Christmas Drabble?

[fangfan.livejournal.com]

I'm back again looking for another fic.  I read this very recently, but for the life of me I can't find it again.  This a very short fic (drabble, perhaps?), which takes place shortly after Spike returns from Africa with his soul.  While he's not completely insane still, he is obviously very fragile emotionally.   It seems that he disappears from Xander's basement apartment which has Buffy very worried.  If I remember correctly, while she's berating Xander for losing Spike. he gets a call from the mall about a disturbance there involving one of his "friends."    Of course, it turns out to be Spike.  Buffy and Xander rush down to the mall which is decorated for Christmas.  In one of the stores which is selling Christmas decorations. they find Spike.  The manager  had recognized him from some previous fracas at the mall when Spike had been with Xander and Buffy.  The manager has had security detain Spike until Buffy and Xander can collect him.  Spike is very docile, not really causing any problems - just acting very oddly.  He has turned all the angels around so that they can no longer look at him. There are several small nativity displays, and Spike had taken the Baby Jesus out of every manger and pocketed them all.   Buffy makes him replace them, but when he looks at her pleadingly, she buys one for him to keep.  As they are leaving the mall to go home, Buffy asks Spike why he had stolen the Baby Jesus.  The story ends with him saying something like "They're going to kill him, you know."

That's it - the whole story.  My re-telling hasn't done it justice at all.  It's extremely well-written.  The author has created this whole atmosphere, and the end just hits you.   It's short, but so powerful, that it just stays with you.  If anyone out there can come come up with an author and title, as well as where this is archived, I'd really appreciate. 

Comments

[spikes_heart.livejournal.com]

You've given me shivers from your description, alone. Please pass along the link if you should be lucky enough to actually find this. Thanks, hon.

[beanbeans.livejournal.com]

Wow. That sounds fantastic. I hope someone can answer this request, because I really want to read this now. :)

[morgantree.livejournal.com]

Please, someone out there lead us to this fic!

[the-nites-gurl.livejournal.com]

Wow, sounds awesome! I hope someone recognizes this one!!

[(Anonymous)]

Here you go, guys. I absolutely love this fic. I'm sure you will too.

http://4dw.net/dmarkedlove/colleenrescue.html

Solved!

[fangfan.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much! Trying to remember this little gem was driving me nuts. It's such a lovely, poignant story - a real heart twister. I've got to see if I can find more fics by this author.

Fangfan

[the-nites-gurl.livejournal.com]

Thanks for posting the link, this was pretty amazing!

[louise39.livejournal.com]

What a lovely story. Thanks for the seek and find.
There was a quote somwhere that goes, Coleen delivers... 'Tiny one page fictions that bring up as much emotion as big novel size fics'. So true.