Christmas had come again to sunny California. The carol singers, the Santa dying in his suit from heat exhaustion and the neon lights in the shopping mall. In households across the state, people were inflating the inflatable snowmen and falling off ladders, whilst trying to put up the lights.

The Summers residence was lucky though. They had Xander, who worked on a construction job and so, knew what he was on about. Dawn though, got the lecture on the safety lights, how to switch them on and off and all the major works of doing it in reverse.

Meanwhile, Willow and Buffy were decorating the Christmas tree, with Willow using her magic to put the bobbles where Buffy couldn't reach. Willow finished and looked at Buffy.

"How's Spike doing?" She asked, looking at the tinsel. Buffy smiled slightly and sighed, looking down.

"He's okay I guess, getting better and… Not really complaining about it. I... He wanted to go and visit the church the other day." She said, looking at Willow, who looked slightly confused. "What?" Buffy asked.

"Church? Buffy, he's a vampire."
"So?" Buffy asked.

"Well… I thought that vampires hated churches." Willow explained, standing up and putting some tinsel on the nearly-finished tree.

"I... I don't think they mind, but... Will, ever since the accident, he… He hasn't been the same. He wanted to go to the church. There was an evening service, and he sat down in the front and just, sat there. His leg was hurting him. I could tell, but he never complained, not once." Buffy said with a small sigh.

Spike, the vampire in question in this conversation had a rather bad accident with some kind of demon. It took something out of his mind. It had nearly killed him, and Buffy. Buffy was reminded of Glory, the way it acted. Spike's left leg had been crushed and was now, twisted and couldn't heal. His mind was slowly getting better but it took him longer to get things into his brain.

Xander and Dawn came in soon. Xander smiled as he saw the tree. "Looks great guys, you did a bang up job-"He was cut off by heavy breathing. Buffy looked and smiled, she suddenly felt like she had been time warped into the Christmas Carol. Hopping down the stairs, one at a time was Spike, leaning on a metal crutch. Wood was too dangerous, it might snap and he could kill himself with it.

"I... I didn't miss anything, did I?" Spike asked hopefully. Dawn smiled at him.
"Nope, not a thing."

Spike smiled and looked at the tree; he looked at the girls and smiled. "Looks bloody great pet." He then frowned slightly. "B-ut... There's no star on top." He looked at Buffy in confusion, his mind not working as fast as it did. Buffy smiled, and held up the star, she handed it to Spike.

"There you go, your turn this year." She smiled as he saw his eyes light up at it, he limped over to the tree and reached up. Buffy steadied him gently. Spike put it on and smiled to himself. "There we go." He said to himself.

Xander smiled, he wasn't really… Good friends with Spike, but he did feel sorry for Spike on Christmas. He spoke up to break the ice a bit.
"Let's go and get some egg nog." He said which earnt a face from Dawn. They went into the kitchen, Spike sat down on the chair, watching the activates around him. They all sat down and talked what Christmas was going to be like. Spike spoke up last.

"I... I hope that this Chri-.. Christmas is... Is going to be good because, I like to see people happy at Christmas. When Buffy took me to the church the other day, I sat at the front because I wanted people to see me. See the way I am, and... Then, maybe they can understand the real meaning of Christmas and... And what it means."

Buffy was touched, so was everyone. Spike looked at them all, a kind of… Child like innocence on his face.
"Happy Christmas… everyone."

Christmas day, shortly arrive and everyone got their presents and everyone was excited and stuff. The dinner was finally done and everyone sat at the table. Spike was excited as this was his first Christmas, that of which he could remember.

"A-... Are we having goose, or turkey?" He asked as Buffy pulled out a bird from the oven, brown, crispy and nicely cooked. She smiled; she didn't find this weird or nothing. Spike couldn't defend himself, she knew that.

"Hmm… Goose." She smiled as she looked at Spike's reaction. Spike laughed softly, but coughed suddenly, going into a coughing fit. Willow patted his back slightly.

"Easy Spike, you just got o-over excited." She added kindly. Spike smiled and drank some pig's blood, hey… Water did nothing for him. Finally, the food was ready and everyone sat down. They all ate, at the end; Spike said he was going to bed. Everyone else, apart from Buffy and Willow.

"So…" Willow asked. "How's he doing?" Buffy smiled slightly.
"Didn't we have this conversation earlier?" She asked, surpassing a laugh.
"Well yeah… But I meant as his health." She commented kindly.

Buffy sighed. "Alright I guess, he's still weak and that leg has no signs of improving what so ever. But... Once his mind gets too bad, he knows what I have to do. I've chosen a really nice spot in the cemetery, on a hill, that's always bathed in sunlight for him." Willow smiled.

"It sounds nice Buffy." Willow said gently.
"It is. I took him to see it, the other night. He said he likes it and... H-.. He said he could see my house from here." She played with a small ball on the floor, from one of the gifts. She smiled slightly. "You know what he said to me, on the way back home the other day?"

"What?" Asked Willow.
"He said, that many vampires would hide in shame if they were in his condition, but he's not bothered, he said to me… "Let them laugh, I don't care." And he was proud of saying it. He was good as gold, and better the other day in church. He actually sang the hymns and stood up as well. Sounds something like the Christmas Carol, doesn't it?" She asked smiling.

"Yep, except, with no scrooge and Spike as own tiny Tim." Willow added softly, smiling. Buffy smiled back.
"Yeah, just hope I don't get a visit of some dead guy, I get enough from bad vampires." Buffy added in.

Later, at midnight, everyone was woken up, to enjoy the last minute of Christmas day before it ended, a tradition in the summer's family for years. Everyone sat by the tree, Spike who looked more pale and sickly than ever was wrapped up in his blanket, watching on quietly, but smiling. Buffy raised her glass.

"Well, another year over and done with. I'm going to go Charles Dickens here, but merry Christmas and god bless you." Buffy smiled as everyone laughed. Spike spoke up, yawning slightly.

"Yeah, god bless us, every bloody one." He added with a smirk.