AN: This is for Day 4 of Quinntina Week with the theme being Christmas/Winter.
All mistakes are my own, and thus make take responsibility for all errors. I may have taken some liberties in how the whole Santa Village works, so I'll be taking my poetic license and leaving you all to it.
It was another December day at the Lima Mall, where Tina had just gotten herself a new job as an elf at Santa's Holiday Village. She was less an elf and more of the photographer, who took would spend all day trying to get kids to stop screaming and look at the camera for long enough to actually take a half decent photo, all while wearing a ridiculous elf costume. 'The things we do for money,' she had thought more than once this holiday season.
This Santa was not keeping up his end of the bargain in helping to make the magic happen and seemed to scare the kids more than anything. In her first lunch break, she spent most of the time looking for something that would distract the kids enough for the pictures to cut down the complaints from parents and make her job so much easier. Eventually, she ended up buying a hand puppet of a Christmas reindeer with bells attached to the antlers. In any other circumstance it would drive her crazy but most of the kids seemed to love it, which meant good pictures, which meant happy parents and a happy boss.
It was during this search for Blitzen, the name that was given to the reindeer, she first saw the newly blonde Quinn hanging around the mall. Tina called out her name, but in all the noise of the holiday shoppers Quinn didn't turn around. Tina didn't think much of it, after all it was the mall at Christmas time, everyone has holiday shopping to do.
A few days later, Tina was waiting behind her camera for the next kid to sit on Santa's knee, she looked around and saw Quinn sitting on a bench gazing at the line of kids, that were waiting for Santa, and looking forlorn. Tina looked at her watch to see how long it was before her break, so that maybe she could see if Quinn would have lunch with her, but her attention was drawn back by one of the other elves, "Hey Tina, your up! It looks like a crier with a stage mom. You're going to need all of your magic for this one."
Tina just laughed it off as she saw Ms Corcorcan place a child down on Santa's knee and Tina froze. She looked at the child and just saw a mini-Quinn. Tina looked with shock, and concluded that this must be Beth. When Ms Corcoran turned around and noticed Tina and she smiled, "You're one of Will's Glee kids, aren't you? You guys were great at Sectionals, always helps to lose to someone great." Tina just nodded and wondered if she should try to look for Quinn or would that draw attention and somehow make things bad for her.
Tina just decided on with the show, she looked at Beth, who wasn't crying but ignoring her and just looking off to where Tina knew Quinn was standing before. Shelby was just looking adoringly at her baby girl with Santa, as Tina made a big show of getting everything ready to give Quinn just a bit longer.
She took as long as could, without looking incompetent, she grabbed Blitzen and the noise of the bells got Beth looking and smiling at the camera. Blitzen had again worked his magic. Tina looked around to try to find Quinn, as the photos printed but could only see her retreating back in the crowd.
Tina handed the package to Ms Corcoran and wished her and Beth a happy holiday, Beth just waved to Blitzen, who was hanging on the camera tripod. Shelby noticed "She certainly loves that reindeer," and Tina just nodded knowingly.
While the other elf at the front was getting ready for the next customer, Tina printed an extra copy of the photo of Beth with Santa and put with her bag, before storing the photo away.
On Monday at school, Tina noticed that during Glee that Quinn was putting on a brave front with a complete turnaround from the previous couple of months. She decided not to question it, but after Glee Tina approached her.
"I saw you at Saturday at the mall, while I was at work, I was hoping to track you down to keep me company during my lunch break but you looked a bit distracted."
Quinn just looked at her, waiting to see where it was going.
"Anyway, I got you this, I thought you might like it. Merry Christmas, Quinn". Tina added, as she went to leave the room.
Quinn hesitantly opened the envelope and upon seeing Beth smiling happily with Santa, she burst out in tears, "Tina, wait!" before running after her and throwing her arms around her in a tight hug. "Thank you, thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me" she whispered in Tina's ear with nothing but gratitude.
Quinn broke the hug, "Saturday wasn't the first time you had hung around Santa's village, is it?" Tina gently asked.
Quinn shook her head, "It's not like I was waiting to see Be... her, I didn't think it would happen. I was pretty sure that Shelby was Jewish. I just. I just wanted to remember Christmas, when everything was just magic and innocent and pure before I could screw it all up." Quinn wiped away some errant tears, as she looked at the photo, "She's beautiful, isn't she? She's my magic, even if she never knows it."
Tina just wrapped an arm around Quinn's shoulder and let Quinn have her moment.