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Cordy and I both sat on the floor of the training room of Wolfram and Hart, panting. It had been a fun workout, teaching her to fight. It was terrific. What she lacked in skill, she more than made up for with sheer determination. Angel head been training her to fight before her coma, and although Angel was a clumsy fighter at best, Cordy managed to be much more graceful and precise, even though he had been the one to tutor her.

“Hello, Slayers!” A cheerful British voice announced.

“Hello, Wesley!” we said together. Wow. Charlie’s Angel’s much? Wes came in with a huge stack of leather bound books. He stacked them on the floor next to the door.

“My journals, as promised,” Wesley quipped.

“Thank you.” A thought hit me. “Hey, come sit down for a minute. There’s something I need to discuss with both of you.”

“This private, luv? Should I come back later? Just come to tell you that Red and the Wolf boy will be late joinin’ us for lunch. They found something to do together first, I guess.” My sardonic vampire smirked at me from the doorway.

“Good for them. Why don’t you sit down, too? It’s probably good that you know this also.” Wesley and Spike sat down on the floor with us. I had their undivided attention. It was great!

“I’ll just get right to it. When we took over the Watcher’s Council, we found evidence that most of the older Council members, like Quentin Travers, had their houses, cars, most of their assets in the name of the Council. For tax purposes, I suppose.” I saw all their eyes get big at the realization of what I was saying. “We came into possession of forty eight houses, sixty four cars, a few boats and multiple other…things. Of course, “ I fixed Wesley with a pointed stare, “I gave one house back.”

Wes looked at me in surprise. I continued. “When I saw the name Wyndam-Pryce, I just couldn’t keep the house. I delivered the deed back in person. Your father’s…uh…pleasant. He sure doesn’t think much of me.” I smiled cheekily at him.

“Pet, are you saying you and the Watcher own a bunch of houses and cars in London?” Spike asked incredulously.

“Yep,” I said, popping the ‘p.’ “Mostly belonging to people who died in the explosion on the Council building. I even got a driver’s license after I saw Quentin’s car, so I took that one as mine.”

Wesley looked at me shocked. “You drive Quentin Travers’ car? The green one?”

“Uh-huh,” I confirmed. “Dawn and I share it.”

“You and you seventeen year old sister share that car?” Wesley asked incredulously.

“What’s the big deal?” Cordy demanded.

“Buffy, tell them what kind of car it is,” Wesley instructed.

“It’s a ’99 Aston Martin Vanquish in British racing green. Matches my eyes and everything.” I smiled contentedly at the memory of the hot car.

Spike grinned at me. “Kitten’s got good taste. Lotta dosh for that ride.”

“But my newly acquired auto obsession is not the reason I bring this up.” I looked at the only other woman in the room. “When you go to England, you have two choices. You can live in one of the apartment buildings we bought for all the girls to live in…well, the girls and Andrew.” Spike snickered as I went on. “I lived in one with Dawn until I came here, but somehow, I don’t think you want to live in a place with a bunch of clomping teenage girls…so maybe you want a house and car of your own.” Cordy’s eyes were huge at the implications of what I was saying.
“Most of the houses are scattered around the English countryside, but most are fairly close to London. There are even a few castles. Honest to god castles. I’ve got dibs on a huge one just outside Surrey.” Spike stared at me, shocked with a grin on his face. “Dawn and I went and checked it out. I thought it would be fantastic for Christmas. There’s a huge Great room with a gigantic fireplace. It would be perfect for a really big tree and a big family to gather around it. Speaking of which…what’s the date today?”

“December fifteenth,” Wesley answered.

“Well then, how’s this? Let’s all go to England for the holidays.”

Cordy stared at me. “Are you serious?”

“Sure, why not? I mean, there are, like, twelve bedrooms in the castle thingie, more than enough room for everyone and…well…Dawn and I haven’t celebrated Christmas since Mom died. I think I’m ready again and I know she is. I just can’t think of a better way to do it. Surrounded by good friends, old and new, sounds like a great way to get back into the holiday.”

“I’m in,” Spike grinned.

Cordy smiled. “Can I pick out a house and a car while I’m there?” I nodded. She squealed and clapped her hands. “Okay, I’m in, too.”

Wesley alone looked unsure. “I…haven’t been back to England…since…”

“The Council fired you," I supplied. "Giles said your father was terribly upset. He ranted and raved after we took over the Council and wouldn’t hire back any of the former Watchers like him. Said we were ruining hundreds of years of tradition. Of course, that was said only after I explained that his presence was neither required nor wanted. I told him we needed good men with open minds and courage to fight for themselves, not just send off little girls to do it for them. Which is also why I intend to inform your father of your employment with us myself. I’d love to know if he paid any attention at all to the requirements.” I lowered my voice to a low murmur and took Wes’s hand between both of mine. “I’m sorry that your father criticizes you so much, but you must be glad he at least takes some interest in your life. I haven’t seen my dad in…two years. Maybe more. I was dead for…”

“One hundred forty seven days.”

“Thank you, Spike. Point is, my dad didn’t even notice. If you don’t want to see him while we’re there, that’s okay. If you want to invite him for a dinner, that’s cool too. We’ll protect you.” I grinned at him. “After all, you’ll have two slayers and the youngest ever vampire to be declared a master. And, of course, whomever else we invite. I think we can keep you safe from one old man’s biting comments.”

Wesley smiled back at me. “Alright then. England it is.”

“England what is?”

We all turned to the voice. Willow and Oz were standing in the doorway. Holding hands. No wigging, Buffy. Maybe they’re just friends. Friends that hold hands. “We’re going to England for Christmas. Oz, are you still going to be here?”

“Nope. Hoppin’ back across the pond on the twentieth,” he replied.

“And you Willow? Do you have Hanukkah plans? Or Yule, as the case may be?"”

She shifted her feet nervously. “I was supposed to spend the holidays with Kennedy’s family, but since I broke up with her last night…I’m guessing I need new plans.” She finished her statement with a huge grin. “Oz and I are…well…me and Oz….” she didn’t have a chance to finish as I leapt to my feet and hugged both her and Oz. “Which, you know makes sense because when he left Sunnydale I told him that part of me would always be waiting for him, and I guess we finally got to the time where it was right again to be together.”

“What about your Wicca school?” I asked her.

“Giles is letting me transfer both my classes and my pupils to merry ol’ England, so I’m flying back with Oz.”

“So Red, You and the boy want to crash with us then? We’d be glad to have you for the holidays, both of you,” Spike said generously.

Willow looked at him shocked. I know in her mind she was going through every mean thing we had ever said and done to Spike over the years. ‘Why was he being so nice to me?’ I could almost hear her thinking. It took a moment, but she smiled and nodded at him.

“Are you going to ask any of the others?” Wesley asked.

“Of course,” I moved to the doorway. “I’ll go ask everyone…well, not EVERYONE, but a few people and you, “I tossed my cell phone to Spike, “get to call and tell Dawn that we’re coming for Christmas. I suggest holding the phone at arms length.” I winked at him. “She’s number two on the speed dial. Just press it and hold it down."


I wandered off to find Fred. I located her lab, no mean feat, and walked in. There was that creepy nerd guy again! “Uh…Fred?”

“I’m here!” I heard her call. She stood up from behind one of the lab tables with a huge pile of papers askew in her hands. No prizes for guessing what happened there. After living with Dawn, I knew the look of someone who had dropped a bunch of stuff on the ground. I went around the table and finished helping her retrieve the papers from the floor. I noticed that “Knox” didn’t bother helping.

When the papers were stacked on the table, I hopped up to sit next to them. Guess I was channeling my inner Spike again. “So, some of us are taking off for Christmas and we want you to come with us.” I watched as Knox edged closer to hear what I was saying. He looked up at me and I glared at him. He scooted back to where he had previously stood.

“Who’s going and where to?” Fred asked interestedly.
“So far? Me, Spike, Cordelia, Willow, Oz, my sister Dawn, and,” I paused for dramatic emphasis, “Wesley. We’re going to England. I own…some property in the country. We thought it would be nice to get away for Christmas. You’ll come with us, right?” I grinned at her encouragingly.

She smiled brightly at me. “That sounds wonderful. When do you want to leave?”

“Well, Oz and Willow are flying back on the twentieth. I was thinking we could all use the Council jet that brought me and just fly back together.”

“A real Christmas with snow. I haven’t had one of those in a long time. That and getting away from this place." She looked around covertly, as if the walls would be offended that she might want to leave. “I’m definitely in.”

I grinned at her. “I’ll go talk to the rest of the people we’re inviting. You know, Gunn and Lorne and we’ll hammer out all the details later, okay?” I asked.
“Sounds great.”

As I turned to leave I could hear Knox whining to Fred. “I thought you were going to be here for the holidays. We were gonna work.” Bloody ponce. Couldn’t he see that she needed a vacation?

I ran into Spike, Willow and Oz in the hallway. “We’re lunching. Wanna come?”

Oz. Master of short, non-committal sentences.
“Nah, I still have three people to talk to and at least two phone calls to make. You guys go ahead.” Spike handed me back my phone. “How’d she react,” I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Spike grinned at me. “I won’t be able to hear out of my left ear for a bloody week! You’d think that since she’ll be eighteen in a few months, she’d have stopped the soddin’ squealin’ by now”

“I take it she was excited then.” I looked around. “Where’s Wesley?”

Willow hooked a thumb down the hall. “He and Cordy are practicing meditation techniques. Why?”

“Wanted to use his office to make my calls and stuff. Thought it might me easier if I had a desk and paper to write on to keep track of things. I need to call and have someone go clean the house…castle…thingie. It’s furnished, so that’s a non-issue but there are other things to arrange. Cars from the airport and such.” I turned and flashed the group a thousand watt smile. “So rather than stand here and talk about it, I’m going to go do it! Have a nice lunch!” I waved and took off down the hall.





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