Chapter 8. Ms. Claus.
Xander and Buffy re-enter the mall. They head over to the department store and somehow find something fascinating with their shows. Buffy then looks up and smiles.
"Thanks for lunch again," says Buffy.
"What time do you want me to pick you up at your place?" asks Xander.
"Oh, um, my place. Can't we just meet right here?"
"Sure."
"Okay, I'll see you tonight at seven." Buffy walks away smiling and not looking at where she was going. She crashes into someone and it happens to be Connor. "Where the hell have you been?"
"Where were you?" asks Connor.
"I was with Xander," says Buffy. "He asked me to lunch and he asked me out on a date. Well, sort of a date. For tonight to see lighted houses."
"You see lighted houses at home all the time. What kind of a date is that?"
"It's Christmasy and I like lighted houses."
"Okay."
"Do I sense jealousy in that tone?"
"No, a little. Look, I was checking the lists and I ran into some old lists. It was around the 1980's and I happen to run into Alexander Harris."
"And?"
"And he was a non-lister."
"What are you trying to say?"
"He doesn't believe in Santa Claus. He never did as a child and neither did his parents." Buffy is surprise by this. "I sort of traced his parents back to some older lists."
"It doesn't matter." Buffy walks away.
"I think it does matter. A lot."
"I'm not serious with him. It's just one date. One stupid date!" Buffy storms off out of the mall.
"Buffy, wait." Connor runs after her. Dawn, from the Santa stage, sees Connor running after a blonde out of the mall.
"Hey, we need you up front," says Cordy.
"In a minute," says Dawn. Cordy sees Connor exit the mall.
"Maybe it's his friend."
"I don't think so. She looked like she was crying." Dawn looks at Cordy who she had not known was watching what she was watching.
Connor catches Buffy before she runs into the parking lot. He pulls her toward him and makes her look at him.
"Buffy, listen to me," says Connor. Buffy turns away. "Please." She rolls her eyes and looks at him with watery eyes. "Maybe he's different. I mean, if he can pull off all those decorations in that department store, then maybe there is something about him that believes."
"You think?" says Buffy in a soft voice.
"I hope so."
"Thanks."
"Alright, let's go home. You've got a date." Buffy smiles as they walk over to the undercover parking lot and behind some stairs. She snaps her fingers and they were gone.
Buffy is in her room looking for something to wear. Her whole wardrobe is red, white, green, and pink. Her mother comes into her room and sits on the bed.
"I'm so nervous," says Buffy turning around to her mom.
"Don't be," says Joyce. "You'll be fine."
"I don't know. I've never been with a mortal, human…what do we call them now?"
"A regular person, non magical, normal." Buffy laughs and sits on the bed with her mom. "Sweetheart, it's no different with any other date you've been on."
"Yes, it is. Other dates I never had to hide who I am. I'm Ms. Claus, the reigning Santa Claus this year. I mean, what do you think he is going to say when I tell him that?"
"Okay, he might laugh, but…"
"I don't think I should be doing this. It's too close to Christmas. I should be at the shop." Buffy gets up and attempts to walk out the door. Joyce stops her.
"No. You should be here picking out an outfit to go out with…what was his name?"
"Xander."
"Xander." Buffy sighs. "Sweetheart, everything is going to be fine. Maybe you'll put in some of the Christmas spirit into him. You'll see." Buffy nods her head as her mother kisses her forehead. "Have fun."
Buffy pulls out a red skirt and a pink shirt, then tosses them onto her bed. She searches for her black, long, high heeled boots and her red jacket that goes down to her thighs. Minutes later, she had everything on and is ready to go.
In the blink of an eye, she arrives at the mall. She fixes her hair on the door to the mall and enters inside. She heads over to the department store and her eyes fall onto a beautiful object.
"Oh my gosh," says Buffy. "This would be perfect for Connor." Buffy agrees to buy it and uses the shrink ray on it to put it in her purse. She then is surprised by Xander, who is all in black.
"Hi," says Xander. "You look amazing."
"Thank you." Buffy smiles.
"Shall we go?" Buffy nods and puts her hand on his as he leads her out to his car, a BMW.
"Nice car."
"This is my night car."
"Night car?"
"I only use it during the night. I have something simpler for the day."
"Oh." Xander opens the door for Buffy and she steps in. He gets in the car and they drive off. The two are quiet on the way. Xander looks at Buffy.
"Are you uncomfortable?" Buffy turns to him.
"Me? No. Not at all."
"You seem uncomfortable."
"No, it's nothing really. Back home we really don't see many of these cars. Well, only if they're gifts, but usually they are hand made at the factory."
"Factory?"
"Never mind."
"Okay." Xander arrives at a big house. Buffy's eyes widen. It's not because it's big because her house is pretty big, too, but more because it's more like a castle. Xander opens the door for her. Buffy steps out.
"Nice place," says Buffy.
"Thanks. Come on. You can meet my folks."
"Oh, goody." Buffy mumbles under her breath. Xander leads her to the front door and the door opens. A person who is very welcoming and happy welcomes Buffy and Xander into the house.
"Hey, everyone, I'd like you to meet Buffy." Xander introduces Buffy to everyone. Everyone says hi to her at the same time.
"You have a big family."
"They're mostly friends, but we're all family."
"That's nice." Buffy smiles. She has hope for Xander Harris, even though he doesn't believe in Santa Claus, he still has the Christmas spirit and that is important.
A couple minutes later, they all head to their cars to go to the lighted complexes. Xander and Buffy enter his car and they had an extra passenger. The young girl sits in the back seat. Buffy turns her head around and sees the girl. She doesn't recognize her, but she recognizes Buffy.
"Dawn, put on your seatbelt," says Xander as he turns on the car. Dawn nods her head and does what she is told.
"What's your name again?" asks Dawn.
"Buffy," replies Buffy.
"I'm Dawn. Xander's sister."
"Yep, the runt of the litter," says Xander.
"Am not. That's you." Buffy laughs at their bickering. She then checks her cell phone, which is pink and not just a regular cell phone. "Cool, where did you get that?"
"My dad gave it to me last Christmas," replies Buffy. "It pretty much does everything."
"Really?" says Xander. "Does it do long arithmetic?"
"Oh, yes. In less than two point two seconds." Xander laughs at that. Buffy notices that she has a message. She listens to it and finds out that it's Willow telling her to turn her camera on her cell phone. Buffy does what her friend tells her and her eyes widen when she sees her friend from her phone.
"Buffy, let me see him please," says Willow.
"Alright," says Buffy.
"Alright what?" asks Xander.
"Nothing. Can I take your picture?"
"Sure. Get my good side." Buffy snaps the picture and Willow sees it.
"He is gorgeous, Buffy," says Willow. Buffy laughs and smiles a little.
"What's so funny?" asks Xander. "Do I look that bad?"
"No, it's not that," replies Buffy. "Oh, look at the lights." Buffy quickly changes the subject as they approach the neighborhoods filled with Christmas decorations and lights all aglow.