Spike walked along the crowded, snowy streets. It was just a few days until Christmas, and it was chaos on the streets of New York, especially near Macy's. Last-minute shoppers were out in droves; panic fueling their drive for the perfect gift for the guy or girl who has everything. Spike smiled happily. It was like a vampire paradise. So many ripe pickings, all rushing past him, jostling him, and never knowing how close they came to death. Dru hummed a strange mix of a Christmas carol and some sort of insane melody of her own next to him.

"Want to go visit Santa Claus pet? Tell him what you want for Christmas?" he asked her.

Drusilla smiled. "Do you think he will bring me a lovely little boy with rosy cheeks? I've been ever such a good girl this year."

Spike grinned at her. "I know you have. How about a nice little girl with golden hair? Would you like that for Christmas?"

Drusilla clapped her hands together like a child. "My boy always knows what I like!"

"Whatever you ask will be yours love. Always."

Drusilla suddenly stopped in the street, so quickly that several people ran into her. She paid no attention to them, her eyes fixed on something on the street ahead of them. "Spike…" she whined.

"What is it love?" Spike stood next to her and put an arm around her. "What do you see?"

"My present!" Drusilla gave a little cry. She slowly lifted a hand and pointed. "There!"

Spike followed her line of sight to a young couple standing with a little girl, about 4 or so. The little girl wore a puffy pink coat and one of those silly looking hats with a pink puffball on top and little pink mittens. She looked very sweet.

Spike was hungry.

"Can I have her Spike?" Drusilla asked eagerly. "She looks so nice."

They watched as the parents lead the little girl away, who skipped merrily alongside them, still holding her mom's hand.

"Spike! My present!" Drusilla wailed.

Spike patted her soothingly. "Don't worry baby, I'll get your tasty little bit. Can't exactly just rush over and grab her, we'd be caught for sure with this mob. I'll follow her, wait for the right moment."

Drusilla frowned. "I'm hungry now Spike."

"Well, why don't you go and find yourself a little snack to tide you over and I'll go get your dessert. I'll meet you in front of that giant Christmas tree with all the lights."

Drusilla brightened. "My sweet boy."

He kissed her hand. "Be quick now. It shouldn't take long." He started after the couple, following at a reasonable distance.

Waiting for the inevitable moment when the little girl wouldn't have a hold of her mother's hand. When her loving parents would turn away, for a split second.

And he would have her.

The little family stopped by the skating rink. The little girl smiled as she watched the skaters glide by on the ice. She looked up to her parents, her little face aglow with happiness.

It made Spike nauseous.

The man said something to the woman and started to walk off. The woman looked extremely mad and called after him. The man continued to walk on, and the woman shook her head. Spike watched as he walked into a bar across the street from the ice rink. The little girl pulled on her mom's pants for her attention. The woman finally knelt next to her to talk. They spoke and the little girl pointed at the concession stand a little ways away. The woman walked over to the stand with the little girl in tow. They stood in the line, but gradually the little girl let go of her mom's hand. The woman looked down at the little girl, who stood next to her. She stepped up to order and that's when the little girl wandered back to where she could watch the skaters.
Spike made his move. He walked up to the little girl and started to grab her when she looked up right at him.

"Hi."

"Uh..hullo." He was caught off-guard for a second, but recovered. "Would you like a sweet?"

The little girl frowned. "My mommy says I shouldn't take candy from strangers."

"I'm not a stranger!" Spike said, as if offended by the concept. "My name's Spike. What's your name?"

"None of your business!" the little girl turned away from him. "You smell like smoke, you talk funny and Spike is a dog's name!"

Spike laughed. "I like you! You're very forthright. Don't get much of that anymore." He looked out at the skaters. "You skate?"

"My mommy says I can start taking lessons!" the little girl brightened, deciding he wasn't so bad.

"I used to skate, back home."

"Really?"

"Really. I could take you out for a skate if you want."

The little girl looked at him warily. "No thanks. I'd better wait for my mommy."

"Oh come on. I'm not so bad. I'll give you a free lesson."

"I don't have any skates."

"I'll get you some," he held a hand out to her. He knew he had her.

She smiled up at him, so trusting, so innocent. Spike looked down at her angelic face as she put her mittened hand in his. He looked into her eyes and everything in him suddenly screamed NO! He couldn't do it. He couldn't explain it, it wasn't as if this was the first time he had stolen a little child away. He and Dru had killed children before.

"On second thought, my friend's expecting me any moment. I should be off." He patted her on the head. "Be good, love. Listen to your mum. Don't talk to strangers."

"But you're not a stranger, you're Spike!" the little girl protested. "You're my friend."

He smiled at her and, seeing her mother heading in their direction, sauntered off. "Catch you next time, cutie."

The little girl waved at him. "Bye Spike!"

Her mother walked up to her, holding a steaming cup of hot chocolate. "Buffy! You know you're not supposed to wander off like that! You could have gotten hurt!"

Buffy watched him walking away in the swirling snow.