lost and the future that could never be. "What about you? Do you miss her?"

"Anya or Cordelia?" Buffy nodded as Xander exhaled, blowing out his breath causing a small white cloud to form in front of his lips. "I miss them. But sometimes..." He looked out across the ice, his hand brushing the back of hers. "Sometimes this is enough. Just being with the people that I love and seeing them happy. Sometimes it's enough just to be here."

"I know what you mean." She said as she intertwined her fingers with his. "Moments like this, seeing them so happy... It just feels good to be alive." She turned to face him. "Thank you."

"For what?

She ducked her head, a bit shy at having taken so long to say it. "For bringing me back." Now it was Xander's turn to be embarrassed as a hint of blush rose on his cheeks. "If you hadn't I would have missed this, I would have missed seeing them, seeing her grow," She gestured to Dawn. "I would have missed everything."

A moment passed, eternity passed, to the two friends it was the same, a moment of bliss that spread and warmed them, pausing the hands of the clock, stilling time as the world brightened. Darkness would come again, it always did, but at this instant it didn't matter, it simply didn't matter. "Life doesn't suck." Xander spoke at last, a broad smile on his face.

"Nope." Buffy concurred. "Especially when you have an elf looking out for you." And with that she squeezed his hand, she couldn't remember a Christmas when she had felt more loved.