Disclaimer: I don't own Buffy, or 'The Grinch'.

An: Final chapter, everyone. Enjoy!

"Uh-huh" Faith grinned.

"Really this time?" asked Sophie warily.

"Yup."

"Yay!"

Faith chuckled, then continued.

"Woohoo!" Faith was riding behind the Sleigh on a pair of skis, while Sophie sat up front with Echo, steering the sleigh as it thundered down the mountain.

Echo questioned his Master's decision to let a five-year old drive, but since she'd lived alone with him on a mountain since age eight, he figured she was entitled to a few dodgy judgement calls.

"This is fun!" Sophie giggled.

"Damn right, kid!" Faith beamed. "Look, spread eagle!" Faith did a split in mid-air as the sleigh flew over a bump, grinning proudly as she landed. "Nailed it!" Unfortunately, the Dark Slayer then hit a rock and flew high up into the air, landing with a thump atop the sleigh before sliding down to sit between Sophie and Echo.

"Are you okay?" asked Sophie, concerned.

"Are you nuts?" Faith laughed. "The Sun is bright and the powder's bitchin'.. I mean, uh.. Don't tell your Moms I said that."

Sophie giggled.

"I'm serious!" Faith frowned. "Now scoot over, it's my turn to drive."

And the minute her heart didn't feel quite so tight,

She whizzed with her load through the bright morning light.

Before long, the sleigh-riders were approaching Scoobville.

"Better put on the brake" said Faith, activating the brake, which was a boot on a stick attatched to the front of the sleigh. It promptly snapped off. "Crap."

"We're going to crash!" cried Sophie in panic.

Echo whimpered.

"Hey, listen here you two" said Faith, wagging a stern finger, "Even if we're horribly mangled.. There'll be no sad faces on Christmas."

Sophie grinned.

The sleigh continued to hurtle uncontrollably towards Scoobville.

The Scoobs, still mingling throughout the town, looked up at the sound of the approaching sleigh.

"Help!" yelled the voice of a familiar little girl.

"Sophie!" cried Tara.

"Yeah, what the kid said!"

"Faith!" Buffy gasped.

"Come on, I have an idea!" Tara gestured for Buffy to follow her, all rivalry between them forgotten as they raced to save their loved ones.

Willow, calculating the direction in which the sleigh was headed, shoved Lily at Andrew and rushed off, forming her own back-up plan for if Tara's failed.

Thankfully, there were so many Christmas lights that it wouldn't have been practical for Faith to steal them, so she had simply cut off the town's power supply instead.

When she and Buffy reached their homes, Tara began madly pulling the strings of lights down.

"Grab an end!"

Buffy nodded, and quickly set about helping.

"For the record, I've always thought your lights were the.."

"Not now, Buffy!"

"Everybody out of the way!" Faith yelled as the sleigh entered town. "I've got no insurance, and I haven't got a licence!"

"You haven't got a licence?" Sophie cried.

"Hey, neither do you, and you had no problem drivin'.. Move, people!" Many of the Scoobs obeyed The Dark Slayer's order, but Tara and Buffy did the opposite. Each one of them held one end of the rope of lights, stretching it out in front of the sleigh in hopes to stop it or slow it down.

The sleigh hit the lights.. and continued speeding on, now dragging the screaming Tara and Buffy along behind it.

Sophie's eye's suddenly widened in horror. The Sleigh was heading for the giant tree in the Town Square, and for Willow, who was standing right in front of it.

"Mommy Willow, get out of the way!" cried Sophie.

"Yeah, Red, move it!" Faith yelled.

Willow didn't move. She threw her hands up in what seemed like a vain attempt at stopping the Sleigh, apparently concentrating hard.

"Come on.." she groaned in frustration. "Come on.. Figures, the one time I really need my stupid dark powers, and they quit on me.."

Thinking that their situation was hopeless, Faith threw herself over Sophie, to protect the little girl from the impact of the crash, and possible trauma of seeing her Mother crushed by the sleigh. Echo covered his eyes with his paws. They needn't have worried.

For a split second, Willow's eyes flashed black, and that was enough.

"STOP!" the Witch boomed.

The Sleigh screeched to a halt. Tara and Buffy let out gasps of relief, and while they looked a little worse for wear, neither had suffered any serious injuries from their ordeal. A few bits of debris had flown up and torn some holes in Faith's suit, some getting right through and leaving small cuts in her skin. Wounds, Willow realised, that Sophie would likely have suffered without Faith's intervention. The Dark Slayer hadn't yet moved from her position, still draped protectively over her.

"Faith.." Willow reached up and tapped her friend's shoulder. They were friends now, how couldn't they be after what Faith had just done for her daughter?

Faith slowly looked up, blinking in shock.

"Mommy Willow!" cried Sophie happily, leaping from the sleigh into her Mother's arms.

"Hey, Sweetie" Willow grinned.

"Holy crap, Red" said Faith as she jumped from the sleigh herself, Echo close behind. "How'd you do that?"

"Long story" Willow shrugged. "Short version is I absorbed a whole lot of dark magic, flayed a guy, and tried to destroy the World."

"Whoa" said Faith in disbelief. "And people are afraid of me?"

"People don't know you" Tara smiled, emerging from behind the sleigh. "People do know that the guy Willow flayed shot me."

"Then may he rest in pieces" said Faith seriously.

Tara laughed, pulling her friend into a hug.

"Welcome home."

"Oh my God!" cried Jonathan as he ran over with Andrew, who was still holding Lily. "Is everyone okay?"

"We're fine, guys" Willow smiled.

Lily giggled, reaching out to grab Faith's Santa hat from the top of her head.

"Hey" Faith chuckled, taking the baby from Andrew at Tara's approving nod. "You're the little scamp who stole my ribbon."

"Lily" said Tara.

"That's a nice name" Faith tickled the baby's stomach, making her giggle.

"Okay, what's going on here?"

The group turned to see a very stern looking Xander watching them. The other Scoobs were watching too, various degrees of shock on their faces.

Faith handed Lily to Tara and sighed. It was time to face the music.

"You caught me, Officer" she said as she walked over to Xander. "I'm the Dark Slayer who stole Christmas. I didn't know what it meant then, but now I do, so.." The Dark Slayer sighed again. "I know it doesn't change anythin', but I'm sorry." She bowed her head and held out her arms, waiting to be cuffed. She waited. And waited. No cuffs. She looked up.

Xander was smirking.

"Aren't you gonna arrest me?" asked Faith, confused. "Chuck me in the Pokey? Blind me with pepper spray?"

"You heard her, she confessed to the whole crime!" yelled Riley as he angrily approached with Graham, making both Willow and Tara roll their eyes. The Mayor of Scoobville stood beside Xander, arms crossed and grinning in victory, thinking he finally had the Dark Slayer beat. "Personally, I'd go for the pepper spray."

"I heard her" Xander nodded slowly, his smirk growing into a full smile, "She said she's sorry. And besides" he patted the sack, "Everything seems to be here."

"What?" cried Riley in disbelief. "But she stole from us! She committed a crime, and that crime needs to be punished!"

"Actually" said Willow, snatching the Book Of Scoob from Graham and flipping through before reciting a passage, "The Book Of Scoob says, 'Any crime can be forgiven, of course, as long as the perpetrator shows some remorse'." She shut the book, smirking. "Wasn't that what you told me?"

"Um, well, that was a very different case, and.." He looked around esperately for some support, finding none. "Buffy!"

At the other woman's name, Tara looked around, frowning. Where had she got to?

"Merry Christmas, Riley Finn!" Buffy cried from her position atop the sack of presents. She slid down, clutching something in her hand. "I have two things to say to you!" she marched over to the Mayor of Scoobville, frowning. "First, you have to stop letting me win the Lights Contest every year just because you're hot for me, when Tara's lights are obviously better. And second, you can have your ring back." The crowd gasped as she pushed the box into Riley's hands. "I'm sorry, but my heart belongs to someone else.." She turned and smiled softly in Faith's direction. "It's always belonged to someone else."

Faith's gaze was fixed on the ground, having been unable to meet either Buffy or Riley's eyes.

"Faith" said Tara after a moment, softly tapping her friend's shoulder. "She means you."

"What?" Faith looked up in shock.

"Buffy's heart belongs to you" Sophie grinned.

When Faith finally turned to meet Buffy's eyes, the other girl smiled and nodded.

Faith swallowed the lump in her throat.

"But.. Riley's the Mayor" Faith sighed, eyes dropping again. "I'm just a chick who's lived alone on a Mountain since she was eight years old." As she spoke, Buffy was slowly moving closer to her. "I can't give ya a new car, or a fancy engagement ring, or all the stuff you de..Mmm." Faith's words were cut off, and it took her a few moments to realise it was because she was being kissed. When she did, she decided 'Screw it', and buried her fingers in Buffy's hair, pulling her closer.

"If I wanted all that" Buffy gasped when they broke apart, "I would have married Riley. But I don't" she reached out to brush a few stray hairs out of Faith's face. "I want you. Just you."

"It seems a little crazy to me" Faith chuckled, leaning in for another kiss, "But I'm not gonna argue." This time when they parted, Buffy rushed off towards her house.

"Wait here!" she called back. "There's something I need to show you."

Faith grinned, but when she turned to share her joy at the new development with the other creature she loved most in the world, she saw him cowering behind Tara and Sophie. And after some thought, remembered he had been there since a certain Mayor of Scoobville had arrived. And as she realised why, Faith's lips twisted into a scowl, a little of the Dark Slayer rising back to the surface.

"You!" she growled. "You're the one who dumped Echo down the trash chute when he was a puppy!"

The Scoobs gasped, but Riley made no attempt to deny the accusation. In fact, he confirmed it.

"The thing was a runt" Riley shrugged. "He obviously belonged with you. The other Scoobs may forgive you, but I know what you are. A misfit freak, just like Willow, and Tara, and they're stupid ki.."

A sickening crunch was heard as Faith hauled off and punched Riley right in the nose.

"If you're normal, I'm proud to be a freak."

"Wha.. Xander!" Riley cried as he tried to stop the blood streaming from his nose, "Do something!"

"Forgive me if I am out of line, Officer" said Giles to Xander as he stepped out of the crowd, "But I believe dumping an innocent puppy down a trash chute constitutes Animal Cruelty, which is a crime here in Scoobville, and Mayor Riley doesn't appear to be very sorry.

"You're right" Xander grinned, clipping his cuffs onto Riley's wrists. "Riley Finn, you are under arrest on the charge of animal cruelty."

"What? But I'm the Mayor!" cried Riley in shock as Xander dragged him to the Police car. "Graham!"

"Sorry, sir" Graham frowned. "I have a dog."

Buffy returned just in time to see Riley being driven away to the Police Station.

"Uh.. Did I miss something?"

"Riley was the one who dumped Echo down the trash chute, then he called us all freaks, so I decked him" Faith explained.

"Okay then" Buffy shrugged. "Anyway.." Faith's eyes widened as she saw the item clutched in Buffy's hand. It was the Christmas Angel she had made for her as a child.

"I thought I smashed that" she gasped.

"You did, but it wasn't hard to fix" Buffy smiled. "I put it on top of my tree every year."

"But it wasn't.."

"..There this year because I had it in my handbag" said Buffy. "I was going to show you yesterday, until Riley.. Well, that doesn't matter now, does it?"

"No" Faith smiled, pulling Buffy into her arms.

And so, Faith fixed the electricity, and returned everyone's presents.

"Hey, Auntie Faith!" Sophie grinned, running to the former Dark Slayer's side.

"Auntie Faith, huh?"

"Mama Tara said to call you Auntie Faith now" said Sophie.

"Well, if Mama Tara says so, I guess it's okay" Faith chuckled, crouching to the little girl's eye level.

Sophie kissed her cheek.

"Wow, you're cheek's so.."

"I know" Faith sighed, "Cold.."

"No" Sophie giggled.

"Oh.. Dirty?"

"No."

"Greasy?"

"Nope."

"Stinky?"

"Nuh-uh."

"Crap. I't's a zit, isn't it?"

"No."

"Then what?" Faith frowned. "What is it?"

"Warm" Sophie smiled. Faith smiled back, giving her a hug.

Sophie giggled and took Faith's hand, leading her to where the other Scoobs were gathering around the tree.

Sophie: Fah Scoob for-aze, Dah Scoob dor-aze!

Welcome Christmas, Come this way!

The Scoobs, forming a circle around the tree, continued the song.

Scoobs: Fah scoob for-aze!

Dah scoob dor-aze!

Welcome Christmas, Christmas Day.

Welcome, Welcome Fah Scoob rah-moose

Welcome, Welcome Dah Scoob dah-moose

Christmas day is in our grasp

So long as we have hands to clasp

Faith, with Sophie on one side and Buffy on the other, hadn't sung this song since she was eight, and was a little off on the words.

Faith: Fah Scoob ray-moo Yah Scoob hee-haw

Welcome Christmas, Bring your-

Buffy squeezed Faith's hand, gently correcting her.

-Cheer!

Scoobs: Fah Scoob for-aze! Yah Scoob dor-aze!

Welcome all Scoobs, Far and near!

As everyone agreed that this was a special Christmas, all the Scoobs put their tables together and shared Christmas lunch in the town square.

So she brought back the toys,

And the food for the feast,

And she,

She herself,

Faith,

Carved the roast beast.

"Who wants the gizzard?" Faith called over the table.

"I do!" yelled Spike.

"Too late, I called dibs!" Faith grinned.

Buffy playfully slapped her arm.

Sophie giggled.

Welcome Christmas,

Bring your cheer.

Cheer to all Scoobs far and near.

Christmas Day is in our grasp so long as we have hands to clasp

Christmas day will always be just as long as we have we.

Welcome Christmas while we stand, heart to heart and hand to hand.

"So, Buffy became the new Mayor of Scoobville, and gave Willow Graham's job. And after a while Buffy and Faith got married and popped out a kid and everyone lived happily ever after."

"Kids" said Sophie.

"Kid. One, years from now."

"Nup" Sophie held up two fingers, then jumped from Faith's lap and ran upstairs to play with Lily, who was just waking up from a nap. "Thanks for the story, Auntie Faith!"

Faith blinked, then leapt up and ran after her.

"Little Red, come back here! What's with the two fingers? Little Red!"