Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Final Fantasy Characters or the town of Kalm


The night had finally fallen around the small town of Kalm, while Marlene ran around the apartment Avalanche has bought after the whole meteor incident.

"It's here! It's here! Christmas is finally here!"

Tifa laughed, "Almost! We still have an hour or two until everyone comes down. Just hang on a little while longer for them to get ready. Why don't you go visit Reeve in his store across the street to kill some time?"

Every Christmas Eve the whole Avalanche gang would get together on the bottom floor of the apartment and exchange gifts. Vincent, on the other hand, never came down but had always left the presents under the tree without no one even noticing him doing so. Tifa had always guessed it was some sorta depression he had. She remembered her conversation with Reeve the other year around this time, "He likes to give but not recieve when it comes to things like this," he had said. 'Maybe we should just give up, he won't come down...'

"Tifa! I just finished with all of the decorations on the inside and outside of the apartment! Have any other jobs for me?" Yuffie ran into the room wearing her green sweater and tight white pants with snow boots, smelling the snacks Tifa had been fixing, "You wanna see them and give me an opinion?"

"Sure, why not?" Tifa walked around the house followed by Yuffie and Marlene.

"Tifa..." Marlene grabbed Tifa's shirt sleeve, "Look! He did it again!"

Tifa stopped looking under the tree, "Another stealth mission, eh? Why won't he just come down for a few minutes...did something tragic happen in the past?"

"What an emo...he needs to be social instead of pouting all the time!" Yuffie walked out of the room, "I'll be in here if you need me."

Marlene walked up to Tifa, "I'm going to go with Cait to Uncle Reeve's store, ok?"

"Ok, just be careful, Marlene."

She ran and got her jacket off the coat rack then to Cait who was running around the yard, playing in the snow. In her pocket she had Christmas cards for her friends that worked there with Reeve. She never could remember when he had bought the store but at least she had somewhere to go without an escort. Marlene had been saving up her money her father had gave her for the past few months, she had saved up to 3,500 gil. Now that she could go across the street alone, she could buy Christmas presents before the party and before Reeve closed the store for the night.

"Marlene!!! What ya doin out here?" Cait asked curiously.

"Do you wanna go with me to the store?"

"Sure thing! Let's go!" The little robot cat woddled along side of Marlene. She had already gotten Cloud, Reeve, and Yuffie's Christmas gifts and she had a mental list of what to get the others. The bell on the door rang when the two came in, stomping the snow off their feet. Reeve was sitting on a stool next to the door and was fiddling with a broken object, "Hello Marlene! Good to see you here. I haven't had any customers today. Came to kill some time before the party, eh?"

"Yes Sir, I was wondering if I could look around, I still have a few things to get people."

"Ah, certainly but most kids your age usually just recieve gifts, don't they?"

"Not sure but I owe these people a lot. Can I use one of these baskets?" Reeve hand her a basket and she starts her search for gifts. She walked sown a small isle and spotted a a necklace. It was a long silver chain with a sparkling green, tear shapped pendant, 'Tifa will love this!' She thought and threw it, gently, into the basket. She looked up around her. There was so much stuff to choose from! Within five minutes after finding Tifa's present she had picked out a jacket for Cid, a catnip toy for Cait, Red XIII a dragon bangle, her father Barret a pocket knife similar to the one she had gotten cloud. She walked up to the cash register and stood on her tip-toes to get the basket on the counter.

"Hey Marlene!"

"Hi Lori! Where's Brittani?"

"She went in the back for a few minutes to get something for me, is this going to be all?"

"Yes, Ma'am. I got these for you two." Marlene hands Lori the two christmas cards.

"Aww, that's so sweet, I'll give Brittani hers when she comes back out and I'll give you your presents when we get together tonight!"

Lori wore her usual black shirt with the bangles full of materia around her two wrists, which somehow matched the apron she was wearing to match the Christmas season. She was one of Marlene's friends that stayed at the apartment they owned along with Brittani. They were both 18 now and Lori had no family ever since meteor. Brittani on the other hand was a cousin to Barret and Marlene. Brittani first came around a few months after Meteor. She didn't know her and after what she had learned with the Turks and Sephiroth, it took her awhile to trust her. The people of Avalanche had become good friends with Lori and Brittani over the few years that they had been here. Marlene stood and waited for Lori to finish scanning the item but something caught her eye on the counter. Near the lighters was a necklace with a long, thick silver chain. On the chain was a symbol, three heads and a tail. She stood on her toes to get a better look. It was a symbol she had seen before...but where?

The chain on Vincent's gun

It was the same symbol, 'Cerberus something I think he called it...' she thought. She picked it up and handed it to Lori, "Could I get this to?"

"Sure! No one else wanted that necklace, I'm glad it's finally going to find a home. It's the only one of it's kind...wonder why no one wanted it..." She scans it, "Ok your total is 100 gil."

Marlene was stunned, "Huh? That's it? I was sure it would at least be higher than that!"

Lori laughed as Brittani stumbled up with some wrapped up boxes with fluffy bows on the top, "That's what I said earlier when I got the presents for tonight. It's some kinda Christmas discount thing Reeve came up with. Lori I got the ones you wrapped to."

Marlene hands Lori the money and grabs her bags, "Don't be late tonight you two!"

Lori and Brittani smiled, "We won't!" Marlene was about to turn around when an odd man came in the door. She backed back up to the counter near Lori and Brittani. He had two guns on his belt and a thick green coat, the guns looked like miniature versons of a shotgun and this man was reaching for one...