It is Christmas day in the Summers residence and Bing Cosby makes the house dance. The turkey is slowly roasting in the oven, wrapped in bacon and full to the brim with sage and onion stuffing. The Christmas tree that Dawn and Joyce picked is sitting between the entrance to the sitting room and the hallway. It is beautiful and full of volume and permeates the air with an earthy smell of pine throughout the living room, the lights on it twinkling between red, amber and blue as they boogie to Bing.
It's nearing one in the afternoon and Buffy helps Joyce with some last minute preparation with the dinner, rubbing some potatoes in goose fat before they roast in the oven along with some parsnips. Joyce initially said she was not going to go mad for Christmas this year, however; as Dawn enters the kitchen the smell is overpowering and can see Joyce has not stuck to her word.
"Mum, this is not going mad?"
"Well, sweetie – Buffy said that we were going to have some guests, so I thought, why not!" Joyce said chuckling as she places pigs in blankets onto a baking tray. "And let's face it, we all love a good Christmas dinner with all the trimmings!"
Buffy looks at the clock and realises that people will start arriving soon and like Christmases before, she is beyond excited. She gives her outfit a once over and walks into the sitting room, heading for the new stereo she (and Dawn) got Joyce for Christmas and changes the CD. Wham's last Christmas blares out of the speakers and Dawn comes bounding out the kitchen with a drink in one hand and chips in the other, howling to George Michael.
"She's still pumping Sugar into you?" Buffy scoffs watching Dawn at an attempted dance.
"Sh- ssys hhmemmeh rmdgy" Dawn replies bouncing around with a mouth full of cheeto's, her lips stained orange.
"My sister ladies and gentlemen!" Buffy announces.
Amongst all the commotion – dancing – there is a knock on the door. Buffy heads over immediately and opens the door to her best friend Willow. The red head is wearing a pair of blue jeans and a quirky Christmas jumper with cats wearing party hats holding crackers, her faces lights up as she sees Buffy and envelopes her in a warm hug. "Merry Christmas, Buffy!" She hollers over the music.
From her bag she pulls out a small perfectly wrapped parcel and hands it to Buffy.
"You shouldn't have, Will!" Buffy exclaims already ripping the paper away to reveal a new silver necklace. "I love it so much, help me put it on?" She says pulling Willow in and shutting the door behind her. She turns around and allows Willow to clasp the chain.
"Heechya Willlow!" Dawn attempts to shout as she shovels another handful of chips into her mouth.
"Don't think I forgot about you, little Dawnie!" Willow replies pulling another parcel from her bag.
Dawn jumps up and down on the spot like a toddler on Christmas morning and almost snatches the parcel from Willows hand.
"Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Dawn exclaims pulling out a new multi-couloured hat, gloves and scarf set which Willow had picked up from the local market which Dawn had recently dropped hints on their recent shopping trip.
Despite the warm temperature in the house Dawn insists on wearing the complete set and begins dancing with Willow to 'Rockin around the Christmas tree', twisting, jiving and shouting to the song.
"Before you get too dizzy and hot, I too have something for you," Buffy admits pulling a medium sized package from under the tree. The paper is mainly red with hints of gold and has gold sparkly ribbon neatly tied around it.
Willow sits down carefully on the edge of the sofa, places the soft parcel on her knees and slowly unties the ribbon. She flips the present carefully over and unsticks the tape from the back making sure not to rip the paper and unfolds the it. From the open side she slides out a lilac sweater and holds it up before her. Her eyes traces up and down the sweater and a huge smile appears on her face. On the front there is a black cat with googly eyes that jiggle every time she moves and she lets out a laugh. "Thank you so much, Buffy! It's amazing, I love it, such a cute little kitty!"
She stands and envelopes Buffy again in a warm embrace.
"Can I interest you ladies in some punch?" Joyce announces as she enters the sitting room with a jug and some plastic cups and places them on the coffee table.
"Yes please!" Willow retorts walking towards Joyce. "And Merry Christmas!" She adds offering Joyce a small hug.
"You too sweetie, so glad you could make it, dinner shouldn't be too long now girls." Joyce announces gleefully before turning back round, "Don't you even think about it Dawnie!" She warns..
Buffy and Willow take a plastic cup from the coffee table and fills them with the punch.
"Yum!" Willow exclaims as she takes a gulp that warms her belly and turns her cheeks slightly red as the alcohol hits her.
"Careful, Will!" Buffy chortles. "Don't want to get too merry too early!"
Willow turns a lighter shade of beetroot as she brings the cup to her mouth to take another sip and it warms her belly again and darkens her cheeks further.
Buffy places the cup to her lips and takes some of the warming liquid into her mouth, swilling it around and savouring the spicy flavour before gulping it down. Just as she repeats this step there is a knock at the door and she nearly spits it back out in excitement. She heads over to the front door and opens it to find Xander and Anya.
"Merry Christmas! I hope you have a good day!" Anya states as though Buffy is one of her customers.
"Arn, honey, you don't need to say that every time you say merry Christmas" Xander says.
"Well Mr. Giles said that it's polite especially if I smile with it," Anya replies.
Xander rolls his eyes and turns to Buffy. "Heya Buff, Merry Christmas!" She states pulling Buffy in for a hug.
Buffy can feel Anya's burning gaze on her and releases Xander from her slayer arms. "Head into the sitting room, there is some spiced apple punch on the table, and Merry Christmas, guys.".
"Heya, Dawnster!" Xander utters walking over to Dawn and he ruffles her hair. He take a misshapen, poorly wrapped parcel from his coat pocket hands her a present.
"Thanks," She replies ripping the paper from the gift within moments to reveal a large bar of chocolate and a bag of sweets.
"Good idea?" Buffy asks raising an eyebrow at Xander. "I mean, this kid lives off sugar. She's going to be bouncing of the walls, and you don't have to live with her!"
"Sorry, Buffy." Xander sighs as he pours himself and Anya a cup of punch. "Man, that's going to put some hairs on our chests." He adds as he takes a gulp of the strong stuff.
"Ew, you guys drinking that stuff, YUK!" Dawn exclaims sticking her tongue out. "Alcohol is so gross!" She adds taking a sip of her soda.
Joyce pops her head through from the kitchen. "Dinner is going to be a few minutes, everyone get seated at the table, is everyone here?" She announces looking at everyone in the room.
"Just Riley and one of my friends from college, oh and Giles," Buffy states shrugging her shoulders. "They should be here soon, no big."
Just at that moment there is a knock on the door and Buffy bounds over to it nearly pulling the door from it's hinges. "Your ears must have been burning, Riley!" She snorts.
"Talking about me again were you Summers?" He winks taking Buffy by the waist before planting a sloppy kiss on her mouth.
Buffy withdraws herself from her boyfriend and focuses her attention to the other guest accompanying him. She is the same age as the Scoobies with long dark blonde hair. "Tara, I'm so glad you could make it!" Buffy exclaims.
"Th-Th-Thanks for the invite," The woman stutters offering a wry smile.
"Come in, come in," Buffy exclaims ushering Riley and Tara inside the sitting room. "Guys, this is Tara, she's in my English class at college. Tara, this is Xander and his girlfriend Anya," Buffy states pointing to the couple sat on the couch. "That thing wrapped in winter gear and bouncing up and down accessories to the music with an orange mouth is my little sister Dawn." She points and rolls her eyes. "And this, is my best friend Willow." She finishes escorting Tara across the room to a rosy cheeked Willow.
"H-H-Hi," Tara stammers her face burning hot as she stares at the red head in front of her.
"Hey, Tara!" Willow almost shouts as she raises her hand and offers a little wave in the direction of Tara. "Can I get you some punch. It's got a bit of a kick to it, it's got cinnamon and ginger in it with spiced apple. It's really yummy, do you want some, I mean, you don't have to if you don't want some, but the offer is there, but don't feel pressured like you have to."
Buffy tilts her head towards Willow like a lost puppy and shrugs her shoulders before leaving Tara alone in Willow's company.
"Sh-Sh-Sure, I'd – I'd – I'd love some," Tara finally spits out embarrassed by herself entirely. She looks at Willow in the eyes and suddenly excuses herself. "Can – Can – Can I – I – I –..." She attempts before turning on the balls of her feet into the hallway leaving Willow confused.
Willow pours a cup full of punch and follows her out into the hallway, the new girl had already piqued her interest and from the moment she laid eyes on the blond she knew something was different, she had never felt this way about another woman before. Months before when Oz went away she felt like her heart had been ripped out and thrown away but slowly and surely it had health piece by piece. "Hey, it's okay. I get nervous around new people too, here is your punch. I wasn't kidding when I said it was strong. It will sure to make your belly warm, but I hope you don't get too drunk, it's an easy drink to swallow and I know if I have any more then I may need to helped off the floor... And I'm babbling. Hi I'm Willow, a babbling buffoon." Willow states handing Tara the cup.
Tara giggles slightly and he shoulders relax as she takes the cup from Willow.
Their hands touch briefly and Willow feels something electric, the hairs on her arms stand on end and her stomach turns over into knots.
"Th-Thank you," Tara says offering a warm and gentle smile that meets her sparkling eyes.
"I'm pretty sure I have seen you around, you're in my Wicca group aren't you?" Willow quizzes.
Tara bows her head to nod but as she does this her hair falls in front of her ear, Willow does not even hesitate and swiftly but carefully pushes it back behind her ear. Tara looks up, her cheeks sporting a shade of red. "Th-Th-This punch really is s-s-strong!" She states.
Willow blushes from the incident almost immediately and the contact between them made the knot in her stomach tighten, this feeling is new and the liked it.
For the last time there is a knock on the door and Buffy walks over to the door, behind it she finds Giles accompanied by a bottle of scotch. "Buffy, Merry Christmas," he states matter of factly. "This is for your mother," he adds passing the bottle to Buffy.
Buffy's memory goes back a couple of years to when Giles and her mom had boinked on top of a police car, she shudders internally as well as externally. "Thanks," she replies, for both the scotch and the memory she can't seem to erase from her mind.
Buffy turns on her feet and faces the sitting room, "RIGHT, EVERYONE IN THE DINING ROOM AND LETS HAVE SOME KICK ASS CHRISTMAS DINNER!" She hollers.
Everyone listens and they make their way to the dining room where there is a long table with nine place settings. The table is laid with a white tablecloth and a red and gold table runner down the middle. It can sit ten people at a squeeze, however; today there are 3 on one side, four on the other with Joyce and Giles at either end. Upon every place setting there is a cracker and cutlery.
Anya, Xander, Buffy and Riley take the four place settings on one side, whilst Willow sits in the middle of the three with Dawn and Tara sat either side, Giles perches at the far end.
"Mrs Summers is such a great cook, I've not been too close with my parents since an incident in high school – Wicca problems – she nearly burnt me at the stake." Willow admits taking another swig of the spiced punch.
Tara looks back at Willow completely stunned.
Buffy dismisses herself from the table to assist Joyce in the kitchen, not a minute later she exits carrying 4 plates of food.
Giles scoffs, "I see you're not using that slayer strength for personal gain."
Buffy glares at Giles before poking her tongue out at him. She walks over and places a plate infront of him. On it is succulent turkey, green beans, pigs in blankets, roast potatoes with parsnips, peas, sweetcorn and gravy. "I do miss a good Yorkshire pudding, your American dinners aren't the same."
"Are you moaning again Mr. Giles?!" Joyce shouts jokingly across the table as she joins them in the dining room with two more plates of food. "Buff, sweetie, there are just a few more plates on the side, you wouldn't mind grabbing for me would you?"
Buffy gives out the remaining plates and heads back into the kitchen to grab the rest of the plates. She comes back in with three plates and gives on to Dawn, her mother and finally herself. They finally all sit down and from the centre of the table Joyce grab a bottle of bubbly, filling everyone's glass, even Dawn got s little splash. "To old friends," She raises a glass looking towards Willow and Xander, "And to new," She adds establishing Riley and Tara (who turns a lighter shade of red). "May your Christmas be filled with joy and happiness, Cheers."
They all clink glasses and dig into the food. The table is silent for fifteen minutes whilst everyone cleans there plate, or attempts to. The pile of Christmas dinner beats all but Xander who once finished sits rubbing his belly making an 'mmm' sound.
"Th-Th-Thank you Mrs. Summers," Tara states with a genuine smile on her face. "Th-Th-That was de-delicious."
Joyce gives Tara a warm smile, "You're welcome, Tara. I'm glad you could come."
Tara looks to Willow who looks like she is about to puke. "F-F-Full?"
"I couldn't eat another bite!" Willow exclaims. Her heart still flipping in her stomach as she passes Tara another glass of fizz.
Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy. I have had a busy year and got engaged back in February.
I hope you all have a wicked Christmas and a happy and prosperous new year.
Please review, say what you think, I left it open to add possible future chapters.