Chapter 1

He entered the hospital, head held high and not a care in the world, putting on a smile as he reached the front desk.

“Good afternoon, Lisa. How’s our girl doing today?”

She blushed under his stare, as all the nurses tended to do when Mr. Pratt was around. “Dawn’s doing fine, getting a little antsy about being cooped up here. She keeps begging the doctor to let her go home.”

Spike laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, that sounds about right. I brought her a few things to keep her entertained. Is it okay if I see her now? I know visiting hours are over, but I promise not to tell if you won’t.”

Lisa could never resist this man, especially not when he pouted. She envied the woman lucky enough to be with him, because there was just no way he was single. “You can go in, we never had this conversation.”

He gave her a wink, then headed over to the hospital room that he was starting to know all too well, smiling at the dark haired girl lying there, her arm and leg in a cast. “Hey, bit, how are you feeling today?”

She rolled her eyes. “How do you think? I hate it here.”

Spike sat down at her side, giving her a concerned look. “I know it’s not your favorite place, but if it makes you feel better, they said you should be out of here by Christmas.”

“Yeah, but that means I’m still going to miss the last football game before Winter Break. I’ve been rehearsing my cheers for weeks, I had it all down, and then I fall during a practice. I hate the stupid pyramid; it’s all Becky’s fault. I think she dropped me on purpose. She’s always wanted to be on top.”

Spike chuckled. “Becky’s your friend, Nibblet. I’m sure it was just an accident. I always told you cheerleading was bloody hazardous.”

Dawn glared at him, then perked up when she saw what he brought. “Oh, are those my magazines? I’ve been seriously bored.”

He handed the bag over to her. “And some treats, I know how dreadful hospital food can be.”

She smiled now. “Thanks, you’re a lifesaver.”

“I do what I can, but you should rest. I wouldn’t want to get Lisa in trouble for letting me in here.”

“It’s Lisa now, huh?” Dawn said with a grin. “You know she totally has the hots for you, right? You should ask her out or something. You haven’t dated in years, which is strange since you could pretty much get anyone you wanted. All of my friends have a crush on you, it’s disturbing.”

Spike ruffled her hair, which he knew she hated. His girl was a teenager now, after all. “Get some rest, I’ll come back to see you tomorrow. Try not to give the hospital staff any more trouble, all right?”

Dawn nodded. “Fine, but I won’t be happy about it.”

“That’s all I ask. I love you, sweetheart,” he said, kissing her forehead tenderly.

“I love you, too.”

Spike left her room and was about to thank Lisa, when he collided with another body.

“God, I’m so sorry. I really should be watching where I’m going,” the woman said, giving him an apologetic smile.

He was lost in the vision of loveliness now standing in front of him; it took all of a second before she became familiar. “Buffy Summers? Is that you?”

She was taken by surprise, giving him a confused look. “I’m sorry, do I know you?”

Spike grinned; of course she wouldn’t recognize him. “We went to high school together; I looked a lot different then.”

Buffy’s eyes widened when realization hit her. “William Pratt? Wow, you’ve really changed.”

He nodded. “I go by Spike now. It’s great to see you again.”

“Likewise, what are you doing here?”

“Just visiting my sister, you remember Dawn? She got in to a bit of an accident during cheerleading practice. I guess I don’t have to tell you how dangerous that could be,” he explained.

Buffy laughed. “I know all too well, but my cheerleading days are thankfully way behind me. I hope she’s okay.”

“She’ll be fine. Would you like to see her? I’m sure she would appreciate it.”

Buffy knew visiting hours were over, but figured it wouldn’t hurt to just peek inside. She followed Spike to the room, noticing the girl in bed, who looked up at her. “This can’t be Dawn. You’re so grown up now.”

The girl raised her eyebrows, glancing at her brother for some clarification.

“Love, this is Buffy, you remember her? You were just a little bit the last time you saw her.”

Dawn nodded. “Yeah, I remember. Did you ever fall off a pyramid?”

Buffy thought about it. “Not that I can recall, but I did trip over the mascot once. That was really embarrassing.”

The brunette smiled, knowing the older girl was only trying to make her feel better. “I like her.”

Buffy blushed, gazing back at Spike. “It was really nice to catch up with you guys, but I should get going now. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

Spike nodded, leading Buffy out of the room. “I’m sure you will.”

She gave Dawn a wave, then made her way down the hall.

Spike let out a sigh once she was gone, hearing Dawn’s voice behind him.

“You still love her, don’t you?”

He smiled, staring at his sister. “I never stopped.” It was true; Buffy Summers was his first crush, his first real love, even though she had no idea. They were never really friends, she was part of the popular crowd, and he was a social outcast, but even with that, she never tortured him like the rest of the student body seemed to enjoy doing. Buffy was different, special, she was the only person to ever really be nice to him. She came over with flowers once word got out about his mother’s death, the only one from school who even cared. It was then that Spike knew he would always love her, even if it was at a distance. Seeing her again just brought all of those old feelings back, and now that he wasn’t the same loser he used to be, things were definitely going to change.

Spike broke out of his reverie, and with a big grin on his face, made his way to the exit of the hospital, glancing in rooms along the way, giving the patients in there a warm smile. He stopped suddenly when he came across a particular room, noticing that Buffy was inside, clutching the hand of a small child lying in the hospital bed.

She looked up at him, a smile on her face that didn’t really reach her eyes. “Hey, Spike. This is Ella, my daughter.”

Chapter 2

To say Spike was stunned would be an understatement. He supposed he should have known that Buffy wouldn’t have been alone, but for some reason, he never expected for her to have a little one of her own. Gazing down at the sleeping child, he could see so much of her mother in her, she was very beautiful. The little girl was tiny, possibly about six or seven. She was way too pale for his liking, and it looked like her head was recently shaved, but that did not take away from her natural beauty.

He sat down in the only available chair in the room, not sure what to say. “How long has she been here?” was all he could manage to get out.

Buffy took in a deep breath. “It’s been a little over two weeks now. She’s too sick to get proper care at home, and I can’t afford it. I can barely afford to keep her in the hospital. I got laid off a few months ago, and we both moved in with my mother. It just seemed like the best solution.”

“Where is her father? If you don’t mind me asking,” Spike wondered.

“He’s not in the picture anymore. I was pregnant at nineteen, right when I started college, which led to me not even completing a full semester before I dropped out. Riley supported my decision. He said he would be there for the baby, that we could get married, but I turned him down. I didn’t love him, and I didn’t want him to only marry me because I was pregnant. We just agreed to settle on a friendship, and as time went on, it became more than that, but no matter what, I just couldn’t love him. A part of me knew he wasn’t who I was meant to be with. We had so many problems in our relationship. When Ella was born she became the most important thing in my world, and Riley couldn’t handle that. He was actually jealous of his own daughter. We had so many arguments, it seemed like all we did was fight with each other. He blamed me for ruining his life, that he had plans to play professional football, and he had to give it all up to take care of Ella, even though I never asked him to do that. To make a long story short, he took off one day and never came back. No note, nothing, I just came home from work to find all of his stuff gone. It was only last year that Ella was diagnosed with Leukemia, things have been tough ever since, but we’ve managed. My mom has been a huge help, I honestly don’t know where we would be right now if it wasn’t for her.”

For the second time that day, Spike found himself completely stunned. He had no idea that things were so bad for her. He envisioned Buffy having the perfect life once she left high school. Spike didn’t realize just how wrong he was, but she wasn’t finished.

“It just breaks my heart seeing her lying there, so young and helpless. Even more so knowing that she has to spend Christmas in a hospital, that’s always been our favorite time of year. She would wake me up at six in the morning, then wait for me downstairs. She never opened any of her presents, unless I was there to see her. The one thing she really wanted was a dog, and I wish more than anything that I could get her one, but it’s just so much responsibility, not to mention how expensive having a pet could be. I know she’s disappointed, but would never say that she was. Things just won’t be the same this year, and knowing that this might be the last Christmas we’ll get to have together…” her voice trailed off then, tears in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to share so much. It’s just hard to think about.”

Spike nodded, reaching across the still sleeping child to take Buffy’s hand in his, giving it a light squeeze. “You don’t have to apologize for that, love. It’s horrible what you’re going through. I just wish there was something I could do.”

She smiled now, squeezing his hand back. “You’re already doing it just by being here. I don’t really have anyone besides my mom; it’s just been me and Ella these last few years. It means so much that you’re here now. I’ve really missed you.”

His eyes widened as he released her hand. “You have?”

Buffy looked away from his intense stare, a blush tinting her cheeks. “I’ve never told anyone before, but I used to have a crush on you in school. You were so smart and collected; I always envied that about you. I figured you just saw me as some shallow airhead like everyone else, so I never acted on the crush, but I thought about you all the time. Whenever I was with my friends, I always wished I was with you instead. God, I’m sharing too much again,” she finished, her cheeks growing even warmer under his startled gaze.

“Bloody hell, I never thought that you even noticed me. I know you were the only one to really be nice to me, but I just figured you did it out of pity.”

Her eyes flew back to his, shaking her head adamantly. “No, it was never pity. I was going to tell you how I felt after graduation. I know, I chose the perfect time, but when I went to your house, you were already gone.”

He nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. “Yeah, I was eighteen, legal to be Dawn’s guardian, but I knew I couldn’t handle it by myself. So, as soon as I graduated, we took off. We moved to London to live with my grandparents, only just moved back here about two years ago. Dawn chose to come with me instead of stay there.”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m glad you came back.”

Spike smiled, feeling his heart swell. Not only was he around the woman of his dreams again, but she also admitted to having feelings for him, which was something he never would have expected. Things were definitely going to be different from now on, there was no way he was ever letting her go again, but there was something he needed to do first. Buffy deserved a good Christmas, and she deserved to spend it with her daughter, not in some hospital room. “I have to get going, but I’m coming back to visit Dawn tomorrow. Would you like to get something to eat with me? Even if it is only in the cafeteria,” he said, hoping she would agree.

“It’s a date,” she replied with a smile.

Spike smiled as well, he couldn’t help it around her. “I’ll see you then.” He stood up, staring at the child one last time, then back at Buffy. “She’s really beautiful, just like her mum.”

Buffy blushed again, feeling pride at his words. “Thank you.”

He nodded to her, then headed out of the hospital, flipping open his cell phone once he left the building. “Xander, it’s Spike, I need a favor.”

Chapter 3

“How’s Dawn?”

“Ecstatic,” Spike commented, taking a seat across from her. “She’s excited to finally be coming home. I’ll be picking her up tomorrow.”

Buffy was glad for that, but also upset knowing that he wouldn’t have a reason to come by the hospital anymore. It had only been a week since he entered her life again, but she’d become very fond of him in that short time, even more so than she was in high school.

“Oh, I almost forgot. I have something for you.”

Buffy was confused when he left the room, a smile on her face once he returned, with a stuffed pig in his arms.

“This is Mr. Gordo,” he handed the animal over to Ella, who gladly took it. “My mum gave him to me when I was about your age. I had just gotten my tonsils out, and she wanted to make me feel better. This little guy has been with me ever since, and now I want you to have him.”

Buffy gazed down at her daughter. “What do you say, baby?”

“Thanks, Spike,” she responded with a smile, clutching the pig to her chest.

“That was really sweet of you,” Buffy told him.

He waved his hand in the air. “Don’t mention it; I was getting a bit too old for him.”

Buffy took a deep breath before saying what she wanted to. “Will I still be able to see you? I know with Dawn going home, you won’t have a reason to visit anymore.”

He shook his head. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily, Summers. In fact, you’re bound to get sick of me with how much I intend to be around.”

She blushed, turning away from him. “Somehow I doubt that.”

Spike saw that Ella was starting to drift off, the pig still tight in her grasp. He used that as an excuse to lead Buffy out of the room, so they could talk in private. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask you, and I’d better do it now before I lose my nerve. I know we’ve been seeing a lot of each other this last week and you probably only think of me as a friend, but I was wondering if maybe we could be more than that. I’m bloody crazy about you, Buffy. I have been for as long as I can remember. I know you said you used to have a crush on me, but for all I know you may be over it now. I guess what I’m trying to say is, would you like to go out with me some time?”

She pretended to think about it. “I don’t know. I’ll have to check my schedule.”

Spike tried to act casual, not wanting her to know how disappointed he was. “Oh, that’s fine, whenever you can. It’s not like I’m going anywhere.” He saw the smile on her face, rolling his eyes at himself. “And you were just messing with me, weren’t you?”

“You just make it so easy. Honestly, that’s probably the most I’ve ever heard you say at one time. I was hoping you would ask me out at some point.”

He nodded, feeling more at ease. “How about this weekend? I can take you to an actual restaurant.”

She nodded as well. “Sounds good, my mom can sit with Ella for me.” It had been so long since Buffy went on a date, praying that she knew what she was doing.


* * * * *


They had a nice dinner at an extravagant restaurant, which Spike insisted was on him. They talked about everything, reminisced over high school, how nervous they were to talk to the other back then, and so on.

Overall, it was a wonderful evening, and Buffy found herself back at her mom’s house sooner than she would have liked. “Thank you for tonight, it was great to get out. I hope we can do it again.”

Spike smiled. “You can count on that. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, moving closer and touching his lips to hers in a soft caress.

Buffy was taken by surprise at first, but didn’t hesitate to kiss him back. She never wanted it to end, but it had to at some point.

“Goodnight,” he whispered.

She kissed him one last time, then headed inside the house, resting her head against the door. Her mom was already there, gracing her with a smile.

“How was the date?”

Buffy returned her smile. “Amazing, he’s incredible. I hate thinking about all this time we’ve wasted. How’s Ella?”

“She’s fine,” Joyce Summers responded. “She was asleep when I left.”

Buffy nodded, moving into the living room. “I hate this. She should be here with me. Christmas is in one week, Mom. It’s not fair that Ella should have to spend it in that hospital. You know what she said earlier today? She didn’t know if Santa would be able to find her. I told her that Santa visits hospitals all the time, but I don’t think she believed me.”

Joyce gave her daughter a hug. “It’ll be all right, sweetheart. You just have to have a little faith.”

“I wish I could. I would have probably completely lost it by now if it wasn’t for Spike. He’s the only one keeping me sane. Is it possible to love someone when you’ve only been on one date?”

The older woman shook her head. “I think anything is possible, but it’s not like you haven’t known William for a long time now.”

Buffy agreed, glancing around the house. There was no tree, no decorations, she frowned at that. “I’m sorry that I’ve been such a downer. I know I’ve been against decorating because Ella isn’t here to enjoy it, but this is your house. I hate that I’ve taken away from your Christmas.”

“Think nothing of it, honey. You’re right; it won’t be the same without her. I’m not really much for decorating this year, anyway.”

Buffy knew her mom was only saying that to make her feel better, but still felt that she was ruining the holiday for everyone.


* * * * *


“I’m in love, Harris. Head over bloody heels, but you already knew that.”

Xander rolled his eyes. “How could I not? You haven’t been able to stop talking about her since she crashed back in to your life, but it’s good that you’re finally dating again. She sounds like a great girl.”

“Bloody amazing is how I would describe her,” Spike commented. “This is going to be a great Christmas, for all of us. Buffy and Ella deserve it more than anything, and I really want to do this for them.”

Xander nodded. “You know I’ll help out with anything you need, but just how are we going to pull this off without her knowing?”

“You leave that to me, mate. It’s all taken care of.”


* * * * *


Spike hung up the phone after talking with Joyce, who claimed Buffy was asleep and couldn’t overhear anything. He smiled and sat back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. This was going to be a Christmas to remember.

Chapter 4

It was Christmas Eve, and Buffy once again found herself at the hospital. She had to put on a brave face; it was bad enough her daughter had to spend Christmas there, Buffy didn’t need to make her feel worse about it. She headed to Ella’s room, a smile in place, which quickly faded when she saw a nurse wheeling her daughter out of the room.

“What’s going on?”

The nurse graced her with a bright smile. “Mr. Pratt has paid for home care; it looks like you two are free to go.”

Buffy was surprised, that being the last thing she expected to hear. “Are you sure? He never said anything about that.”

“I think he wanted it to be a surprise. Also, I am to tell you not to go straight home yet. He wanted you to take Ella to the park for a few hours,” the woman explained.

Buffy didn’t know what was going on, but she only nodded in response.

“I get to go home, Mommy!” Ella exclaimed.

She smiled down at her daughter. “I guess you do, baby.” Her little girl was happy, which was all Buffy wanted for her, but Spike had a lot of explaining to do.


* * * * *


Buffy didn’t know what to expect when she reached her mother’s house, but seeing the outside decorated in Christmas lights was definitely not on the list. She got Ella situated in her wheelchair, then pushed her up to the house, luckily there was a ramp that led right to the front door. Once inside, the smell of freshly baked cookies enveloped her. She pushed Ella into the living room, tears coming to her eyes at the sight of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree, a bunch of presents resting underneath.

Joyce stood up from the couch, giving her stunned daughter a hug. “It just wouldn’t have been Christmas without it.”

Buffy pulled out of the embrace, shaking her head. “How did you do all of this?”

“I didn’t really do anything,” she commented.

“Your mum’s being modest, pet. She was a big help.”

Buffy turned to see Spike coming out of the kitchen, a black Santa hat on his head, and apron around his waist. She laughed at the sight, wondering just where he found a hat that color, but it suited him. She saw that Dawn was there as well, free of casts, which Buffy knew the teenager must be very happy about, but she focused more on Spike. “What is all of this? That must be over a thousand dollars worth of gifts, not to mention how much hiring a caregiver for Ella would cost. I can’t accept this.”

“Sure you can,” he told her. “It’s Christmas, love, the time for giving. You’re the most amazing, generous woman I’ve ever known. You and Ella deserve to have the best holiday ever, and you should spend it here, not in a hospital. This is my gift to you, and I don’t want you to think I expect anything in return. Just being a part of your life is enough for me; it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

The tears couldn’t be stopped now as Buffy wrapped her arms around him, burying her head against his chest. “Thank you so much.”

Spike rubbed her back. “Don’t mention it. You’re probably starving; I cooked enough for an army.”

“He cooks, too. I think I’ve hit the jackpot.”

Spike blushed, giving her an extra squeeze.

While they were talking, Joyce pushed Ella over to the tree to give her a better look, Dawn right behind them.

The little girl couldn’t stop gazing at the presents, then turned back to the adults. “Is he Santa, Mommy?”

Buffy smiled. “No, he’s an angel.”

Spike’s cheeks were impossibly red now as he entered the kitchen to check on the cookies. It wasn’t long before a pair of arms wrapped around him. He turned, only to be met with Buffy’s soft lips on his. He pulled her closer, the kiss becoming more passionate.

Buffy nuzzled his neck, moving over to his ear. “I love you,” she whispered.

Spike smothered her throat with kisses at those words. “I love you, too. I always have.”

She pulled away to see the sincerity in his eyes. “Is it bad that I wish you were her father?”

He shook his head, brushing the hair out of her face. “I wish I was her father, and maybe some day, I will be.”

Buffy kissed him again, putting all her feelings in to the gesture. Once breathing became an issue, she led him back to the living room, where Ella was waiting by the tree with Mr. Gordo. “Go ahead, sweetie. I think you’ve earned it.”

Ella smiled up at her, then started ripping open packages, getting help from Joyce and Dawn in the process. She squealed at all of her new gifts, thanking Spike profusely.

“You’ve made this a great Christmas for her.”

He hugged her to him. “And hopefully many more to come.”

Buffy couldn’t argue with that, it was the one thing she never stopped praying for.


* * * * *


The next day went the same. Ella didn’t open all of her presents on Christmas Eve, so she could have some to open for Christmas.

Buffy couldn’t stop smiling at her daughter’s enthusiasm.

There was a sudden knock on the door, and Buffy was confused about who it could be. When she got up to answer it, she was surprised to see Santa standing on the other side. Buffy raised her eyebrows; it couldn’t possibly be Spike since he was in the kitchen with her mother, and that was confirmed when Spike joined them a second later.

“Great, you’re just in time. She’s in the living room.”

Santa nodded to him, then followed his instructions.

Buffy was even more confused now. “You hired a Santa?”

Spike grinned. “I’m just full of surprises.”

Ella squealed when the jolly man entered the room, a bag in his arms.

“You must be Ella. Santa has a very special gift for you.”

She peered through his bag, only to see dog treats and toys, puzzled as to what she could do with all that.

“Oh, I knew I forgot something.” Santa pulled his coat back, and in his arms was a brown puppy.

Ella gasped, taking the animal from him. “Is this for me?”

He nodded. “You’ve been a very good girl this year.”

“Mommy! Santa got me a puppy! Can I keep him? Please?”

Buffy glared at Spike, but there was a hint of a smile on her face. “Of course you can, baby.”

“Yay! I’m gonna name him Chocolate!” Ella stated, playing with her new pet.

“Chocolate, huh? Like mother, like daughter.”

Buffy swatted at him, but nothing else mattered except her daughter’s happiness.

“So, when do I get a puppy?” Dawn wondered, only half kidding.

“When you’re old enough,” Spike replied with a wink.

Dawn rolled her eyes, but continued to play with Ella’s present.

It looked like Spike would have to ask Harris for another favor, but that could wait.

Santa headed back over to them, giving Buffy a nod. “Don’t worry; everything will be taken care of. I can get you plenty of food for the little guy, and taking him to the vet will be free of charge. All future appointments are already paid for.”

“Why does that not surprise me?” she said, looking at Spike, who only shrugged.

“Thanks a lot, Xander. I really appreciate this,” he told him.

“What are friends for? Have a great Christmas, Spike. I better get this suit returned before they charge me for it.”

Spike laughed as his friend left the house, then turned back to Buffy. “He’s a mate of mine, owns the local pet shop with his wife, and he helped me with the decorating. I couldn’t do it all myself. I told him I would take care of everything, so whatever the pup needs is on me.” He cut her off when it looked like she was going to argue. “I don’t want you to worry about any extra bills, Buffy. You just worry about Ella, let someone take care of you for a change.”

She nodded after a moment. “Okay, but at some point I will be getting a job, and then I’m so paying you back.”

He shook his head. “I will have to respectfully decline if you do. I told you, I don’t expect anything in return.”

“Fine, but you don’t have to keep spoiling us. I love you, Spike. I would love you even if you didn’t do any of this.”

“That’s good to know,” he replied. “All right, compromise, I won’t get you anything for your birthday.”

She shook on it. “Deal.”

Instead of releasing her hand right away, he pulled her closer to his side. “If you’re interested, there’s a job for you at my law firm. It’s just a clerical position, but the pay is good, with the added bonus of seeing my handsome self every day.”

Buffy smiled. “You may have yourself another deal.”

Spike smiled as well, placing a Santa hat on her, and then dangling mistletoe above her head.

She kissed his lips tenderly. “You don’t have to use mistletoe to get me to kiss you.”

He shrugged. “There should be some tradition.”

They headed back to the living room, laughing at the sight of the new puppy getting caught up in all the wrapping paper, while Ella and Dawn tried to help him out of it.

Buffy rested her head against his shoulder as she continued to watch the display. “Merry Christmas, Spike.”

“Happy Christmas, Buffy.” He kissed her cheek, wrapping his arms tightly around her.

It was definitely a Christmas to remember, and many more to come.

The End