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Author's Chapter Notes:
Sorry it took so long for me to update, I'm knee deep in exams and wedding plans so I'm trying to navigate around RL as much as possible. I'm finished school next week though and hopefully I'll start updating more frequently. Thanks again to all of you who reviewed and the wonderful Mari who betad this chapter and is always so wonderfully encouraging *hugs*
Chapter 8 – Snow Angels

“We’re back!” Dawn rushed into the house as soon as the door opened. “It’s snowing Giles! Did you see?”

Buffy and Spike entered the house shortly after, shaking the flakes out of their hair and clothing. Buffy sighed as she saw the wet footprints which led to the kitchen, but couldn’t help smiling. It wasn’t everyday it snowed in Sunnydale, let alone on Christmas.

“Well that must be a Christmas miracle if I’ve ever seen one,” Spike reached for her coat and hung it alongside his own.

“Yeah, it is,” Buffy smiled up at him. “Thank you again. It means more than I can say.”

“”S nothing, I already told you,” he looked down to the stone that hung around her neck. “Your mum had an eye. ‘S stunning, luv. Nearly as beautiful as you.”

“I have no idea where she got the money for it,” she fingered the pendant. “But I can’t say I mind.”

She reached for Spike’s hand and pulled him into the kitchen from which they could smell all kinds of extraordinary aromas. When they entered they were greeted with the sight of Giles trying to get Dawn out of her coat and boots while she was babbling on about all the things she planned on doing in the snow.

“But I don’t wanna take off my jacket! I wanna play in the snow!” Dawn pouted and crossed her arms, the picture of defiance. Giles looked up as Buffy and his son entered.

“Dawnie, we have to eat first and then we’ll go play in the snow,” Buffy took pity on Giles and took over the task of pulling the jacket off of Dawn’s struggling form. “Besides, if we wait until after dinner there’ll be even more snow to play in. Maybe we can even make a snowman. Does that sound good?”

Giles marveled at Buffy’s natural skill with her sister. The pout had disappeared instantly and the rambling had started again. Dawn was back to being the happy little five year old that she had been in the beginning. He shot a glance to his son and noticed the affectionate look he wore while watching the girls.

“Sis is right, lil’ bit. We’ll all go out an’ play after we’ve had turkey,” at Dawn’s happy squeal the three adults set about getting settled in for an amazing Christmas feast.

~*~*~*~*~*~

After a full Christmas dinner with all the trimmings, the group of four made their way into the front hall to dress for the snow. Buffy had searched the upstairs closet for Dawn’s ski suit and thick boots so she could keep warm and dry, but after a few attempts to get it on her, it was soon evident it was too small. Between Dawn’s giggles and the Giles’ attempts at putting the too-tight boots on her, the whole ordeal lasted about a half an hour. Dawn was finally dressed in a pair of thick jeans, a couple of warm sweatshirts and her regular rain boots, hat and mittens in place. Rupert and Spike donned their jackets and waited as Buffy got her hat and gloves on.

“Ready?” Dawn’s excited voice piped up.

“Ready,” Buffy acknowledged as she opened the front door to reveal a sea of white covering the front lawn. “Now you just have to be careful, especially on the porch and stairs so you don’t slip.”

“’Kay,” Dawn made a show of carefully putting each foot down for each step.

Giles laughed heartily at her hamming it up for everyone and followed her down the steps, feeling lighter of heart than he had in years. Dawn paused at the edge of the grass and marveled at the white sheet before her. She looked up at Giles with a smile on her face before taking a big leap forward, being the first to mark the virgin snow of the front yard.

“Spike! You hafta show me how to make a snow angel,” she was busy running all around the yard making small footprints in the snow.

“Alright, nibblet. I’ll show you how,” Spike followed her out onto the snow and set about instructing her on how to lie back on the snow and how to move her arms to make wings.

“She’s an extraordinary girl, Buffy,” Giles watched as his son and Dawn made a series of little angels across the lawn.

“Yeah, she’s a little trooper. I’m just happy that she’s enjoyed her Christmas as much as she has. Thank you for being a part of it,” Buffy smiled up at the older man.

“Oh, Buffy, truly it was nothing. I have not enjoyed a Christmas this much in years and it’s thanks to you and that delightful snow angel there. You have made this into a holiday to remember,” Giles said.

“I’m sure we didn’t do that much,” Buffy mumbled, blushing.

“No you really did. We are grateful. Me especially, I haven’t seen William this lighthearted and happy for more years than I care to count,” Giles didn’t want to push her, but also wanted her to know how special she was becoming to them already.

“I-I am happy he’s happy I guess,” Buffy didn’t know how to reply to the subtle statement. “He makes us happy too. We both need some distraction these days.”

“Yes, indeed,” Giles shrugged his shoulders against the cold, smiling at the sight of Spike lying in the snow, black duster billowing around him, making a snow angel at Dawn’s direction. “Why don’t we join in the fun? It’s been years since I’ve had a proper snowball fight,” he winked at Buffy and started to gather some snow.

“How ‘bout I take the left, you take the right, sneak attack?” Buffy couldn’t resist the childish gleam in his eyes and dropped down to gather some snow of her own, packing it into a ball.

“You’re on,” Giles slowly walked toward the right hand side of the two, while Buffy crept down the left side. Dawn was busy sitting on top of Spike, instructing him, and telling him off every few seconds for not making the wings big enough.

At a silent signal from Giles, Buffy launched herself at Spike and Dawn, making sure to avoid Dawn. Her missile hit Spike square in the chest while Giles’ hit his left shoulder. Dawn erupted in a fit of giggles at Spike’s confused expression before jumping off him to chase Giles.

“No fair! My legs are shorter than yours,” Dawn giggled as she pursued Giles in the falling snow.

Spike meanwhile was busy gathering snow for a retaliatory attack against Buffy who was scrambling to do the same. Buffy pelted him with a second snowball before running around the corner of the house into the back yard.

“I’m gonna catch you, you lil’ minx,” Spike’s voice drifted through the muted sounds of the snow falling.

“I don’t think so!” Buffy sing-songed from her hiding place behind the tree. She had a couple of snowballs prepared and ready to go.

“Here kitty kitty kitty,” Spike’s voice came from the opposite side of the tree trunk. Spike knew she was behind the tree and couldn’t wait to get revenge. It was, after all, quite difficult to hide tracks in the snow. He heard her trying to suppress a giggle as she snuck up behind him, right before she mashed the snowball down the back of his coat.

“Oi! That’s cold,” Spike reached around to scrape away the snow, dropping his own ammunition, which was promptly used against him. “Hey!”

Buffy smiled, blew him a kiss, and turned to start running off again. This time, Spike was fast enough to grab her arm lightly and topple her onto the ground. He rolled so he would break her fall, but continued so he’d have the prime position above her. Pinning her arms beside her, he shook his head to get rid of the melting snow.

“What are you gonna do now little girl,” Spike smiled down at her, watching the snowflakes catch on her eyelashes. She was breathtaking, green eyes shining in laughter, cheeks flushed from cold, blonde hair spilling around her from under her woolly cap.

“Beg and plead for your mercy?” She replied, eyes dancing.

“I think we can arrange something,” he watched as she caught her lower lip with her teeth. Lowering his head further, a breath away from touching his lips to hers, he whispered, “I’m gonna kiss you now.”

Spike’s firm lips touched hers softly before Buffy had a chance to reply. His lips were cool against hers, but as he deepened the kiss, his warm tongue ran over her lower lip, begging entrance. Buffy parted her lips and met his tongue tentatively. She didn’t know if she should be doing this, if this kiss would just complicate even more her already complicated life, but she couldn’t help the sigh of contentment that escaped.

Spike didn’t think he’d ever felt lips as soft as Buffy’s. She was warm and soft beneath him, all thought of revenge having left his mind. He begged for entrance to tangle his tongue with hers, and when he got it, he was in heaven. He felt the rise and fall of Buffy’s sigh against his chest and felt his body scream to discover the secrets hidden under her bulky winter layers.

When Spike released her lips and rested his forehead against hers, Buffy opened her eyes and stared into the lust-darkened depths of his azure gaze. The sly smile that spread over his lips gave her little warning before he managed to slip a handful of snow down the top of her jacket.

“You jerk!” Buffy screeched as the snow melted against her skin. She couldn’t help bursting into a fit of giggles as he only grinned wider at her outburst.

“There you are!” Dawn’s voice carried over the snow toward them, and before either of the two knew what had happened, Dawn had barreled onto them. Spike was knocked off Buffy and sprawled on his back in the snow, while Buffy lay stunned in the same spot. Dawn seemed as oblivious as any five year old to the moment she interrupted and entertained herself throwing snow at the couple.

“Dawnie!” Buffy yelled when she was greeted with a face full of snow. “Enough, enough,” she giggled against the onslaught.

Dawn smiled deviously at her sister. She covertly moved her hands to pick up more snow to throw at her when two hands caught her in the act.

“That’s enough, young lady,” Giles picked up the struggling girl and threw her over his shoulder. This caused her to erupt in giggles. “I think it’s about time to go inside before you’re soaked through. Wouldn’t you say Buffy?”

“Yes, I have to agree,” Buffy stood up and brushed off the snow which had caked onto her pants. Spike followed up beside her, swatting her on the bum as he ‘helped’ Buffy rid herself of snow. Giles cocked a brow at his son’s behaviour and proceeded to walk into the house to get a shivering Dawn warm.

Buffy glared at Spike and proceeded to follow Giles and her sister inside, but Spike latched onto her arm and held her back. Glancing up at him she hoped he didn’t want to discuss what had just happened, she wasn’t ready to.

“Hold on, pet,” Spike saw her confusion, “I jus’ got you a little something for Christmas.” He reached into one of the interior pockets of his duster and pulled out a wrapped parcel.

When Spike placed the gift in her hands, Buffy was stunned. She certainly hadn’t expected him to bring her anything. The wrapping was beautifully done, but she was sure he could flirt his way into anything at the mall.

“I’m not sure you’ll like it, but it’s something you told me you’re interested in,” Spike rubbed the back of his neck in a classically male action of self-consciousness.

“You didn’t have to do this,” Buffy undid the edges of the paper and took out the slim book that lay inside. It was leather bound and looked worn, opening the first page she saw her name and the date carefully and beautifully written.

“’S jus’ some poems I thought you’d like,” Spike blushed and looked down, intently studying the toes of his boots. “Made some comments for you in the margins, if you wanna know what I thought of them.”

Buffy was amazed, the book was filled with classical poetry, and sure enough, there were handwritten comments in the margins of all the poems. She was speechless. She looked over at him, and seeing that he was still ducking his head, she cupped his cheek and gave him a soft kiss on the lips.

“I love it, Spike,” she looked into his eyes, her own swimming with tears. “It’s an amazing gift. But I don’t have anything for you.”

“Got all that I could ever want, luv,” he smiled and captured her lips in a soft kiss, pulling her into his arms.

“Let’s go inside and have some hot coco,” Buffy grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the backdoor.

“You got any o’ those little marshmallows?” Spike asked and Buffy laughed in response. It had been a wonderful Christmas, better than anyone could have imagined.





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