Christmas Shoes

by CorgiGirl88

Disclaimer: I don't own Butch, or Cassidy, or any characters mentioned in this fanfic, although I wish I did......

Author's Note: I was inspired to write this story after I heard a really touching Christmas song on the radio. I don't remember the name, or who it was by, but it was a really nice song. That's what parts of the fic are based on.

Butch was standing in the store, with his last minute Christmas gift for Cassidy in hand. A very beautiful diamond necklace, with a gold chain. Of course, Cassidy was the only person he had to shop for, so Butch was a little luckier than most. Why he hadn't done this earlier, he hadn't a clue. But anyways, he was looking for a checkout line without alot of people in it; unfortunately each line looked like it contained at least eighteen last minute shoppers like himself.
Butch sighed, finally picking a line randomly. No use, he wouldn't get out anytime soon no matter which line he chose to stand behind.
" I'm beginning to think Christmas just isn't worth it....." he muttered aloud to himself.
Just then, Butch noticed the little boy standing in line right in front of him. He was a little blonde eight year old, wearing raggedy clothes, and a pair of new shoes in his hand. They were women's shoes, so apparently the kid was shopping for an aunt or a mother. Butch turned his gaze from the little boy, to the clock on the wall. Nine o'clock already. Tomorrow was Christmas Eve. Butch was already getting tired........
" Maybe I'll go to bed as soon as I get home." he thought to himself again.
The line moved faster than Butch expected, and pretty soon it was the little boy's turn, with Butch next.
" I wanna buy these shoes for my Mama please, sir." the boy told the clerk.
" Of course, son. That'll be..."
Butch watched as the clerk told the boy the amount, and the little kid pulled change out of his pocket. They counted pennies for what seemed like forever to Butch, and finally the cashier spoke.
" I'm sorry, son, but there isn't enough money here."
The little boy's expression turned from one of eagerness to one of pure devestation. Butch watched silently as the little boy glumly took the shoes back, and put them where he had found them. He returned, took his less than enough change, and walked out the door of the store. Butch layed his items on the counter, and before the cashier could ring up the amount, he stopped him.
" Hold on just a sec. There's something I wanted to buy for a friend....I'll go run get it. Be right back..." Butch said, running off. Butch didn't know what made him do it, he had wanted more than anything to get back home, but he ran back to where the little boy had put the shoes, retrieved them, and brought them back to the cash register. Butch purchased the shoes along with his own items, and ran outside, hoping he wasn't to late to catch that little boy.
Sure enough, the kid was sitting out on the sidewalk in front of the store. It was awfully cold out, but the little boy didn't seem to care. He was sitting with his head in his hands, looking as if he were about to cry...
" Hey, kid! Little boy!" Butch called, running up to him. The little kid looked up at Butch, who stopped right in front of him, and knelt down so he was almost on the sitting boy's level.
" Here." Butch said, taking the shoebox and handing it to the boy. The kid's expression turned to one of pure joy, as he took the box with the shoes in it carefully from Butch.
" Oh, thank you, sir! Thank you so much!! You don't know how much this'll mean to her.....I promise, mister, I'll pay you back as soon as I get the money! Thank you so much!" the little boy cried, standing and almost jumping up and down with glee.
" No need to pay me back, kid. I'm just curious, though," Butch said,"....who'd you say those were for, your Mom?"
" Yes, sir." the boy said, his expression turning serious for a moment. " You see, my Mama's been sick for a while now. Daddy says she's got cancer, like, Lookima or something..."
" Leukimia.." Butch corrected the little boy, very surprised at what he was hearing.
" Yeah." the little boy replied. " I wanted to buy these shoes for her, because they're so beautiful, I knew they'd make her smile! And I told Daddy, and he said it was a great idea. But then Daddy said that Mama might not have much time left....and I just wanted Mama to look pretty, in case she meets Jesus tonight."
Butch was in complete and total shock at what he had just heard. This boy was so unselfish, unlike so many other people Butch knew, and he had wanted just one last favor for his mother, on her last Christmas before she.....
" Thanks again, mister!!" the little boy said happily, as he started to run off towards his home. Halfway down the sidewalk, the boy stopped, turned around, and ran back to a now standing, still in slight shock, Butch. The little boy gave Butch a huge hug, surprising the teal-haired Rocket a little more. After a minute, Butch smiled, ruffled the kid's hair, sent him off.
" Hurry on home kid. You got to get those shoes to your Mom."
" Ok!" the kid said, and hurried off. Butch continued smiling, as he watched the little boy go. And then suddenly, it hit him. That little boy had been there to show him that Christmas really WAS worth it. It wasn't about the presents, or candy, or pretty decorations. It was about giving, and caring for the ones you love.
Butch looked up at the sky before he walked out to his car.
" Thanks. Now I know Christmas really is worth it." he said, still looking up. He continued staring at the sky for about a minute, and then, he went home to Cassidy, feeling like a completely new person.

The End