A/N: Hey guys, just wanted to thank all of you for the reviews, faves, follows, and support in general! It's been a bit rough with Christmas being so close, but your feedback and support is the best gift I could ever ask for. :) Thanks, all, and Merry Christmas!

Silver drowsily brought his eyes to the clock on the mantle the night before Christmas Day. 11:45 P.M. The sound of the fire crackling went perfectly with the sweet carols playing over the radio. Silver and Blaze were curled up on the couch in front of the fire; a perfect couple's Christmas Eve. Silver started humming along to "Deck The Halls".

"Oh, my . . ." Blaze yawned. "Isn't it about time we went to bed?"

"Bed?" Silver mumbled, "Humbug. Who needs sleep on a night like this?"

"Only all the children in the world," Blaze replied. "However, I think it would be worth it if we tried to stay awake a little longer."

"And what do you mean by that?"

Blaze was smiling. Silver couldn't see it, but he could feel it. It was a gut feeling.

"Well, I have a little something for you. I was just wondering if you'd be interested. But if not . . ."

"No, no, go on. I've got a little something for you, too."

There was a short pause.

"Well, I'll let you go," Silver said, taking his arm away from Blaze's shoulder. "Lemme get my gift, too."

They both departed from the room, and then reappeared holding one box each. Silver was sure to handle his very gently. After all, the contents were rather delicate.

"Who goes first?" Silver asked, "Who went first last year?"

"I believe it was me," Blaze said, trying to recall. "I can't remember for sure."

"Well, I dunno, I think it would be best if you gave me my gift first," Silver said. "That's just me, though."

"All right, then, I suppose I will, you picky hedgehog," Blaze giggled.

Silver opened his gift from Blaze - it was brand-new pair of ice skates.

"Yes!" he celebrated. "All right, new skates! Thanks, Blaze! Now we can go skating together again!"

He hugged Blaze as a grateful measure, and then put the skates aside.

"Now it's your turn," Silver hummed with a flirtatious grin. He bowed and held out his gift for her with his eyes to the ground. "Merry Christmas, Blaze."

Silver looked up just in time to catch Blaze's cheeks flushing. He smiled at the sight. It wasn't often that anyone got the chance to see such a thing happen to her, but Silver somehow managed to witness it quite a bit.

"Thank you, Silver."

Silver watched anxiously as Blaze very carefully peeled back the paper off of the box and tore the tape from the lid. She took the lid off to the sight of something wrapped tightly in bubble wrap. Blaze giggled at the sight as she pulled it out.

"This must be rather special if you've taken the time to wrap it so . . . meticulously," she observed quietly.

"I hope so," Silver sang, "C'mon, open it!"

Silver watched very intently as Blaze began to rip the tape from the bubble wrap. He could almost hear the drumroll, as if they were on some sort of game show. He'd waited for so long for this moment, and now he was finally going to see that reaction. If only Silver had brought along a camera.

The moment came. The music box showed itself, gleaming in the glow of the fire. Silver searched his friend's face for the reaction, not wanting to miss a single moment of this. And then, when Blaze looked up with her lips parted ever so slightly, Silver saw it.

The spark in her eyes.

It was just as Rouge said, only without the jewelry. Blaze's eyes were as bright and twinkly as the lights on the tree. They were two glittering embers, shining as she gazed at the two figures on the music box. And, Silver thought, that spark is gorgeous.

"Well?" he prompted softly, "What do you think?"

Blaze's mouth formed into the most genuine smile Silver had ever seen. Her pearly-whites glistened as a laugh escaped her throat.

"Oh, Silver," she breathed, "Silver, it's more than I could have imagined!"

Silver sat back and admired his handiwork – the two hand-crafted, hand-painted figures on the music box were smiling back at him with their tiny little black mouths. Both were hot-glued on the surface of the music box, but discreetly so.

He'd done it. Now it was his reaction to her reaction that he hadn't thought about.

"I'm . . . I'm so glad you like it!" he said, not knowing what else to say. Before he could even think of anything else to say, Silver felt Blaze's lips on his. Not his cheek, not his nose, but on his lips. He sunk into a daze and hung his head as she pulled away slowly. The warmth lingered, leaving the stricken hedgehog's lips tingling. The world seemed to be spinning around him, until Blaze spoke again.

"I don't know how else to thank you for a gift like this," Blaze said, looking the music box over, "It's beautiful."

"You wouldn't believe what I went through to get that for you."

With that, Silver told his whole story to Blaze. Of course, it wasn't much of a story besides the distress that Silver encountered when he had wondered whether or not she had appreciated his gifts in past years. But it was a story nonetheless. Blaze listened, somehow feeling . . . guilty.

"Silver, never once have I thought of you or your gifts in that way," she said firmly, "Why, on the contrary, I only wish there was some bigger way for me to show my gratitude for all you've done for me."

Silver then continued to tell Blaze about his strange encounter with Shadow. Blaze seemed most shocked by this, along with the incident with the bikers in the shop.

"It does seem strange for him, that's for certain," she remarked. "But his advice is worthwhile."

Silver's eyes widened in sudden realization.

"Yeah . . . just, uh . . . don't tell anyone else, especially him, that I told you, 'kay?"

"Of course."

Silver glanced up at the clock again as he and Blaze embraced. At that exact moment, the first bell of midnight chimed. Suddenly, Silver's whole world felt like absolute bliss. The light of the fire, the glittering Christmas tree, the sweet sound of music playing on the radio . . . it truly was a magical time.

The hedgehog leaned in closer towards his companion.

"Merry Christmas, Blaze," he whispered, pecking her temple. The cat purred her happiness and snuggled closer to him. Silver's arm wrapped around her once again.

"Merry Christmas, Silver."

In another few moments, the two of them had drifted off into a deep sleep.

Christmas morning had finally arrived. Everyone gathered at Sonic's house to exchange Secret Santa gifts, and what a scene it was. Silver and Blaze arrived just as Charmy and Tails had been chasing each other around the house with their newly-opened toys. The familiar greeting of "Merry Christmas" rang throughout the house with every guest that stepped inside. As soon as everything had almost been settled(save for a few of the kids who were still running amok), Sonic announced:

"All right, everyone! Find your Secret Santa and give 'em what you got 'em! Merry Christmas again!"

The Mobians became a tangled crowd in the small house, all calling out the names of their Secret Santas. Silver nervously held on to his gift, searching the crowd for Shadow. The dark hedgehog wasn't too hard to spot as he gave his own Secret Santa, Cream, a small stuffed Chao with a fat pink ribbon tied around it.

"Thank you, Mister Shadow!" the bunny exclaimed, gripping Shadow around the waist. Shadow's eyes widened, and, noticing Silver watching the small gesture unfold, glared in the "tell-anyone-and-you-will-never-be-seen-again" way. Silver could only avert his eyes by staring at the wall and whistling.

"Oh, Shadow," he called nonchalantly, "Shadow, where are you?"

A rough hand on his shoulder indicated that his Secret Santa was suddenly standing behind him. Silver whirled around to see Shadow's dark eyes staring into his.

"H-hey, Shadow," he greeted. "Merry Christmas!"

Shadow accepted the gift with a mumbled "thanks" and began to open it. Once he saw the picture on the box, Shadow nodded and pulled out the contents.

"Not bad," he murmured, "Not bad at all." After looking over the features on the helmet, Shadow replaced it into the box. "Those guys really seemed to like you, didn't they?"

Silver frowned.

"What guys?"

Shadow chuckled as he closed the lid on the box.

"Pred and all them. They went pretty easy on you, you know."

"Wh—how-"

"I may or may not have been there," Shadow replied to the stuttering, "You got awfully lucky. Those guys are all fairly tough."

"Oh, uh . . . are they?" Silver asked quietly, embarrassed. Shadow didn't hear him, though.

"And I've been keeping an eye on this exact helmet for quite some time now."

"So . . ." Silver eyed his Secret Santa, "you like it, then?"

"Yes. Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Silver looked in the other direction, where Vector was thanking Blaze for the headset she'd given him. Silver sighed, and then jumped as Shadow's deep voice was close to his ear.

"How'd it go?"

"Oh, heh . . . Blaze's gift?"

"Yeah."

"Oh, man, you had the best advice ever. She loved it. I can't even begin to tell you how her eyes were all lit up and her smile was so sweet and happy-"

"Don't, then," Shadow replied sharply, not quite willing to listen to the details. "As long as I know my advice worked. You may never have that happen again."

Silver chuckled, although it wasn't from nerves this time.

"I'm very glad I did, then."

Shadow's mouth curled up into his usual smirk.

"Sappy as this may sound, you really are something special, kiddo," Shadow said to Silver. "I really hate to say it like this, but Blaze is rather fortunate to have you around. Don't ever leave her side, do you hear me?"

"Yessir."

Silver barely noticed Shadow leave as Blaze walked up to him again, a grin on her face and a twinkle in her eyes. Yes sir, all the trouble he'd gone to was well worth it. Blaze's eyes were on fire, sparkling madly like a firework explosion. The young hedgehog felt himself melting under the tantalizing gaze of his partner. In that moment he realized that, no matter what happened, nothing in the world could matter more to him than the girl behind the firey eyes.

"Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, is a little bit more." ~Dr. Suess, "The Grinch That Stole Christmas"

A/N: Thank you all so much for another awesome run! Just one more thing - I'm sorry if I had a hard time keeping up with reviews and whatnot. It's been a bit crazy this holiday season, so thanks again too all my reviewers, guest reviewers, and followers. :) You guys are the best! Keep an eye out for upcoming stories, but first enjoy your holidays. :) Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!