Dawn opened her eyes and found herself face to face with what appeared to be a foot. She sat up quickly and realized that it was Willow’s. The witch was laid out across the floor. She looked to her other side, and saw Xander and Anya. She was practically on top of him. The girl shook her head and smiled. The two of them were bound to make up eventually. Her eyes drifted to the chair, where Giles was sound asleep, as well.
A sound from the TV drew her attention to it. There were cartoons on. She wondered when she had fallen asleep. The last thing she remembered was seeing Jonathon Taylor Thomas in the desert, and Spike making a comment about buzzards. Spike. She suddenly wondered where the vampire was. Her question was answered when she turned around. He was lying on the couch behind her. Dawn smiled, once again, when she saw her sister lying beside him. Her back was pressed against his chest, and his arm was draped around her. The teenager couldn’t keep in her excitement. As angry as she had been at Spike when he’d first come back, a part of her had still hoped that the two of them would forgive each other and start over. She hoped that this Christmas had helped them to do that.
Instead of waking anyone, Dawn decided to go take a shower. They all deserved some rest. She tip toed up the stairs and into her bedroom.
A sudden loud crash from the television caused Buffy to drift back into consciousness. She let out a moan and rolled over. She snuggled into the form beside her and laid her hand on something. An arm kind of something. Her eyes popped open and she found herself looking into a black clad chest. She looked up and saw the owner of the chest looking back at her.
“Mornin’.”
She offered him a weak smile. After a moment she sat up slowly and turned her back to him, but the feeling of his arms around her wouldn’t leave her alone. They had never just slept together before. It was odd, but comforting at the same time. But as her friends began waking up around her, she stood up. She would just have to deal with these feelings later.
-----------------
The rest of the day went by rather quickly. The girls went out for post Christmas sales at the mall, while the guys stayed in and watched a Passions marathon. When the sun went down and everyone was back home, Buffy headed to the kitchen to find something for dinner. The leftovers had been consumed already and there didn’t appear to be anything appealing in the cabinets.
“Lose something, pet?” Spike asked seeing her elbow deep in a cabinet.
“No, I was looking to see if we had anything to eat around here. It seems we have eaten everything.”
“Surely not everything.”
“Well no. But unless you want to eat bacon bits and coconut for dinner, we’re gonna have to get something.”
He came to stand beside her.
“Guess you gotta point there, luv.”
She nodded and crossed her arms, leaning against the counter.
“I know I’ve probably said this like a million times, but this has been the best Christmas, Spike. Thank you so much.”
“My pleasure, pet.”
“I mean it. I really needed this break. I thought I was going to lose my mind.”
“Wouldn’t want that, now would we?”
“No, we wouldn’t.”
They looked at each other.
“Listen, about this morning…”
“It’s okay. You don’t have to say anything. We just fell asleep, that’s all.”
“I know, but…it was nice.”
He was a bit surprised at her words.
“Being close…I’ve never really been that good at it. So being able to be close last night…it was nice.”
He smiled at her. “It was nice for me, too.”
Xander’s voice caught the couple’s attention. They looked to see him and Anya standing in the doorway.
“So, what are you guys making tonight?” he asked.
“I’m thinking takeout,” Buffy said.
“I second that,” Spike added.
“You two are no fun. Though, I have to say, I won’t miss doing the dishes.”
“Me either. It makes my hands all wrinkly,” Anya said.
“I know what you mean,” Xander said as they exited the room. “But if you dry them off pretty quick, it goes away after a few minutes.”
Buffy shook her head and opened the coupon drawer.
“Please tell me you’re getting delivery,” Spike said.
“Oh yeah. I have no intention of going out in this weather.”
“Good.”
“Found it,” the slayer announced, pulling out the phone number she wanted.
Spike sat down at the counter, while Buffy called the Chinese place and ordered food for dinner. When she hung up the phone, she sat down beside him.
“So do you have to go back?”
“What?”
“After the ten days are up, do you have to go back to the cave?”
“No,” he told her. He had made sure to include his own freedom in his wish.
“Good. I don’t know what I would do without you here.”
Spike wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by that, but smiled none-the-less. He and Buffy had gotten closer these last couple of days, and he was ecstatic about it. After the hell they had gone through the year before, he wasn’t sure they would ever have the chance to be friends again. Or…more than friends. This seemed to also be a possibility these days. Sure, they had only kissed once, and it was under the mistletoe, but he didn’t care. It was better than nothing. Plus, they had woken up all snuggly on the couch this morning. The possibility of them having a decent relationship was definitely greater than it had been in times passed.
“Well, one things for sure; you would have to cook all by yourself.”
“That would be tragic.”
“Especially since you didn’t even know how to preheat an oven until the day before yesterday.”
“Yes I did,” Buffy shot back.
“Right.”
She glared at him, which only made him smile.
“Butt monkey,” she said, getting up and heading for the living room.
“What did you just call me?” he asked, following.
“You heard me.”
They entered the living room and found everyone else sitting in the floor. Well, everyone but Giles.
“Whatcha doing?” Buffy asked.
“Trying to decide if we want to play Monopoly or Life,” Dawn told her.
“Ooo, Let’s play Life,” Buffy said. “I get to be orange.”
She sat beside Dawn and patted the floor beside her for Spike to sit as well. He obliged and Dawn started to set up the game. The food arrived soon after and everyone ate as they played the game. After about an hour, in which Dawn had made the Dean’s List, Xander and Willow had had a midlife crisis, and Buffy had married Freddie Prinze Jr., Anya was declared the winner. She had managed to get the most money, the best job, and a house big enough for ten families. Spike, on the other hand, finished last with a $20,000 salary, a split level house, a job as a travel agent, and a car overflowing with kids.
“I don’t see why I got stuck with every bloody kid on the board. I can’t even have children and I’m having to pay $300,000 for them to go to day care.”
Everyone laughed at his misfortune, but Buffy told him not to worry because that just meant there was a better chance one of them would be successful and make lots of money to support him in his old age.
“Ha, bloody, ha, Slayer. I’m already in my old age.”
“At least you didn’t end up with no kids,” Dawn complained. “It was just me and my free loading husband in retirement.”
“I don’t know what you’re all complaining about. I had a great life,” Anya told them.
Everyone shook their heads and stood up, stretching. Dawn picked up the game and Xander flipped on the TV.
“So, now what do we do?” Willow asked after a moment.
“We could play again,” Dawn suggested stopping what she was doing.
“I mean, now that Christmas is over. We still have a few days of evil free excitement, so what are we going to do?”
“I say we ring in the new year with whistles and booze,” Anya said.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Dawn agreed.
“You are aware that you will not be partaking in the booze, right?” Buffy asked her sister.
“Yeah, yeah. I know,” she said. “But you can’t blame a girl for trying.”
“I don’t know, Slayer. Why not let the girl have a bit of fun? Tis the season for giving.”
“I’m about to be giving you a bloody nose if you don’t stop encouraging her.”
“You’re all talk.”
“Oh yeah? You wanna test the seriousness of my threat?”
The vampire smirked at her. “Why not?”
Buffy narrowed her eyes at him.
“Would you two stop it? You’re pent up sexual frustrations are annoying,” Anya stated.
“Anya, sweetheart, we’ve talked about what not to say in the presence of Dawn,” Xander said, looking at the teenager.
“I am sixteen, you know.”
“I do not have pent up sexual frustrations,” Buffy said, her face going slightly pink at Anya’s statement.
“Keep telling yourself that, Buff,” Willow said.
“Willow!”
“I’m just saying. Maybe you need a little satisfaction.”
Buffy’s eyes widened. “What?”
“Yes, Buffy. And there are many ways. I have a book I can show you,” Anya told the slayer.
“I do wish you all would stop talking about this,” Giles said, taking off his glasses and cleaning them.
Dawn looked at Spike.
“Now, if only Anya would make some remark about Xander’s penis, this would be the perfect conversation.”
“I think I could do without that personally,” the vampire said.
“Of course you will also need someone to practice on,” Anya continued.
“There will be no practicing of any kind.”
“Oh, come on G-man.”
“How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?”
“Sorry.”
“Are there tips for self-gratification?” Willow asked.
“Oh yeah. Lots. How do you think I got along all these months without Xander?”
“I can’t believe we’re talking about this,” Buffy said.
“Me either,” Giles said.
“I think it’s very educational.”
“Dawn, leave the room.”
“But…”
“A lot of it works better if you have a helper.”
“Okay, I’m leaving.”
“And they’re not that much these days.”
Giles followed Dawn out of the room and Spike sat in the chair, laughing at Anya’s detailed descriptions. Though the conversation was just south of tasteful, he was glad they could talk about normal things for a change. Someone looking in would never know they were watching a vampire, a slayer, a witch, and an ex-demon. They seemed like normal people. And at least for a little while longer, they could be.
THE END
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Well this is the end. Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. I hope you all enjoyed it.