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Author's Chapter Notes:
I'm posting a bit earlier than I thought I would, but I can't help that my muse is working overtime keeping me in my beautiful world of make believe instead of working on school things...
Thanks for all the wonderful reviews for the last chapter.... keeps my muse busy nagging on my shoulder :)
Chapter 5: Christmas Eve


By the time Christmas Eve arrived, Buffy was a frenzy of holiday cheer and sheer panic. She fussed over every detail in the house knowing that not only were her two best friends arriving any minute, the house had to be perfect for the following day when she hosted Spike and his father. She had at least remembered to take the turkey out of the freezer and it had been defrosting in the fridge for the last two days just to make sure that it would be thoroughly thawed and ready for the next day. She’d been extra studious and looked up the instructions on the internet to see just how long the bird would have to be in the oven and had decided that she would allow for about four hours.

Happy with her turkey preparation skills, Buffy had busied herself organizing and cleaning the house. The presents had been placed around the tree, all except the special ‘Santa’ gifts that would be in their stockings as if by magic. She had placed the gifts her mom had painstakingly gotten for her girls before her illness took her. Buffy was quite curious about what she’d gotten, but also saddened by the thought that it would be the last gift she’d ever get to open from her mother. There were three boxes each in all, and she was no closer to figuring out when Joyce had had the time to purchase them. Maybe she had known all along…

“Way to go Buffy for the cryptic thoughts on Christmas,” she muttered to no one in particular.


~*~*~*~*~


Buffy was just finishing up in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

“Merry Christmas Buffster!” Xander burst in through the door and pulled Buffy into a hug.

“Merry Christmas Xan,” Buffy smiled at her friend, and then turned to Willow, “Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to you Willow!”

“Merry Christmas Buffy,” Willow took her turn to hug her friend. “Where’s Dawnie?”

“Oh she’s upstairs finishing up your present,” Buffy laughed softly, “She’s been working on it all day. And she’s made you something too Xander.”

“Well that’s sweet,” Willow said as they made their way in to the living room.

“So how’s it hangin’ Buf? You’ve got everything full of holiday cheer and ready for our Christmas-eve-a-poolooza? Everything in control for Santa’s visit tomorrow morning?” Xander looked at his friend with concern.

“Yeah, I’m in control-Buffy. Everything’s all set for tomorrow,” Buffy hadn’t told her friends about Spike or that she was having him over for Christmas dinner, but would do it tonight.

“Well that’s good. Wouldn’t want Dawn to miss out on all those presents!” Xander’s mind, as always, on the most childish aspects.

“So are you two going to spend tomorrow alone or do you want to come over for dinner at my place? It’s not turkey, cuz hey, Jewish, but there’s food and you won’t have to be by yourself. Mom asked about you this morning,” Willow looked at Buffy who had started to fidget.

“Umm, well you see we’re not going to be by ourselves. I’m um having a couple of friends over tomorrow, Dawn insisted I invite them and cook turkey. So I’m gonna be Buffy the Turkey Baster tomorrow,” Buffy refused to meet Willow’s questioning gaze.

“You’re not having anyone from the bitch squad or Queen C’s court over are you? You know they’re just using you to look good,” Xander sounded angry at the mere thought.

“No, not anyone from high school,” Buffy replied, “I doubt they’ve even heard what’s happened. Cordy’s in LA anyways last I heard.”

“Then who’s coming over Buffy?” Willow put on her best puppy eyes, hoping they would work as well on Buffy as they did on Oz.

“Well, funny story actually, um,” before Buffy could start, Dawn came bouncing down the stairs.

“Hi!” she threw herself into Willow’s arms, nearly crushing the presents she’d made for Buffy’s friends. “Merry Christmas! Santa’s almost here.” Dawn drew herself away from Willow only to be hoisted into the air by Xander.

“Merry Christmas Dawnie,” Willow and Xander echoed together.

“Can I give them their presents now Buffy?” Dawn turned her questioning gaze on her sister, who was relieved at the interruption.

“Sure you can, I’ll go grab the coco from the kitchen,” Buffy made her way into the kitchen and gathered mugs and Christmas cookies. She heard Dawn’s voice talking excitedly in the next room as she sat with Willow and Xander. Having gathered everything she needed, Buffy walked back into the living room.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me Buffy!” Willow exclaimed as Buffy put the tray down.

“You mean us Wills, she didn’t tell me either,” Xander added looking jealous.

“What are you talking about?” Buffy asked eyes on Dawn who was smiling innocently from her perch on the sofa.

“The mysterious stranger? Knight in shining armor? The one who found Dawn and you’ve invited over for dinner tomorrow? Ring any bells?” She didn’t understand why Xander sounded so annoyed.

“Oh, Dawn told you then,” Buffy replied.

“Buffy, I can’t believe you didn’t tell me, I mean, you lost Dawn, and then you meet some guy who found her in the food court? And you’ve been talking to him everyday on the phone? I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I’m supposed to be your best friend,” Willow sounded hurt.

“Dawn! I can’t believe you told them about that,” Buffy turned back to Willow. “I know I should have told you, I just… I don’t know. I didn’t know how to bring it up I suppose. And Dawn is the one responsible for them coming over tomorrow.”

“Them? There’s more than one?” Xander exclaimed.

“Yeah, Spike and his dad are both coming over tomorrow,” Buffy didn’t like his reaction to the whole situation.

“Spike? The guy’s name is Spike? What kind of guy is this Buffy? I mean what do you even know about him? Have you even thought about the fact that you’re inviting strange men into your home?” Xander was outraged at the whole situation. He would have been fine with it if they weren’t coming over on Christmas. At least he thought he would have been ok.

“His name is William, and he’s really nice!” Dawn piped up from the sofa, looking more than a little annoyed at Xander’s outburst. “He rescued me when I was lost AND he bought me ice cream when I was sad. Buffy too!”

“It’s alright Dawn, Xander is just surprised. He doesn’t think that Spike is a bad guy,” Willow shot Xander a meaningful look and continued, “He can’t say anything bad about him because he hasn’t met him yet.”

“Yeah, I haven’t met him yet,” Xander mumbled mouth full of cookie, “but I’m still cautious about this guy.”

“Don’t be,” Buffy said and looking over at Willow she added, “I promise I’ll fill you in on all the details, just not tonight ok? Tonight is for us, and us alone.”

“Sure Buffy,” resolve face on Willow said, “But you will be telling me all about it afterwards.” Laughing Buffy nodded and busied herself picking Xander and Willow’s presents from underneath the tree.


~*~*~


After the somewhat awkward conversation about Spike, which Willow had managed to finally force from Buffy, they had exchanged gifts and spent the next few hours watching all their favorite Christmas movies. Willow and Xander had pooled their money and bought Dawn a full set of pastels, crayons, paints, and paper to encourage her growing love of drawing. Xander had even made an easel for her to work with. Dawn had thrown herself into Xander’s arms, leaving Buffy and Willow gaping at their friend’s unknown talent for carpentry.

After the gift exchange, the group of four settled in on the sofa and watched Charlie Brown’s Christmas special. They laughed at Xander and Willow’s rendition of the Snoopy dance and had a wonderful and cozy time. By the time Buffy’s friends were out the door, Dawn had nodded off on the sofa.

Buffy scooped her sister up and deposited her on the bed next to Mr. Gordo. She slipped off Dawn’s shoes and socks, and pried her sweater off, singing softly when she started to stir. Dawn safe in Buffy’s bed, she headed back downstairs to quickly clean up, steal Santa’s cookies and drink his milk, and stuff their stockings with little goodies and gifts.

Buffy smiled at the spirited scene before her, the tree sparkled with lights, the stockings were hung, and presents were laid out under the tree. With a final look, Buffy headed upstairs and snuggled in under the covers next to her sister.

~*~*~*~

“Buffy! Buffy! BUFFY!” Dawn was bouncing on the bed, breaking into Buffy’s wonderful dream filled with shocking blonde hair and bottomless blue eyes.
“I’m awake, I’m awake,” Buffy mumbled at her sister. “So did Santa stop by last night after we fell asleep?”

“Yes, and he ate ALL the cookies!” Dawn giggled.

“Well let’s see what he got for you then,” Buffy jumped out of bed, making extra effort to be cheerful and energetic for her.

After having distributed the presents, the girls counted down and ripped into the wrapping paper. Dawn’s happy giggles warmed Buffy’s heart and she found herself smiling.

“Look what mommy got me,” Dawn held up a beautiful red dress with a matching hair band. “Can I wear it today?”

“Of course you can,” Buffy reached for the present mom had gotten her and found herself with her own Christmas dinner outfit, complete with a beautiful new pair of boots. While Dawn was busy looking through the Grimm fairytale book she’d gotten from their mom, Buffy tucked the last tiny gift box her mother had gotten her into the pocket of her bathrobe. She wasn’t quite ready to let go of her mother yet.

“Can we make mommy’s special pancakes for breakfast today?” Dawn looked at Buffy from her position amid a sea of wrapping paper.

“Sure Dawnie,” she reached out for her sisters hand and pulled her toward the kitchen.





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