Ackerly hated holidays. He especially hated the Christmas season, and he hated it even more when his ex-wife sent him a list of "Do Not Buy These Toys" attached to the list of "Baxter Likes ____" and "Lucinda Likes ______". As though he had no idea how to buy presents for his own children! (He did not, but that was beside the point, it was offensive that she would outwardly dismiss his capabilities as a father in such a way!) But Ackerly knew that he had to get the right presents for the kids, or she would have a fit, and they would have a fight... And if they got into a fight in front of that smug new fiance of hers, and he had something to say about it- well, Ackerly wasn't sure how that would go down.

Lucinda was two and a half. Easy. Cute, frilly, fluffy clothes. Isabel said that Lucy liked princesses. She even listed muggle stores he could go to in order to find what she wanted. He did one better. Ackerly went to a wizarding toy shop and showed them the list he had received. Naturally he pretended it was for charity- for wizards less fortunate than himself- lest some stranger be made aware of his failures as a father. That would not do. And he had been presented with wonderful slippers that would magically transform his daughter into the most elaborate princess. Along with these slippers came a little coach that was pulled around by magically enhanced toy horses. If Lucinda wanted to play princess, then damnit, she would play the game better in something magical. Something that would hopefully make Mr. Barrington realize that Ackerly was a better father, and better suited for Isabel's needs. (Wishful thinking, Ackerly knew that.)

Baxter was more difficult. His son was thirteen. What did thirteen year old boys like? When Ackerly was thirteen life was quidditch and class, and a few girls. He had gotten started early, because apparently the women at Hogwarts had found him attractive. He'd never heard his son talk about girls though. Ackerly hoped that he wasn't gay. The wizard wasn't entirely positive he was prepared for that, or how well he would handle it.

When Baxter was a little boy, they bought him chemistry sets and little kid potions sets. They had bought him ant farms and animals. Once his wife had bought him some crystal growing set- and worst of all, that weird muggle device that baked liquid into rubbery, obnoxious insects. Creeeeepy Crawlers! He could hear Baxter singing that obnoxious jingle from the picture box. Ackerly had never been much of a fan of muggle television. It seemed a waste of time and energy to him, there were much better things his kids could be doing. Mostly, though, Baxter watched "educational" television. Beforelong he was a lot smarter than dear old dad in more than a handful of ways. He was proud, but it didn't mean he liked knowing it.

They had already bought Baxter all of the books he wanted. Those were listed first on the "Do Not Buy" list. This included a few magical volumes that Ackerly was going to buy. Baxter made no qualms in telling him exactly what he wanted. His son must have known his lack of skill in this particular area. Either way, Ackerly wished that his son hadn't informed his mother of that, too. Besides, what business did she have in the magical world? She wasn't a witch! And every year Ackerly took Baxter to Diagon Alley to get ready for school, because Isabel hated the place so much. Why couldn't she have been too selfish to step foot into the shops to buy Baxter those books? Ackerly wasn't sure, but it rubbed him in all the wrong ways.

The toy maker who had sold Ackerly the princess related toys had insisted that he did not make anything that a thirteen year old boy would have any interest in. Baxter liked toys though, didn't he? At least he did last time Ackerly checked. (Probably back when his son was ten years old.) And he just had no idea what to buy him! But he had to get him something. He considered for a few moments just giving his son a large sum of money. Then Baxter could do with it as he pleased one Hogsmeade weekend. Or he could get his mother to take him shopping in Diagon Alley (since she apparently was not quite as opposed to it as she had made out).

Ackerly would find something. He was sure that his son would love it. The list was helpful, but it didn't mean he had to obey it. No, Ackerly Evan Fox's days of obeying Isabel were over! He wasn't a crap dad, he could find something his son would love. Ackerly would ask around, talk to shop keepers, anything! (Except for the obvious- just ask Baxter what he liked and what he wanted. That would ruin the Holiday spirit after all.)

... And when Christmas Day did roll around, Ackerly was certain he'd procured the perfect gift for his teenaged son. He went to Isabel's house, played nice with her new beau, and feigned excitement. Lucinda was tickled pink with her presents, and Isabel seemed quite impressed at Ackerly's choices. In fact, his gift quite easily trumped the things that his ex wife and her fiance had bought for their daughter. He was proud of himself. Even Baxter seemed excited! Although Ackerly was a notoriously horrible father, he had tried, damnit. And his heart was touched seeing his children so thrilled with not only his being around, but showing up with presents.

Ackerly was anxious as he watched Baxter unwrap his gift, and kept a close eye on the boy's expression as he examined the gift.

"Great dad, thanks." Baxter set the gift to the side and picked up one of the DVDs that he had received from his mother, wandering over to the television to turn it on.

Ackerly frowned. "Well come back here, Baxter. You didn't even open it up! Take it out of the box!" Baxter ignored him, putting the movie in and setting it to play. He didn't understand- why was his son ignoring him? Baxter never ignored him. He was always thrilled to have his dad be around, and never wasted a moment on silence.

He watched as Isabel gently guided Baxter over to his father. She whispered something to her fiance and the two disappeared in another room, Lucinda tagging along after them. When they were gone, Ackerly pulled Baxter down on the couch next to him. "Don't ignore me, Baxter," Ackerly stated firmly. "I am your father, and when I talk to you, you're not going to ignore me."

Baxter fidgeted awkwardly, not meeting his father's eyes. "Yessir."

"What's wrong with your present?" Ackerly asked. "Your mom and Joshua sent me a list of things. I couldn't find any of the stuff on that list. So I had to guess. You used to love playing aurors and dark wizards with me. Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, when I was a little kid. I'm thirteen dad! This is a baby toy. I don't want to dress up and play aurors and dark wizards! I like books and science and stuff. I'm too old to play pretend. But maybe Lucy will like it. She can have my present." Baxter took it from his dad, moodily tossing it to the pile of gifts his sister had abandoned in favor of her shoes and carriage.

Ackerly sighed, and grimmaced. He had been certain Baxter would like it. "Well that isn't fair, then you won't have a present. Holidays don't work like that, Baxter. You can't give all your presents to Lucy. How about I return them and I owl you some money instead, huh?" He was trying here. He didn't want his son to be disappointed and have a horrible holiday. He did care... And he didn't want Isabel and Joshua having to make up for his mistakes. This was on him, and Ackerly knew it. "You can come stay with me a couple of days and we'll get you something you do like. How's that?"

"Don't worry about it, Dad. At least you showed up, that's something, right?" Baxter offered half a smile. "Besides, Lucy likes to play pretend. We can play together. She likes it when I play with her. You tried. That's more than you usually do."

"What does that mean?"

Baxter shrugged. "You're just not much of a dad. When I was little, the saving the world from bad guys thing worked. I was proud of you."

"I do my best," Ackerly countered. "I work long hours. I bust my ass for the auror office to get things done and make sure that criminals are safe. That's an important job! I can't spend all my time chasing you and your sister around and coddling you to make you feel better. The world isn't going to coddle you, Baxter. The world is a tough place. And you have to learn that."

The boy rolled his eyes. "I don't want to fight about this with you, dad. Your job is more important than me. It's more important than Mom. It's more important than Lucy. We get that. But you don't have to worry about being a good dad- cause Josh is a good dad. I guess you're lucky you found somebody to take care of that less important job, huh?"

The bitterness astounded Ackerly. Baxter had always idolized him. Sure, he knew that his son was hurt and that life wasn't easy for him, not without his dad around. But he thought they had a silent agreement about it. And what did a thirteen year old kid know anyway? What right did Baxter have to criticize his parenting skills? "I'm so glad you've learned to parrot your mother. You aren't even old enough to understand how complicated situations like this can be!"

"Yes I am. I am old enough to realize that you don't love us!" Baxter stood up, pointing a finger at his father. "That your job, that your career, that your reputation, that the ministry of magic, that everything else in the world is a priority over us and over your family! Grandpa told me that taught you better. Grandpa was an auror and he didn't abandon you and Uncle Huxley! He was a good dad. You said so yourself! So why can't you be a good dad, too? Why can't you love me and love Lucy? And why didn't you love our mother?"

Ackerly stood up, too. He reached out to snatch at his son's pointing finger- but his hand was intercepted by the firm grip of his ex-wife. "I think it's best if you go, Ackerly," she said quietly. "You did a good job. Tell your father that you're sorry, Baxter. You know better than to behave this way."

Baxter shook his head and walked away- slamming the door to his room after disappearing from sight. Lucinda cried out from the kitchen at the loud noise, and Ackerly's shoulders slumped. "I tried, Isabel," he assured her, pulling his wrist from her grip. "You saw how happy Lucy was!"

She sighed, and patted his shoulder. "I know you did, Ackerly. But Baxter isn't a little boy anymore. He's really smart. He makes good grades at Hogwarts. He's got a real future ahead of him. And he's too smart for his own good most of the time. I'll take care of it, don't worry." Isabel pressed a gentle kiss to her ex-husband's cheek, and hugged him tightly. "Don't you remember being thirteen? It's a rough age. Growing up, hormones, everything. And with me marrying Josh, and you... well, you not really being around, he doesn't have many places to turn to. I don't know what it's like to be a wizard, Ackerly. Neither does Josh. And you don't even answer his letters most of the time. He needs somebody to guide him through this. And your father can only help so much- times have changed since then."

"I don't need this kind of a lecture today," Ackerly snapped, shrugging her off. "I bought the kid a damn present! I spent all morning smiling and playing nice with that stupid boyfried of yours! I even changed a damned diaper! And I get my son mouthing off to me, throwing my present away, and my ex-wife lecturing me on how to be a dad when she can't even control her own kid! Next year we aren't doing this together shit, Isabel. The kids can come over to my parents house and we'll have our own Christmas. Without you, and without that prick of a fiance hovering around making himself out to be so much better than I am!"

Isabel didn't respond. Instead she pointed at the door, scooping up a crying Lucinda as she came into the room. She shushed the child and went back toward Baxter's room, leaving Ackerly alone in the living room. With a loud grunt of frustration, Ackerly snatched his coat from a peg by the door and stormed out of the house. How dare she! How dare she lecture him! How dare his brat of a son act that way! Thirteen his ass. There was nothing exciting or difficult about that age. Ackerly was just fine then, and Baxter would be fine, too if he would grow up and get a spine. At least his daughter could be appreciative. Maybe she wouldn't be totally ruined before it was all over with.