Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, but I do own Sophie, baby Lily, and Echo the puppy :)

A groan was emitted from the pile of snow.

"Come on!" cried Sophie, coming to her senses. "We've gots to get him out!" She went to grab a leg and pull.

"Oh, don't pull on that leg Sweetie!" cried Tara, noticing something. "That ankle looks a little swollen."

"He's a jolly old fat guy, T" Faith frowned. "How can you tell that his ankle is anymore swollen than the rest of him?"

"Auntie Faith!" cried Sophie, "Show some respect!"

"Sorry, T."

"Thanks, but I think she meant to Santa" Tara chuckled.

"Santa, Santa!" Lily echoed happily.

"She's probably right there too" Faith sighed. "Okay Little Red, let's dig Ol' Saint Nick out of this snow." So they did.

Unfortunately, it appeared that Santa had somehow sprained his ankle in the fall, so Faith, and Tara with her free arm, helped him inside and laid him on the couch with his injured leg up. Tara then left Lily with Faith while she went to fetch some milk and cookies.

"This is just terrible!" Santa Claus lamented, while Sophie stared at him in awe, hanging on his every word. "Of all the nights this could have happened, why did it have to be this one? Why Christmas Eve?"

"Yeah, uh, tough break" said Faith, who was a little more awkard around their guest than her adopted older sister and two nieces seemed to be, probably due to the fact that Christmas had rarely been celebrated in her house as a child. At that moment, Tara returned with the milk and cookies.

"H-Here you go, Mr. Claus, s-sir" she stuttered nervously, placing them on the coffee table beside the couch.

"Thank you, Tara dear. You always were a sweet little thing" Santa smiled. Tara blushed. Santa sighed as he nibbled on a cookie. "All the poor little children waking up tomorrow morning with no presents! They will be so disappointed! Unless.."

"Unless what, Santa?" asked Sophie.

"Unless I can find someone kind enough to fill in and deliver the presents for me" he replied. Faith suddenly felt very uncomfortable, as for some reason all eyes had turned to her.

"Uh.. Why are you all starin' at me like that?"

"You can deliver the presents, Auntie Faith!" cried Sophie.

"Oh no, I don't think that's such a good.." Faith began, before Sophie interrupted her.

"It is, it's a great idea! You can be like Santa, and me, Lily, and Mama Tara can be your elves!"

"Okay, I can see you've put a lot of thought into this Little Red, but.."

"Please, Auntie Faith?" said Sophie with wide, pleading eyes. "Please can we help Santa?"

"I'm never gonna stop payin' for the wolfy eyes thing am I?" Faith groaned to herself, before turning to Tara. "What do you think, Blondie?"

"If you're in, I'm in" Tara smiled.

"Fine" Faith sighed, relenting. "Let's go bring joy to children and stuff."

"Yay!" cried Sophie, throwing her arms around the Dark Slayer.

"You're really willing to sacrifice your Christmas Eve to fill in for me?" asked Santa, a little surprised.

"What can I say?" Faith shrugged, hugging Sophie back. "When the wife's not around, this kid owns me."

"Is the suit completely necessary?" Faith frowned as she found herself dressed in the typical Santa outfit, though magically altered to match her size.

"Yes Faith, the suit is completely necessary" Santa explained. "If any children happen to see you, the suit will act as a signal that you are working for me."

"I actually kinda like mine" Tara chuckled as she looked herself over. She, Sophie, and Lily were all dressed in matching green elf outfits.

"Elfie Tawa, Elfie 'Phie!" Lily giggled.

"Okay" said Faith, turning back to Santa Claus, "Anything else we need to know before we get this show on the road?"

"Well, to start the sleigh all you have to do is call out the reindeer's names. Don't worry about driving, or missing a house, they know all the stops."

"How do we know which presents to leave at which house?" asked Tara.

"The sack is magical" Santa explained. "It knows which gift belongs to which child, so when you reach in you will automatically pull out that gift. Well girls, I think that's about all you need to know."

"Great, let's go" said Faith, heading for the door, wanting to get on with it as soon as possible.

"Wait, don't we gots to tell Connor and Auntie Dawn where we're going?" said Sophie.

"Oh, right. Hey Pipsqueak, Soulboy Junior!"

"What is it.." Dawn began as she and Connor appeared at the top of the stairs, jaws dropping when they spotted the bearded man on the couch.

"We need you two to look after Santa while we're off deliverin' presents to all the world's children" said Faith as she rushed out the door, her three little helpers in tow. "See ya!"