Summary: Cloud and his family are preparing for Christmas Eve. While doing Christmas shopping, Tifa has to deal with Denzel's skepticism about Santa Claus.

Type: Drabble

Timeline: Christmas after Advent Children.

Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy VII. Square Enix owns Final Fantasy and its characters. There is no copyright infringement intended.

The Mystery of Santa Claus.

The season began with a mild blizzard, which brought the Christmas spirit to the people of Edge. Everyone were at home preparing for Christmas Eve. Except Cloud, who was out doing his deliveries.

Meanwhile, Denzel and Marlene had gone shopping with Tifa to get some groceries for tonight's dinner. Both were very excited since this would be the first time they would spend Christmas with Cloud and the others. While Tifa was picking the food, Denzel and Marlene were having a discussion about Santa Claus.

"Of course he is real!" Marlene claimed.

"No, he is not!" Denzel replied.

"Yes, he is!"

"No, he's not!"

"Yes, he is!" Marlene shouted.

"Hey, what's with the yelling?" Tifa came in and tries to calm them down.

"Denzel keeps saying that Santa Claus doesn't exist." Marlene frowned.

"Is that so..." Tifa tilted her head to see his face. "And why is that?" she asked nicely.

"Because he is not real." He shrugged. "Is just a lame excuse that all grown ups say to make us believe in magic and stuff." He crossed his arms and turned his back to them.

"Oh yeah? Then how do you explain all the gifts below the Christmas tree?" Marlene said sarcastically.

"That's easy." He scoffed. "Cloud and Tifa puts them there." He shrugged.

"Is that true Tifa?" Marlene gazed at her sadly.

"Of course not, sweetheart..." She strokes her hair.

"See?" She sticks out her tongue and Denzel frowns.

"Well, I still don't believe it."

"It's okay, Denzel." She bends over. "You don't have to believe with your head." She touches his head to gain his attention. "You need to believe with your heart." She points his chest, right where his heart is.

Denzel touches the spot where she was pointing and then looks at Tifa with a puzzled look on his face. Tifa smiles tenderly at him and he blushes a little. He then lowers his gaze and twists his mouth a little bit.

"Fine..." He sighs and Marlene smiles in triumph.

"Well then, let's go back so we can bake some cookies for Santa." Tifa winked and the children followed her afterwards.

Denzel stood there for a moment thinking about what she said a while ago. And then he realized that it was the first time that he actually believed in something. It was strange but it was also a very warm feeling. Is this what Christmas is all about?

At that moment he didn't care about it anymore, all he knew was that he was going to have the best Christmas ever. And for the first time he was going to spend it with all his family.

And with that thought, he smiled and headed back where Tifa and Marlene were.

A/N: There's still more to come XD